Name: French Bread Pizza
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 loaf of French bread or baquette - cut into thirds; 1 + 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese; 4 to 5 large fresh basil leaves - finely chopped; 1 tsp. Herbs de Provence; 1/2 tsp. salt; fresh cracked pepper to taste; 2 cups of shredded mozzarella; 6 slices of prosciutto; 5-ounces of fresh arugula; 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus extra

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Pizza night can be easy with French Bread Pizza! Crunchy French bread is topped with creamy lemon-ricotta mixture, melted mozzarella, prosciutto, and fresh arugula. YUM! These French bread pizzas are nothing short of crunchy, creamy, savory, and tangy – all in every bite! Super easy to pull off, and positively mouth-watering!

Two slices of French bread toasted and topped with cheeses, prosciutto and arugula served on a wood board.

Our French Bread Pizza… made easy!

French bread pizza is an easy way to pull off a delicious lunch or dinner , and especially on busy weeknights. It is a great way to make pizza night more fun, and enjoyable. Everyone will LOVE the Italian flavors combined in this French bread pizza, simply because the textures are wonderful!

It’s crispy crust, melted cheeses, fresh prosciutto, and tangy, peppery arugula on top are what makes it savory and delicious in every bite. It’s so good, everyone will enjoy them.

You can prepare simple toppings and bake as many of these French bread pizzas as needed. Cut them into smaller pieces and serve them as an appetizer too. It’s AMAZING… to say the least.

Where did French Bread Pizza originate from? This idea for making pizza using French bread started in the 1960’s, at Cornell University with a food truck to serve a ‘poor man’s pizza’ for late-night students. Then Stouffer’s popularized the concept by launching its own French Bread Pizza in 1974, which became a freezer-aisle staple.

What makes our French Bread Pizza ideal?

It’s freshly made with only fresh ingredients for the best flavor. No preservatives or additives.
This pizza is a great alternative to making your own pizza dough.
A fun way to make an appetizer or a quick meal on busy nights.
Ideal for lunch too.
This recipe is made with staple ingredients, and this French Bread Pizza is perfect for family gatherings.
No fancy equipment is needed or required.
It is relatively easy to make them using your oven, air-fryer or on your outside grill.
Best of all, the pizza turns out delicious every time. Everyone will fall in love with this pizza after their take their first bite!

3 smaller pieces of pizza on a wood board.

Ingredients Needed:

For our French Bread Pizza recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

one loaf of French Bread – cut into thirds, then lengthwise in half.
whole milk ricotta cheese – up to 2 cups
dried herbs, and fresh basil
salt, and black pepper
shredded mozzarella
1 package of sliced prosciutto
fresh arugula
fresh lemon juice
extra virgin olive oil

A loaf of French bread on a baking sheet, and package of prosciutto, lemon, ricotta and arugula on the counter.

How to Make French Bread Pizza?

Our full printable recipe card is located at the bottom. But first, let’s run through our easy steps so you will understand what’s involved before you start.

For this recipe, gather all the ingredients. Then you will need to cut the loaf of bread into thirds (as in the photo) then cut each piece in half, lengthwise.

Loaf of bread, cut into thirds, then cut in half, lengthwise.

First, bake the slices of bread! Place the pieces with the crust side down on a baking sheet. Bake for a few minutes without any thing on them, to dry them out. This will ensure the bread will have the ultimate crispy crust when it’s ready to serve.

2. NEXT, make the ricotta mixture! Mix ricotta with herbs and lemon juice and spread the creamy ricotta mixture on top of each warm crispy slice.

3. Then sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, and BAKE AGAIN until the cheeses are melted and golden in color.

Creamy ricotta mixture in a red bowl, then spread onto each bread, then shredded mozzarella on top.

4. Toss arugula with some lemon juice, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt.

Arugula salad in silver bowl, prosciutto and arugula on top each bread pizza. — .

5. Top each bread pizza with a slice of prosciutto and a handful of arugula salad on top, and serve! … and Enjoy!

Notes and Important Tips!

It’s best to serve these bread pizzas immediately. This will ensure the ultimate results of its crunchy, creamy, cheesy, and savory in every bite.
Keep in mind, the longer the bread pizza sits and rests, the quicker the arugula on top will begin to wilt and become soggy from the warmth underneath.

Options for Toppings:

Make it simple using a loaf of French bread, toasting it, and add your favorite toppings, like tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella and pepperoni. Make it a fun “pizza night” with family and friends, and put out a few toppings. Let everyone get in on the fun of making them. The possibilities are endless!

Top the crispy bread with a quick marinara sauce and shredded cheeses and bake!
Add slices of pepperoni and make your favorite pepperoni pizza.
Try it with freshly sliced ripe tomatoes and slices of fresh mozzarella on top.
Spread a layer of fresh basil pesto sauce on the bread, then top it with your favorite toppings.

FAQ’s

Can we use other types of bread? Yes, you can. Try making them with any loaves of bread. Try it with semolina bread, or crusty banquette of your choice.
How do we store leftovers? You can wrap them with clear wrap and keep them chilled in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh up to one day.
How do we reheat them? Best to reheat French bread pizza’s in the oven, or your counter toaster oven. If you pop them into the microwave, you can, but the bread will get soft and lose its crispiness.

More Delicious Recipes for Pizza!

Your comments help us! If you try our recipe for French Bread Pizza, let us know and leave a comment with a star rating! We’d love to hear from you. Sharing your insights and experiences helps everyone who reads them, and helps us too! Have fun and snap a photo and share it on Instagram, or Pinterest. We’d love to see what you cook and share your photos with the world! 🙂

French Bread Pizza

Yield: 3 to 6 servngs

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

French Bread Pizza is made with a loaf of bread, melted cheeses, prosciutto, and arugula. Its amazing flavors and textures are nothing but short of crunchy, creamy, savory, and tangy - all in every bite! Easy, simple, and positively delicious!

Ingredients

1 loaf of French bread or baquette - cut into thirds
1 + 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
4 to 5 large fresh basil leaves - finely chopped
1 tsp. Herbs de Provence
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh cracked pepper to taste
2 cups of shredded mozzarella
6 slices of prosciutto
5-ounces of fresh arugula
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus extra

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204C).
Cut the loaf of bread into thirds. Then cut each third in half, lengthwise. You should have 6 pieces in total.
Transfer the bread with crust side down onto a baking sheet. Bake the bread for 5 to 6 minutes, until the bread dries out, and is firm and crispy when you touch it. Remove from oven and set it aside.
Next, In a small mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, fresh basil, herbs de Provence, 1 tablespoon of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and, some fresh cracked black pepper. Stir the mixture vigorously for about 1 minute, until the ricotta is smooth and creamy.
Spread about a heaping tablespoon or more of the ricotta mixture on top of each bread.
Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella on top. Place them back into the oven and BAKE them until the mozzarella is completely melted and golden around the edges., about 5 to 7 minutes.
In the meantime, in a small bowl, toss together about 3 handfuls of arugula (you will not use the entire package) with 1.5 tablespoons of lemon juice, and a generous pinch of salt.
When the cheese is completely melted on top. Remove the French bread pizzas from the oven, and immediately lay a slice of prosciutto on top of each bread. Then sprinkle top with some arugula salad. Here, is where you can squeeze additional lemon juice over the arugula.
Serve immediately.
Yields: 6 French bread pizzas

Notes

TIPS:

It's best to serve these bread pizzas immediately. This will ensure the ultimate results of its crunchy, creamy, cheesy, and savory in every bite.
Keep in mind, the longer the bread pizza sits and rests, the quicker the arugula on top will begin to wilt and become soggy from the warmth underneath.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 serving Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 339Total Fat: 11.3gCarbohydrates: 35.1gFiber: 1.8gSugar: 2.2gProtein: 24.4g

Happy Baking! 🙂

Thanks for stopping by!

xo anna and liz

Welcome! From Anna and Liz

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