The Extra Step To Guarantee Crisp French Bread Pizza Every Time

Though we're not entirely sure who is responsible for the delicious marriage of French bread and pizza, we're sure glad the combination exists. For busy weekday nights and lazy weekends lounging around the house, French bread pizza hits the spot when it comes to creating satisfying snacks and quick meals with ease. Whether you decide to make your own French bread at home or use store-bought loaves for the base of your dish, getting the crispy texture of the bread right is key to serving up perfectly toasted slices of pizza that are covered in piping hot toppings and melted cheese.

From replicating white pizza recipes to piling on an assortment of meats and vegetables, prepare French bread for your topping choices by toasting the bread before adding anything else. Forgetting to toast the bread prior to spooning on the sauce is an easily forgivable mistake — especially when you're hungry — but taking a pause will result in a much more satisfying pizza dish to sink your teeth into.

The crunch of French bread pizza is a huge part of its appeal, and neglecting that first toast before adding toppings can result in a disappointingly soggy meal. Give your pieces of French bread a quick brush of olive oil and sprinkle salt, ground pepper, and the dried herbs of your choice before toasting these slices in the oven. After a few minutes, you'll notice the bread turn golden, signifying that it's time to remove the bread and get to crowning each piece with the rest of your ingredients.

Once your bread is coated with all the cheese, flavorful pizza sauce, and toppings that you desire, pop the pizza bread back into the oven for another few minutes until the cheese has melted. The amount of time will depend on your oven and the thickness of ingredients you have added, but the final toasting should take around five minutes to complete. Serve your French pizza bread straight out of the oven, add extra sprinkles of Parmesan or fresh basil, and enjoy a crispier slice at the dinner table or in front of your favorite TV series. We don't judge.