Decadent Italian Stuffed French Bread Pizza
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this Decadent Italian Stuffed French Bread Pizza. Packed with savory Italian flavors, this dish features a crispy French bread shell filled to the brim with a delightful blend of seasoned sausage, fresh vegetables, and a decadent three-cheese mixture. With layers of scrumptious mozzarella, provolone, and ricotta cheese, alongside the richness of sweet Italian sausage and zesty sopressata, this pizza is perfect for sharing at gatherings or enjoying a cozy night in. Each slice captures the heart of Italian cuisine with a spicy kick and a harmonious balance of textures. Make this dish your new family favorite!
N/A
Servings
800
Calories
17
Ingredients
Ingredients
frozen chopped spinach
10 ounces (defrosted and wrung dry)
French bread
1 loaf (2 feet long) (split lengthwise and hollowed out)
extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (for cooking)
sweet Italian sausage
1 lb (browned and crumbled)
red bell pepper
1 small (seeded and chopped)
onion
1 small (chopped)
garlic
2 large cloves (chopped)
salt
to taste
fresh ground black pepper
to taste
part-skim ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups
grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup
sweet sopressata
1/2 lb (thickly sliced and chopped)
pepperoni
3-4 ounces (chopped)
shredded mozzarella cheese
10 ounces
shredded provolone cheese
10 ounces
dried oregano
1 teaspoon
crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon
Instructions
1
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Meanwhile, defrost the frozen spinach in the microwave for about 6 minutes on high power. Once defrosted, place the spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring out excess moisture. Set aside.
2
Take the French bread loaf and split it lengthwise. Carefully hollow out the inside to create two bread shells, then cut each shell into half crosswise, resulting in four pizza bases.
3
In a large skillet, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sweet Italian sausage and brown it, crumbling it with a wooden spoon until fully cooked.
4
Incorporate the chopped red bell pepper, onion, and garlic into the skillet. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until the vegetables are softened. Gently fold in the defrosted spinach and mix well.
5
Remove the skillet from the heat, season the mixture with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and transfer it to a separate bowl.
6
Combine the sausage mixture with the part-skim ricotta cheese, grated parmesan cheese, chopped sopressata, and chopped pepperoni. Mix everything until evenly combined.
7
Generously fill the hollowed French bread shells with the flavorful sausage mixture. Top each stuffed shell with generous mounds of shredded mozzarella and provolone cheese.
8
Place the stuffed French bread pizzas on a cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and the bread is crispy.
9
Once baked, remove from the oven and sprinkle with dried oregano and crushed red pepper flakes for an added kick. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
45
Fat
80
Carbs
30
Protein
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Decadent Italian Stuffed French Bread Pizza?
It is a comfort food dish featuring a crispy French bread shell filled with seasoned sausage, vegetables, and a three-cheese blend.
What temperature should I preheat my oven to?
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).
How long should I defrost the frozen spinach?
Defrost the frozen spinach in the microwave for about 6 minutes on high power.
How do I remove moisture from the spinach?
Place the defrosted spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring out the excess moisture.
How do I prepare the French bread loaf for stuffing?
Split the loaf lengthwise, hollow out the inside to create shells, and cut each shell into half crosswise to make four bases.
What kind of oil is used to cook the sausage?
The recipe calls for one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
What type of sausage is used in this recipe?
The recipe uses 1 lb of sweet Italian sausage, browned and crumbled.
Which vegetables are sautéed for the filling?
A small red bell pepper, a small onion, and two large garlic cloves are sautéed for the filling.
How long should the vegetables be sautéed?
The vegetables should be sautéed for 3 to 5 minutes until they are softened.
When is the spinach added to the skillet?
Gently fold in the defrosted and dried spinach after the other vegetables have softened.
What seasonings are added to the sausage mixture?
The mixture is seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
What cheeses are mixed into the sausage filling?
Part-skim ricotta cheese and grated parmesan cheese are mixed into the sausage filling.
Which cured meats are included in the filling?
The filling includes chopped sweet sopressata and chopped pepperoni.
How do you assemble the pizza bases?
Generously fill the hollowed French bread shells with the sausage and cheese mixture.
What cheeses are used to top the French bread pizzas?
The pizzas are topped with shredded mozzarella and shredded provolone cheese.
How long does the pizza need to bake?
Bake the pizzas for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven.
How do I know when the pizza is finished baking?
The pizza is done when the cheese is melted and bubbly and the bread is crispy.
What herbs and spices are added after baking?
Sprinkle the pizzas with dried oregano and crushed red pepper flakes after removing them from the oven.
What is the calorie count for this dish?
This recipe contains approximately 800 calories per serving.
How much fat is in one serving?
There are 45 grams of fat per serving.
What is the carbohydrate content of this recipe?
This dish contains 80 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
How much protein does this pizza provide?
Each serving provides 30 grams of protein.
What type of ricotta cheese is recommended?
The recipe specifically calls for 1 and 1/2 cups of part-skim ricotta cheese.
What size French bread loaf is required?
You will need one French bread loaf that is approximately 2 feet long.
How much parmesan cheese is used?
The recipe uses 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese.
How much sopressata should I use?
Use 1/2 lb of sweet sopressata, thickly sliced and chopped.
How much pepperoni is needed?
The recipe requires 3 to 4 ounces of chopped pepperoni.
What color bell pepper is used in this recipe?
A small red bell pepper is used.
How much mozzarella and provolone are used for topping?
The recipe uses 10 ounces of shredded mozzarella and 10 ounces of shredded provolone.
Is this recipe considered spicy?
It has a spicy kick from the zesty sopressata and the crushed red pepper flakes added at the end.