French Bread Pizza: A Comfort Food Comeback for Game Day (or Any Day)
Remember French bread pizza? It’s a nostalgic classic that’s comforting, crunchy, soft, and warm—like a hug in pizza form. And that smell? Pure magic.
The French bread pizza has humble beginnings, created in the 1960s by Bob Petrillose, a Cornell University food truck owner lovingly nicknamed “Hot Truck Bob.” Originally dubbed the PMP, or “Poor Man’s Pizza,” this late-night staple quickly became a favorite among college students. By the 1970s, Stouffer’s French Bread Pizza brought the trend to grocery store freezer aisles, cementing its place as an iconic ‘80s snack.
Homemade French bread pizza takes everything we loved about the original and makes it better: it’s quicker, fresher, and endlessly customizable. With the Super Bowl around the corner, this is a perfect addition to your game-day menu. It’s so quick and easy that you can whip it up during halftime!
French Bread Pizza Recipe
Yield: 8 appetizer servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 large loaf French bread (day-old is fine!)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
- 1 cup pizza sauce (store-bought or homemade – recipe below)
- 2 cups low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 3 ounces pepperoni, sliced
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the French bread loaf lengthwise through the center to create two pizza “shells.” Use your hands to press down the bread’s center to make room for toppings and prevent sogginess.
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl and mix in garlic powder, salt, pepper, and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning. Brush the melted butter onto the bread.
- Place the bread on the baking sheet and toast it in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove the bread, spread each half with ½ cup of pizza sauce, and sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce. Top with pepperoni slices, then sprinkle Parmesan cheese and the remaining Italian seasoning.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Slice and serve immediately.
Petite Portion Pizza Sauce Recipe
Yield: 1 cup sauce
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1–2 teaspoons sugar
Instructions:
- Line a small strainer with a coffee filter and place it over a bowl. Pour the tomato sauce into the filter and let it drain for 10 minutes.
- Mix the drained sauce with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and sugar to taste.
French Bread Pizza Variations
Don’t stop at pepperoni! Here are a few ways to shake things up:
- Margherita Style: Swap pizza sauce for marinara and top with fresh mozzarella, cherry tomato halves, and fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil before serving.
- Supreme: Add cooked sausage, bell pepper strips, mushrooms, and sliced olives for a hearty, loaded pizza.
- BBQ Chicken: Spread BBQ sauce instead of pizza sauce, then add shredded rotisserie chicken, red onion slices, and cheddar cheese. Top with fresh cilantro after baking.
- Veggie Delight: Go vegetarian with a mix of spinach, red onion, diced tomatoes, and feta cheese.
- Buffalo Chicken: Toss shredded chicken in buffalo sauce, spread ranch dressing on the bread, and top with mozzarella and a sprinkle of blue cheese crumbles.
French bread pizza is the ultimate crowd-pleaser for game day, lazy weeknights, or nostalgic weekends. So whether you’re cheering for your team, enjoying the halftime show, or just here for the commercials, whip up a PMP and create memories to savor.
Let’s keep the French bread pizza tradition alive for generations to come—one crunchy, cheesy bite at a time!
You will also love – Buffalo Chicken Pizza and Freezer Friendly Pizza Pockets

FRENCH BREAD PIZZA
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread day-old is fine!
- 4 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning divided
- 1 cup pizza sauce store-bought or homemade
- 2 cups low-moisture mozzarella cheese shredded
- 3 ounces pepperoni, sliced
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Slice the French bread loaf lengthwise through the center to create two pizza “shells.” Use your hands to press down the bread’s center to make room for toppings and prevent sogginess.
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl and mix in garlic powder, salt, pepper, and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning. Brush the melted butter onto the bread.
- Place the bread on the baking sheet and toast it in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove the bread, spread each half with ½ cup of pizza sauce, and sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce. Top with pepperoni slices, then sprinkle Parmesan cheese and the remaining Italian seasoning.
- Bake for10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Slice and serve immediately.