Garlic Bread Pizza (Two Comfort Classics, One Easy Sheet Pan Dinner)

This garlic bread pizza is a combination masterpiece. It consists of garlicky, buttery slices of French bread topped with melty mozzarella, pepperoni, and sweet peppers. If you’re already a fan of my chicken alfredo garlic bread or crave the cheesy pull of Chicago pizza pot pie, this mash-up is your new best friend—and it pairs ridiculously well with a bowl of Copycat Olive Garden Salad for the full pizzeria vibe.

Why I Love This Garlic Bread Pizza Recipe

I always make garlic bread as a side for pizza night, and then one night, some of the sauce and cheese from my pizza landed on a little piece of garlic bread. Game-changer. The next day, I went to the grocery store to grab everything I needed to create garlic bread pizza. I messed around with the toppings until I created the perfect recipe.

Here's my trick that makes this recipe so good. Pre-toasting the bread locks in crunch, allowing the garlic butter to seep into every air pocket, and you get full pizza flavor without waiting for the dough to rise. It's an easier and more flavorful way to make homemade pizzas, and it's even more delicious since it's garlic bread-style!

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the garlic bread base:

• 1 loaf French bread 
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Large pinch kosher salt

And for the toppings:

• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 16 oz fresh mozzarella, shredded or torn
• ½ cup pepperoni slices
• ½ cup sweet peppers, thinly sliced (or any other toppings)
• Grated Parmesan & fresh basil, to finish

How To Make Garlic Bread Pizza

Step 1: Make Garlic Butter

Stir softened butter, minced garlic, and salt in a bowl until evenly blended and somewhat smooth.

Step 2: Prep & Toast the Bread

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Halve the French bread crosswise, then split each piece lengthwise. It should resemble the cut bread shown below.

Place cut-side up on a sheet pan and slather with garlic butter. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are golden.

Step 3: Add Sauce & Cheese

Spread marinara sauce over the toasted garlic bread. Pile on mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and sweet peppers (or your favorite toppings).

Step 4: Bake to Bubbly

Return the pan to the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the bread is crisp around the rims.

Step 5: Finish & Serve

Sprinkle with Parmesan and basil leaves to finish. Slice if desired and serve while hot. Dig in!

My Expert Tips

• Quick “Pre-Toast” for Crunch: Toasting the plain, buttered bread for a few minutes drives out surface moisture—think of it as giving the bread a light raincoat. When the tomato sauce goes on next, that raincoat keeps the inside fluffy and the edges crisp.
• Warm Sauce, Faster Pizza: Room-temp or slightly warmed marinara helps the cheese start melting right away. Cold sauce drops the bread’s temperature, so you’d need to bake longer and risk a chewy crust.
• Cheese Mix for Best Stretch: Fresh mozzarella is yummy but watery. Adding a small handful of drier, low-moisture mozzarella (or even a sprinkle of Parmesan) on top helps soak up extra moisture and gives you those Instagram-worthy cheese pulls.
• Pepperoni Double-Layer Trick: Slide half the pepperoni under the cheese so its spicy oil drips into the sauce, then scatter the rest on top, allowing the edges to curl and crisp. You get flavor on the inside and crunch on the outside.
• Top Rack = Golden Brown: Baking on the upper-middle rack puts the pizza closer to the oven’s heat source. The cheese browns faster while the hot pan below keeps the bottom crust firm—just like a pizzeria deck oven.
• Tear, Don’t Chop, Basil: Basil’s best flavor hides in tiny scent bubbles that pop easily. Tearing leaves opens enough bubbles for aroma without squashing them flat, so the herb stays bright green and extra fragrant when you sprinkle it over the hot pizza.

Garlic Bread Pizza Variations

• Veggie Supreme – Add sautéed mushrooms, black olives, and baby spinach.
• Buffalo Chicken Twist – Swap marinara for ⅔ cup buffalo sauce and top with shredded rotisserie chicken & blue-cheese crumbles.
• Margherita Style – Use sliced fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella rounds, and drizzle with olive oil post-bake.
• BBQ Style – Replace pizza sauce with BBQ sauce and scatter chopped smoked brisket or chicken and bacon over the cheese.

FAQs About This Garlic Bread Pizza

What kind of bread can I use for garlic bread pizza?

Texas toast, Italian bread, French bread, or any crusty loaf works great. Adjust the toast time by 2-3 minutes if using a thicker bread.

How do I prevent the garlic from burning in the oven?

To avoid burnt garlic, mix it thoroughly into softened butter before spreading. The fat coats the garlic and protects it during baking, preventing bitterness and overbrowning.

Can I make garlic bread pizza ahead of time?

Yes! You can toast the garlic-buttered bread in advance, let it cool, and store it in an airtight container. When ready to serve, just add sauce, cheese, and toppings, then bake until hot and bubbly.

What’s the best way to slice garlic bread pizza without messing up the cheese?

A sharp bread knife works best to slice through the crisp crust and gooey cheese without dragging or tearing. A pizza wheel can work too, but may struggle on thick or crusty bread.

Can I freeze pizza garlic bread?

Freeze fully baked slices on a tray, then place them in a bag. Reheat from frozen at 400°F for approximately 10 minutes.

My Final Thoughts

Once you've tasted pizza on a garlic bread base, a plain crust feels like a missed opportunity. Keep a loaf of bread in the pantry and pizza ingredients on hand, and this pizza garlic bread will save any last-minute dinner crisis. Drop a comment with your wildest topping combo and leave a review!

More Recipes To Try Next

• BBQ chicken sliders
• Garbage bread
• Italian cheese bread
• Pizza dip