This French bread pizza is topped with sausage, thin sliced onions, and black olives. It’s easy to make and only takes a few more minutes than making a frozen pizza or ordering takeout. Pair it with a side salad for a delicious dinner that’s ideal for busy weeknights, game-day, and movie night.
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In this recipe, store-bought French bread is brushed with olive oil and topped with pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage, sliced onions, and black olives. The sausage cooks up quickly and adds a ton of flavor to the pizza. So, bypass the frozen pizza section and give a homemade French bread pizza a try.
This toasty pizza is easy and customizable. Adapt the toppings to please everyone in your family. You can even make each slice different!
For more family favorites try this cheeseburger macaroni, vegetable beef soup, and a creamy chicken and rice casserole that’s sure to please.
Ingredients
- Sausage – We use hot Italian sausage for a little kick, but mild sausage will work just as well. If you are using linked sausage remove it from its casings. Use a sharp knife tip and run it along the length of the sausage. Remove and discard the casing and tear the sausage into small bits.
- Bread – Use a loaf of French bread (not baguette). Try to choose one that is evenly shaped for uniform pizzas.
- Pantry – From the pantry you will need extra virgin olive oil, black olives, and pasta sauce (or pizza sauce). We use a meatless variety of pasta sauce because there is always a jar in the fridge or pantry. Plus, it is cheap and convenient.
- Cheese – We use prepackaged shredded mozzarella cheese in this recipe. I recommend the “whole milk mozzarella” because it is creamier and melts better.
- Produce and spices – White onion sliced thin, so it does not overpower the other flavors and a light sprinkle of dried oregano and garlic powder to add another layer of flavor.
- Garnish and serving – Serve the French bread pizza with crushed red pepper and parmesan cheese, if desired.
Instructions
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage to the skillet and cook 8-10 minutes until cooked through. Stir the sausage frequently and break up any large pieces.
Remove the cooked sausage from the skillet and place it on a plate that is lined with a paper towel to drain.
Preheat Oven 350°F.
Line a baking sheet with a cooling rack (if you have one).
- Cut the loaf of bread in half to make 2 pieces.
- Cut each piece lengthwise to open it up and brush the inside of each with olive oil.
- Spoon on the pasta sauce and spread it in a thin layer on all 4 pieces.
- Divide about ¾ of the mozzarella cheese (1½ cup) among the 4 slices.
- Arrange the sausage, sliced onions, and black olives on the pizzas and top with the reserved cheese. Sprinkle the top with the dried oregano and garlic powder.
Place the pizza on the baking sheet and bake it for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted, and the bread is toasty.
Serve with crushed red pepper and parmesan cheese, if desired.
Frequently asked questions
Apply a thin layer of olive oil to the bread and avoid using too much sauce to prevent the pizza from getting soggy. Also, slice toppings with high water content (like tomatoes and mushrooms) very thin to reduce the amount of water released.
The cook time for this homemade version is 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted.
The best way to reheat leftover French bread pizza is in the toaster oven. Use the light toast setting for a few minutes until hot. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 300°F and bake until the pizza is hot throughout.
French bread is typically longer and wider than a baguette. It also has a crusty exterior, but the inside is fleshy and softer. It’s perfect bread to make pizza because it is wide enough for toppings and the crust holds up well.
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French Bread Pizza
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Italian Sausage casings removed and torn into pieces or use bulk sausage (use mild or hot sausage)
- 1 Loaf French Bread about 18 inches long
- 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¾-1 cup Pasta Sauce use a meatless variety (or use Pizza Sauce)
- 7-8 ounces Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 2 tablespoon White Onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon Black Olives thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- Crushed Red Pepper for serving optional
- Parmesan Cheese for serving optional
Instructions
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage to the skillet and cook 8-10 minutes until cooked through. Stir the sausage frequently and break up any large pieces.
- Remove the cooked sausage from the skillet and place it on a plate that is lined with a paper towel to drain.
- Preheat Oven 350°F
- Cut the bread loaf in half to make 2 pieces (each about 9 inches). Cut each piece lengthwise to open it up. Brush the inside of each with olive oil.
- Spoon on the pasta sauce and spread it in a thin layer on all 4 pieces.
- Divide about ¾ of the mozzarella cheese (1½ cup) among the 4 slices. Reserve about ½ cup to top at the end.
- Arrange the sausage, sliced onions, and black olives on the pizzas and top with the reserved cheese. Sprinkle the top with the dried oregano and garlic powder.
- Place the pizza on a baking sheet that’s lined with a cooling rack (if you have one).
- Bake until the cheese is melted, and the bread is toasty, approximately 15-20 minutes, check it after 12 minutes and gauge the remaining time from there.
- Serve with crushed red pepper and parmesan cheese, if desired.
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