Pasta
$1.86per plate
Prep
10 min
Dinner · Pizza
French Bread Pizza
French bread pizza skips pizza dough entirely: a loaf from the bakery aisle, split in half, does the job in about 25 minutes with no proofing or kneading. A garlic-butter brushing and a short plain bake before the toppings go on are what keep the crust from turning soggy under the sauce. One loaf, halved and cut into slices, feeds six for about a dollar fifty a plate. For more inexpensive pasta and Italian-style dinners, see our pasta recipes collection.
$1.51per plate
Estimated recipe total
$9.06 · serves 6
Cook
15 min
Total
25 min
Serves
6
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/french-bread-pizza
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Pastry brush
- Serrated knife
Variations
- Swap pepperoni for ham, cooked sausage, or vegetables; see substitutions above.
- Add a few red pepper flakes or a drizzle of hot honey after baking for heat.
- Cut into smaller squares instead of 3 slices per half for an appetizer portion.
1 How to make it
1
Split and butter the bread
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Slice the French bread loaf in half lengthwise and set both halves cut-side up on a baking sheet. Melt the butter, stir in the garlic, and brush it evenly over both cut sides.
2
Pre-bake the bread plain
Bake the bread halves alone, with no toppings yet, for 5 minutes, until the edges just start to turn golden. This short dry bake is what keeps the crust from going soggy once the sauce and cheese go on - do not skip it.
3
Sauce and top
Remove the pan from the oven. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over both halves, leaving a small bare border around the edge. Scatter the mozzarella over the sauce, then arrange the pepperoni on top.
4
Bake until bubbly
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted, bubbling, and the pepperoni edges have started to curl and lightly crisp. For extra browning, switch to broil for the final 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely so it does not burn.
5
Finish and serve
Sprinkle with the Parmesan and a pinch of Italian seasoning. Let the pan rest 2 to 3 minutes, then slice each half into 3 pieces (6 total) and serve while the cheese is still glossy.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Ham, cooked sausage, or vegetables instead of pepperoni. Any pre-cooked topping works the same way; just keep the total amount similar so the halves aren't overloaded and the toppings cook through evenly.
- Provolone or a mozzarella-cheddar blend instead of mozzarella. Either melts well here. A blend adds a sharper flavor without changing the method.
- Garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. Use 1/4 tsp garlic powder stirred into the melted butter in place of the minced cloves.
- Skip the pepperoni for a cheese-only version. Leaving it off trims the cost further and still bakes the same way.
3 Budget tips
- A single loaf of French bread does the work of pizza dough for a fraction of the price and none of the proofing time.
- Buy pepperoni and mozzarella in the size you'll actually use - a small 3.5 oz pepperoni pack and an 8 oz bag of shredded mozzarella cover this recipe with nothing left to waste.
- Watch for store-brand pizza sauce and French bread; both are frequently the cheapest options and work identically here.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftover slices in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer
Cool completely, then wrap slices tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
Reheating
Reheat in a 375 F oven or toaster oven for about 8 minutes, until hot and re-crisped. A microwave works in a pinch but leaves the crust soft.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
430
Protein
20g
Fat
20g
Carbs
43g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
How do I keep French bread pizza from getting soggy?
Brush the cut sides with garlic butter and bake the bread alone for 5 minutes before adding any sauce. That short pre-bake dries and lightly crisps the surface so it can hold up under the sauce and cheese. Leaving a bare border around the edge instead of spreading sauce all the way out also helps.
What temperature do you bake French bread pizza at?
This recipe bakes at 400 F the whole way through - both the plain pre-bake and the topped bake afterward. That is hot enough to melt the cheese and lightly crisp the bread without drying it out.
What kind of bread should I use?
A standard French bread loaf from the bakery aisle, about 16 oz. It should be sturdy enough to hold sauce and cheese without collapsing - a soft sandwich loaf or a thin baguette will not work as well.
How is $1.51 a plate figured?
The whole recipe runs about $9.06 for one loaf, sauce, cheese, and pepperoni, split six ways. The bread, cheese, and pepperoni are the biggest costs; everything else is pennies.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- Rimmed baking sheet. A rimmed half sheet pan is the workhorse for sheet-pan dinners and roasting vegetables, with a lip that keeps juices from spilling. Best for sheet-pan sausage and potatoes, baked chicken pieces, and roasted vegetables.
- Instant-read meat thermometer. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of doneness, so lean or cheap cuts stay juicy instead of overcooking. Best for chicken, pork, and meatloaf, where a few degrees decides juicy or dry.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
Feeding a crowd tonight? This one is also part of our Easy Family Dinner Recipes collection.
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