When weeknight meal prep becomes monotonous and ordering takeout feels like too much of a splurge, having a homemade pizza night is the perfect way to bring some pizazz to the dinner table. Whether you’re cooking for yourself, your family, or a group of hungry friends, customizing your own personal pies unlocks an element of playfulness that can easily break through a mealtime rut. Sure, you can always elevate a frozen pizza with extra cheese and inventive ingredients, but there’s another popular freezer aisle purchase that can seriously upgrade your home pizza game: garlic bread.
If you’re a fan of using French bread to make easy pizzas, the concept here is quite similar –– but significantly more flavorful. Since this bread comes pre-loaded with herbs, butter, and loads of garlic, all you’ll have to do is slather on your favorite pizza sauce, sprinkle on some cheese, and pile on your favorite toppings (tip: Stop by the salad bar at your grocery store to grab all your toppings in one go). You can even prep your garlic bread pizzas in advance and freeze them for up to two months. To do so, wrap each pizza in cling wrap and aluminum foil, then place them in a freezer-safe storage bag.
How to make the perfect garlic bread pizza
Crafting the perfect garlic bread pizza requires very little effort, but comes with the most delicious reward. However, there are a few variables you may want to take into consideration in order to ensure pizza night success. First, choose a brand of garlic bread that can handle being loaded with sauce and toppings. If you want smaller personal pizzas, reach for rounds of thick Texas toast-style garlic bread that won’t fall apart under the weight of your fixings. For a pie that can feed a crowd, look for a longer loaf that’s split lengthwise. It’s a good idea to pre-baking your bread for a few minutes to create a light and crispy surface that’ll resist sogginess — just don’t take it all the way to golden brown.
Then, it’s time to get saucy. Either stick with a classic tomato-based sauce — or choose an unconventional pizza sauce that breaks with tradition. Use a few dollops of pesto to create a green pie that’s bursting with herbaceous flavor or olive tapenade for a salty taste of the Mediterranean. Once the sauce is all set, start piling on the toppings. You can skip the cheese if your garlic bread already comes coated in Parmesan, but there’s nothing wrong with adding an extra layer of mozzarella (or whatever else your heart desires). Finish your pizza with whatever meats or veggies you like, and pop your creation in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
