Lightened Up French Bread Pizza Recipes

FRENCH BREAD PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in pizza sauce and mushrooms; set aside. , Cut bread in half lengthwise, then into eight pieces. Spread meat sauce on bread; place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes or until cheese melted and bubbly.

LIGHTENED UP FRENCH BREAD PIZZA RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. (I use my toaster oven.)
• Cut the baguette in half lengthwise. Place the halves on a baking sheet, insides facing up. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly toasted.
• While the bread is toasting, lightly coat a nonstick skillet with spray and place it over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until just tender, but not browned, about 5 minutes.
• Top each toasted baguette evenly with half the marinara sauce, then half of the vegetable mixture, then the cheese. Sprinkle evenly with oregano and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Place the pepperoni over that, followed by the remaining vegetable mixture.
• Return the pizza to the oven and bake until the cheese is just melted and the bread is crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately.

FRENCH BREAD PIZZAS

Steps:

• For the pizza base: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lay the rolls cut-side up on a large baking sheet. Top each half with marinara sauce (or pesto for the tomato basil pizzas), followed by the mozzarella. Then add your toppings of choice. See below for directions for assembling specific pizzas.
• Once the pizzas are assembled, put the baking sheet on the lowest rack for 8 to 10 minutes. Then turn up the heat to 425 degrees F and put the sheet on the highest rack until the cheese starts to bubble a bit and turns golden. Remove and serve immediately! Cut the pizzas in half right across the middle so there are mini French bread pizzas for everyone.
• Pizza Varieties:
• For the Canadian bacon and pineapple pizzas: Top with the Canadian bacon slices and pineapple and bake according to the directions above.
• For the Greek salad pizzas: Leave off the sauce and brush the sliced rolls with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with the mozzarella and bake according to the directions above.
• While the pizzas are baking, toss together the olives, feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Top the cooked pizzas with the chopped Greek salad.
• For the pepperoni and jalapeno pizzas: Top with the pepperoni and jalapeno slices and bake according to the directions above.
• For the tomato basil pizzas: Use pesto instead of the marinara sauce, and top with the tomato slices. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake according to the directions above. Top the cooked pizzas with basil leaves.
• For the hamburger pizzas: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper and saute until the beef is no longer pink. Top the rolls with the sauteed ground beef and bake according to the directions above.
• For the hamburger taco pizzas: Top with the Cheddar and ground beef and bake according to the directions above. Top the cooked pizzas with the chopped lettuce and tomatoes.