Description
Discover the Red Baron French Bread Pizza Recipe and recreate the iconic crispy crust and savory toppings at home. Perfect for quick dinners!
Ingredients
- 1 (24-inch by 4-inch) loaf of soft French bread
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ – 2 cups marinara or pizza sauce (adjust to taste)
- 12 ounces (about 3 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional: 1-2 ounces sliced pepperoni or other toppings of your choice
Instructions
-
Place the oven rack in the upper-middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
-
Cut the loaf of soft French bread in half crosswise, and then cut each piece in half horizontally to create 4 equal pieces.
-
Place the bread cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the crust with olive oil.
-
In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, garlic powder, and salt. Flip the bread cut-side up and brush the cut side with the melted butter mixture.
-
Bake the bread (cut-side up) until the edges are browned, approximately 5 minutes.
-
Spread the sauce evenly on each piece of toasted bread. Top with mozzarella, then Parmesan, and finally, the pepperoni or your preferred toppings (in that order). Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starts to brown.
-
Allow the pizza to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Look for a large loaf of soft French bread in your grocery store’s bakery, as this creates a better crust.
- Customize your pizza with your favorite toppings such as sautéed sliced mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes, olives, or Italian sausage.
- You can use store-bought marinara or pizza sauce for convenience, but homemade sauce works well too.
- Garnish the pizzas with fresh herbs like basil or oregano before serving. You can also add crushed red pepper flakes for some heat.
- Experiment with different pizza variations such as Hawaiian or BBQ Chicken by adjusting the toppings and sauces.
- If you prefer individual pizzas, use flatbread or Naan bread, and you can skip toasting it before adding toppings and baking for 10-12 minutes at 425°F.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 571kcal
- Sugar: 3.8g
- Sodium: 1493mg
- Fat: 36.6g
- Saturated Fat: 20.1g
- Carbohydrates: 28.1g
- Fiber: 2.2g
- Protein: 34.8g
- Cholesterol: 93mg