This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This French bread pizza for one is a quick, easy way to enjoy a homemade pizza without making dough. Soft French bread is topped with sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni, then baked until the cheese is melted and the edges are lightly crisp.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy: This French bread pizza comes together fast and bakes in minutes.
- Single Serving: Made for one, so you get a fresh, hot pizza without leftovers.
- Customizable: Use pepperoni, vegetables, or your favorite toppings to make it your own.
- Simple Ingredients: Made with basic pantry staples you likely already have on hand.
- Crispy and Cheesy: The bread crisps in the oven while the cheese melts and bubbles on top.
There’s something so satisfying about pulling a French bread pizza from the oven and seeing the cheese bubbling and the edges of the bread lightly crisp. It’s warm, familiar, and just the right size, which is exactly why I come back to this recipe again and again.
Looking for more small pizza recipes? Try our personal pepperoni pizza, small Detroit-style pizza, portobello mushroom pizza, or small crustless pizza bowl for easy, single serving options that bake quickly and use simple ingredients.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this personal French bread pizza recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Bread: Use a small piece of soft french bread, Italian bread, or a baguette. The key is a soft interior that crisps nicely when baked. Avoid very hard or stale loaves (those are better for a small batch of croutons or homemade breadcrumbs). Leftover bread? Use some in single serve French onion soup or a small breakfast casserole.
- Sauce: Pizza sauce, tomato sauce, or pomodoro sauce is the flavor base here. You can use homemade or jarred pizza sauce, marinara, or even a quick mix of tomato paste plus Italian seasoning and a splash of water in a pinch. Choose a sauce you enjoy since it defines the pizza taste.
- Cheese: Mozzarella is classic for its gooey, melty texture. For best results, shred fresh mozzarella yourself (pre-shredded often has anti-caking agents that limit melt). Mozzarella also pairs well with other cheeses if you want extra flavor. Use extra cheese in a small sheet pan lasagna or single sesrve Caprese pasta.
- Pepperoni: Traditional savory pepperoni brings the classic pizza flavor. Add as much or as little as you like. Swap in other toppings (ham, sausage, or veggies) if you want something different. Use extra pepperoni in a mini muffuletta or a crustless pizza quiche.
Recipe Variations
French bread pizza is easy to customize using classic pizza toppings.
- Veggie Pizza: Top with bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and olives.
- Meat Lovers Pizza: Add cooked sausage, bacon, or ham along with pepperoni.
- Hawaiian Pizza: Use ham and pineapple for a sweet and salty combination.
- Buffalo Chicken Pizza: Top with shredded buffalo chicken and finish with a light drizzle of blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing.
- BBQ Chicken Pizza: Swap the pizza sauce for BBQ sauce and add cooked chicken and sliced red onions.
How To Make French Bread Pizza
These step-by-step photos show how to assemble a small French bread pizza. For exact ingredient amounts and full details, see the recipe card below.
- Prepare the Bread: Cut the bread in half crosswise, then slice each piece lengthwise. You should have two pizza halves. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the cut sides.
- Add the Cheese: Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the sauce, covering the surface without piling it too high.
- Add the Pepperoni: Place pepperoni slices on top of the cheese.
- Bake: Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges of the bread are lightly crisp, about 10 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Use soft bread: Choose French or Italian bread with a soft interior so it crisps without becoming too hard.
- Don’t overload the toppings: Too much sauce or cheese can make the bread soggy. A thin, even layer works best.
- Bake on the middle rack: This helps the cheese melt evenly while the bread lightly crisps on the bottom.
- Make more if needed: To make additional French bread pizzas, repeat the recipe using more bread and toppings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use a light layer of sauce and avoid overloading the toppings. Baking on the middle rack also helps the bread crisp while the cheese melts.
You can assemble the pizza a few hours ahead, cover it, and refrigerate. Bake just before serving for best texture.
Yes. Assemble the pizza without baking and place it on a baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer to freezer bags. When ready to bake, cook from frozen and add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this french bread pizza or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!
French Bread Pizza For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (6-inch loaf) french bread
- 4 tablespoons tomato sauce or use marinara sauce or pizza sauce
- 4 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 slices pepperoni
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400° F (200° C).
- Cut the bread in half crosswise, then slice each piece lengthwise. You should have two pizza halves. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the cut sides.
- Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the sauce.
- Place pepperoni slices on top of the cheese.
- Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges of the bread are lightly crisp, about 10 minutes.
Notes
- Use soft bread: Choose French or Italian bread with a soft interior so it crisps without becoming too hard.
- Don’t overload the toppings: Too much sauce or cheese can make the bread soggy. A thin, even layer works best.
- Bake on the middle rack: This helps the cheese melt evenly while the bread lightly crisps on the bottom.
- Make more if needed: To make additional French bread pizzas, repeat the recipe using more bread and toppings.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
made it for dinner last night – on an Italian roll so easy and tasty – had left over sauce and used meatballs on one side and pepperoni on the other side – terrific dinner – thank you for the idea had a left-over roll and this was the perfect way to use it.
Why is it the whenever a recipe calls for using the paddle in mixer to knead dough no-one ever mentions the speed for the mixer? On TV, the camera never spans over that area of the mixer either. BTW, if anyone has a kitchenaid mixer, what’s the best speed?
This made a tasty lunch with hardly any ingredients…I used 2 hoagie rolls that were leftovers from making sub sandwiches…I used pizza sauce and sprinkled on some red pepper flakes for a touch of heat…I froze the extra for eating in the near future.
I’ve made these a couple times. Very quick, easy and delicious. This next shopping trip I need to think ahead a bit and get more bread. Since I’m going to make a couple up I might as well make some for the freezer for the late work nights. Thank you!