Four-Cheese French Bread Pizza

By Dawn Perry

Updated June 6, 2024

Four-Cheese French Bread Pizza
Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
30 minutes, plus 5 minutes’ cooling
Rating
4(199)
Notes
Read community notes

Each cheese plays a special role in this French bread pizza: A combination of Parmesan and pecorino makes it especially nutty and salty; mozzarella melts evenly and a sharper deli-style provolone bridges the gap between them. Once you learn how to make the classic white sauce (technically a Mornay, which is a béchamel with cheese added), you’ll find dozens of ways to use it beyond pizza: Swap in an equal amount of grated Cheddar and toss it with pasta for an easy stovetop mac and cheese, or use Gruyère, slather the sauce over ham on toast, and broil until bubbly and browned. The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead of time; store tightly covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Featured in: The Secret to Easy Homemade Pizza

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Sauce

    • 1tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 1tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1cup whole milk
    • ¼cup grated Parmesan
    • ¼cup grated Pecorino Romano
    • ½teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
    • A few grinds of black pepper

    For the Pizza

    • ¼cup olive oil
    • 2garlic cloves, grated
    • 1loaf soft French bread, split lengthwise, insides mostly dug out
    • 4ounces mozzarella, low-moisture and part-skim, or fresh (drained and patted dry, if necessary), grated or torn
    • 4ounces sliced provolone (from the deli), cut into ½-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
    • 2tablespoons grated Parmesan
    • Red-pepper flakes or dried oregano, or both, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

689 calories; 41 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 33 grams protein; 1140 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the sauce: Heat oven to 450 degrees. Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until starting to turn golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, a few splashes at a time to start, until evenly incorporated. Bring to a full boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened and the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. (It will continue to thicken as it cools.). Remove from heat, and whisk in Parmesan, pecorino, salt and pepper. Let cool.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the pizza: Combine olive oil and garlic in a small pot over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the garlic starts to sizzle but doesn’t brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

  3. Step 3

    Place the French bread cut side up on a baking sheet. Brush cut sides with garlic oil. Bake until edges are golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Toss together the cheeses in a medium bowl. Spread sauce over the two bread halves all the way to the edges and top with cheese.

  5. Step 5

    Return to the oven and bake until melted, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to broil. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and browned in spots (watch carefully!), 1 to 2 minutes more. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve topped with red-pepper flakes and oregano, if you like.

Ratings

4 out of 5
199 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Kathi in VA

Made this tonight. Super yummy and easy. I sprinkled on some crushed red pepper and basil between cheese layers. Everyone loved it. Good base - could add all sorts of toppings to your liking or stick with just the cheesy deliciousness.

Mary

I also recommend using Naan bread for pizza. Super-easy and fewer carbs.

Tiana

Made this for my kids tonight who loved the cheesy goodness. I'm not a great cook and usually get anxious following recipes for fear of messing something up and ruining dinner. This recipe was easy to follow, hard to mess up, and most importantly delicious. Thank you for making the night a success!

Karen Zelinski

This was delicious. Simple and very satisfying! Definitely needed the oregano and some red pepper to cut the richness. Served with a green salad - nice dinner for a stormy night. Not everything has to be fancy or authentic.

wwadeiii

My siblings and i were making English Muffin pizzas with jarred sauce, Pollyo brand mozzarella slices and red pepper flakes, way back in the Sixties. Our mother let us use the oven broiler; the occasional burned finger, but we learned how to cook.

Docjuice

Legit amazing. Kids said it may be the best thing they’ve ever had. Used sharp cheddar instead of provolone. Imagine a spicy cheese would work too. A lot of preparation but worth it.

BJ

We make our pizza on naan available in most grocery stores. Perfect every time!

Jeanie Diva

I did that also. It's still good.

Marko

Provolone = Provola = Fontina ≈ Gruyère

NDN

Excellent way to make pizza! Adaptable with red sauce—but the prep turns bread into a garlicky, crunchy delight!! Wow!

CJ

Simply scrumptious. This recipe makes it impossible to ever go back to store bought French bread pizza!

Diane

Make the garlic oil in the microwave. Put oil and garlic in a small GLASS bowl ( I use those little 6 oz pyrex bowls). Cook in 30 second bursts until garlic sizzles and gets soft but not brown. I do this all the time for small batches (2 tbsp of oil and a minced clove) and it works beautifully. Just be sure to stir it once or twice so the garlic doesn't clump together.

Tiana

Made this for my kids tonight who loved the cheesy goodness. I'm not a great cook and usually get anxious following recipes for fear of messing something up and ruining dinner. This recipe was easy to follow, hard to mess up, and most importantly delicious. Thank you for making the night a success!

BJ

We make our pizza on naan available in most grocery stores. Perfect every time!

Jan

Recipe doesn’t say when to put on the mixed cheese from the bowl. Spread sauce corner to corner, on top of mixed cheeses? Maybe I missed something?

Aipotu

Yes, I'm wondering the same thing. Sitting here with mozzarella and provolone and assuming that it is part of step 4. But specifics would have been nice.

stephanie

it's been a couple months since your comment so perhaps they updated the recipe. step 4 says to spread the sauce on the bread and then top with the mix of cheeses :)

wwadeiii

My siblings and i were making English Muffin pizzas with jarred sauce, Pollyo brand mozzarella slices and red pepper flakes, way back in the Sixties. Our mother let us use the oven broiler; the occasional burned finger, but we learned how to cook.

Jeanie Diva

I did that also. It's still good.

Mary

I also recommend using Naan bread for pizza. Super-easy and fewer carbs.

Karen Zelinski

This was delicious. Simple and very satisfying! Definitely needed the oregano and some red pepper to cut the richness. Served with a green salad - nice dinner for a stormy night. Not everything has to be fancy or authentic.

Docjuice

Legit amazing. Kids said it may be the best thing they’ve ever had. Used sharp cheddar instead of provolone. Imagine a spicy cheese would work too. A lot of preparation but worth it.

Kathi in VA

Made this tonight. Super yummy and easy. I sprinkled on some crushed red pepper and basil between cheese layers. Everyone loved it. Good base - could add all sorts of toppings to your liking or stick with just the cheesy deliciousness.

Jean

How about a recommendation for a gluten free bread to make this 'pizza' for those of us who can't eat wheat gluten?

Erica

Have you tried Against the Grain baguettes (gluten free)? They are excellent and available in many grocery stores.

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