This Garlic Bread Pizza is a game changer for busy weeknight dinners! Flavorful roasted garlic butter, fresh herbs, focaccia bread, cheese, pepperoni and fresh basil. The best part is it's ready in 20 minutes when you have roasted garlic butter ahead!
Some nights I come home from my chef job and I'm just exhausted. Everyone is hungry but I don't feel like cooking.
This garlic bread pizza recipe is a great recipe for an easy pizza night. No rolling pin needed!
I keep homemade roasted garlic butter on hand in my fridge so I can whip this recipe up or add an extra layer of flavor to anything else I'm making. If you have leftover garlic confit, that makes a great spread for this pizza too!
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Recipe Ingredients
This garlic bread pizza recipe uses only a few simple ingredients. Fortunately, most of these items I aways have on hand to make weeknight dinners a cinch.
- Focaccia Bread - Use your favorite focaccia bread from a local bakery, grocery store or homemade.
- Roasted Garlic Butter - I make my own roasted garlic butter, it's a simple recipe you can keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
- Fontina Cheese - Fontina is a super creamy, melty Italian cheese that I love to use.
- Sharp Provolone - Sharp provolone cheese adds a little bite to your pizzas. If you're not into that flavor, you can use a regular provolone or mozzarella cheese.
- Pepperoni - Use your favorite pepperoni from your local meat market or grocery store.
- Crushed Red Pepper - I love a little spice with my pizza but feel free to leave this ingredient our of you don't like heat.
- Fresh Basil - Using fresh basil leaves on pizza adds so much flavor.
- Honey - Local Hive Honey is my go-to honey. I always have several bottles of their Midwest honey varietal but I love trying honey from all the different regions.
How To Make Garlic Bread Pizza
Making this homemade Garlic Bread Pizza recipe is an easy way to please the whole family on busy weeknights. Follow the simple steps below and this will be one of your favorite pizza recipes in no time.
- Step 1: Follow this simple recipe to make garlic butter. I like to make this ahead of time so I have it on hand, ready to use. Roasted garlic butter will stay good in your fridge for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
- Step 2: Preheat oven to 425°F and line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Slice focaccia bread down the middle then lay each piece flat. The inside of the bread should be facing up.
- Step 3: Smear roasted garlic butter mixture all over the side of the bread that's facing upward.
- Step 4: Top with cheeses, pepperoni and crushed red pepper.
- Step 5: Bake 5-8 min until cheese is melted and golden brown and you have a crispy crust. Then top with fresh basil leaves and drizzle with honey. Use a butter knife or pastry brush if butter is melted
This is the perfect recipe for adults or children. Leave these garlic bread pizzas whole or cut them into mini pizzas for the kids!
Substitutions & Variations
This Garlic Bread Pizza recipe is yummy just the way it is but it is also very versatile. Here are a few things you can do differently in this recipe:
- Change Out The Cheese - The sharp provolone can be switched to a regular provolone cheese, mozzarella or parmesan cheese. You can really use whatever cheese you like best here.
- Focaccia Bread - Use your favorite loaf of crusty bread for this garlic bread pizza recipe. I've used Italian bread, baguette, a large loaf of French bread for a French bread pizza recipe or even Texas Toast for Texas Toast pizza.
- Toppings - Pepperoni is one of my favorite pizza toppings but you can try sausage, olives, pineapple, giardiniera, bell peppers, spinach or whichever favorite toppings you like on your pizza.
- Olive Oil - Sub olive oil for butter in the garlic butter recipe. This adds great flavor to these garlic toast pizzas.
Storage
Garlic Bread Pizza can be stored in the fridge for up to 48 hours in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap once prepared, but not yet cooked. This can be helpful to prepare pizzas ahead of time then bake later.
Once garlic bread pizza is cooked, it can be store in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Reheat pizza in microwave for 30 seconds at a time until hot or a 350°F oven for 4-5 minutes.
Can you freeze Garlic Bread Pizza?
This Garlic Bread Pizza recipe can be stored in the freezer before being cooked. Prepare pizzas then double wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Keep garlic pizza bread in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Thaw in the fridge overnight then cook according to regular cooking instructions.
Tips For Garlic Bread Pizza
- Choose the Right Bread Base - Choose a sturdy and rustic bread base, such as a focaccia bread, French baguette, Italian ciabatta, or sourdough loaf. These bread varieties provide a firm and crispy foundation for your garlic bread pizza, keeping your pizza from becoming soggy.
- Customize with Tasty Toppings - Experiment with a variety toppings to suit your taste preferences. From classic options like mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and fresh basil to more adventurous choices such as grilled chicken, caramelized onions, and roasted bell peppers, the possibilities are endless.
- Make Garlic Butter Ahead - Make the roasted garlic butter up to 2 weeks ahead of time. I like to make it then store it in the fridge to use at a moments notice for garlic bread pizza, garlic bread, steaks, veggies, etc.
- Keep An Eye On Pizzas - These pizzas cook quickly, keep an eye on them to cook the pizzas to desired doneness.
- Use A Dip - Dip this easy garlic bread pizza recipe in marinara sauce. I love Rao's Marinara Sauce.
- Keep the Garlic Cloves Inside the Bulb - Roast garlic inside papery bulb for best results. Make sure to check out my roasted garlic butter recipe!
- Choose Your Tray - Bake cheesy garlic bread pizza on a sheet tray or pizza stone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! If you have an air fryer large enough to fit Garlic Bread Pizzas then it's a great option for cooking them. Cook at 350°F for 3-5 minutes. Cheese will be melted, golden brown and bubbly, bread will be warm and toasty.
Garlic Bread Pizza can be left out for a couple hours at room temp. Just like most other foods, it needs to be kept in the fridge to stay out of the temperature danger zone to keep it safe for consumption.
Yes, you can definitely make garlic bread using pizza dough. In fact, using pizza dough for garlic bread can be a convenient and time-saving option. It's not quite the same texture but can be shaped to make a "garlic bread".
Garlic Bread Pizza
Equipment
- 1 cheese grater
Ingredients
Garlic Bread Pizza
- 1 11oz herbed focaccia bread cut in half lengthwise to make 2 pieces
- ½ cup roasted garlic butter room temp
- 5 oz fontina cheese shredded
- 5 oz sharp provolone cheese shredded
- 2 oz pepperoni
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- 14 leaves fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
Make Roasted Garlic Butter
Making Pizza
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line a sheet tray with parchment paper
- Evenly spread roasted garlic butter over both halves of focaccia bread, inside of the bread facing up
- Sprinkle cheeses over the top then then top with pepperoni and crushed red pepper
- Bake 5-8 minutes until cheese is melty and hot. Top with fresh basil and a drizzle of honey
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