This recipe is a game-changer for those who want a homemade pizza but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen making the dough. Add your favorite toppings and leave it in the oven a little longer for maximum crispiness.
For more easy pizza recipes, try our Pizza Bagels or our Pizza Quesadillas!

Why Our Recipe
- We sneak in a layer of garlic butter to take your pizza over the top with deliciousness!
- Pizza night made easyโready in under 30 minutes!
- Perfectly crispy bread, gooey melted cheese, and your favorite toppings.
This easy recipe is the perfect way to whip up a quick pizza dinner for the pizza-loving members of your family. This recipe is a family favorite for how easy it is to make and how easy it is to customize. I LOVED it when my mom made French bread pizza and now my own children love it too. Kids love to help out and choose their own toppings. Make this one for an easy weeknight win!
Ingredient Notes
- French Bread: Choose a loaf with a nice crusty exterior and soft interior. Day-old bread works great, too, since it crisps up perfectly in the oven.
- Butter: Make sure itโs softened to room temperature for easy spreading.
- Garlic Powder: We use garlic powder rather than minced garlic to keep it from burning while still giving you garlic flavor.
- Dried Oregano: Just a little Italian herb note. You could also use Italian seasoning.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly shredded Parmesan melts best. Store-bought bagged cheese contains additives that can make it harder to melt.
- Pizza Sauce: Homemade pizza sauce is our favorite, but canned or jarred store-bought options work just fine. Use your favorite!
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: Freshly shredded mozzarella melts better than pre-shredded cheese, which contains additives to prevent clumping which also makes it hard to melt.
- Pepperoni Slices: Use any brand or type you prefer for your topping.
Topping Ideas
Our favorite thing about pizza night? The toppings. While pepperoni is a foolproof classic, donโt be afraid to mix it up. Just be careful not to overload your pizza with too many toppingsโthis can make the crust soggy and affect the cooking time.
Veggie Lovers: Load up with sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, and red onion.
Hawaiian: Sweet and savory perfection with pineapple chunks and ham. Those who think pineapple doesnโt belong on pizza can skip this one.
BBQ Chicken: Swap out the pizza sauce for BBQ sauce, then top with shredded chicken, red onion, and a sprinkle of cilantro.
Margherita: Fresh mozzarella slices, tomato, and fresh basil for a simple classic.
Meat Lovers: Combine sausage crumbles, pepperoni, bacon, and ham for an all-in meat feast.
Kidsโ Favorites: Let the kids top their own pizzas with fun toppings like mini pepperonis or even sliced hot dogs. Hey, we donโt judge!
Gourmet: Fancy it up and add prosciutto, arugula, and goat cheese… maybe a little pesto, while you’re at it.
Pro Tip
Pre-baking the bread with the butter mixture helps create a barrier that prevents the sauce from soaking into the bread. Make sure to spread the sauce evenly, but don’t overdo it, as too much sauce can still make the bread soggy.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate individual slices by wrapping tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Freeze by wrapping each half tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Then place it in a freezer-safe bag. Store for up to 3 months. To bake, preheat the oven and bake the pizza directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time to ensure it cooks through.
Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 5-7 minutes.
What else would you recommend to use this toppings in addition to pepperoni?
Any traditional pizza toppings. Sausage, bacon, bell pepper, olives, mushrooms, onions, bacon are all classics.
I’ll add the garlic butter trick to my “cheater pizza”. I get focaccia instead of a long loaf. Cut it in half through the center, and yhr half fits perfectly into my Detroit pizza pan. Add brick or Monterey jack cheese, sprinkling some around the perimeter to give you the frico crust! With one pan, it required two trips through the oven, buy that allows for fresh, hot seconds!
ooooo, I love it! That sounds delicious!
Very good but 5 min at 450 did not brown the bread. 10 min didn’t nor did 15. Ended up broiling for a couple. All in the fun of being a home chef!
This has become a regular in our meal rotation because our children love it and it is a quick meal option! The butter layer before cheese and toppings makes this worthwhile. I have shared it with other families who love it as well. Thank you!
The garlic butter defiantly makes a huge impact on the flavor.
Keep em coming. I love your recipe’s
Awesome! I searched for a recipe because I was unsure if I should bake it a bit before topping it. Using your method of basically making garlic bread then topping w/the sauce, etc. was perfect. It wasn’t soggy and it was very flavorful. I topped mine with onions, pepperoni, and banana peppers.
I also appreciate the advice about freezing before cooking. It will be nice to have pizza on hand for a quick dinner. Thanks!
Sometimes I make them on English Muffins. Nice and crunchy. Sauce gets into nooks and crannies!
I made this to take to a family where the mom just got out of the hospital. We took it and ate with them. It was delicious. Will definitely make again.
I made this tonight for quick, easy dinner after work. We really liked it! The garlic butter base really added a nice flavor!