Super Stuffed French Bread Pizza Rustica
Transform your pizza night with this indulgent **Super Stuffed French Bread Pizza Rustica**, a hearty and flavor-packed twist on traditional Italian comfort food. This recipe takes a rustic French bread loaf and loads it with layers of creamy ricotta, spicy Italian sausage, sautéed garlic, and fresh spinach, all nestled beneath a blanket of melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Enhanced with roasted red peppers, marinara sauce, and aromatic Italian herbs, every bite bursts with rich, savory goodness. Perfectly baked to golden, bubbly perfection and finished with a sprinkle of fresh basil, this quick 20-minute-prep dish is ideal for sharing at family dinners or casual gatherings. Whether you're a pizza lover or looking for a satisfying meal, this recipe delivers bold flavors and a delightful twist on a classic favorite.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 large French bread loaf
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 3 cloves, minced Garlic
- 0.5 pounds Italian sausage
- 1 cup Marinara sauce
- 2 cups, shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 0.5 cups, grated Parmesan cheese
- 0.75 cups Ricotta cheese
- 2 cups, fresh and chopped Spinach
- 0.5 cups, diced Roasted red peppers
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 0.5 teaspoons Red pepper flakes
- 0.25 cups, chopped Fresh basil
- 0.5 teaspoons Salt
- 0.5 teaspoons Black pepper
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Slice the French bread loaf horizontally in half and hollow out some of the interior bread to create a shell for the filling. Set the bread shells aside.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the Italian sausage to the skillet, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Cook until browned and fully cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the marinara sauce, chopped spinach, roasted red peppers, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts slightly.
Remove the skillet from heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella, half of the grated Parmesan, and half of the chopped fresh basil. Stir until well-mixed.
Spread a thin layer of the ricotta mixture on the bottom of each bread shell.
Fill the bread shells evenly with the sausage mixture, pressing gently to pack the filling.
Top each bread half with the remaining shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan.
Place the stuffed bread halves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Switch to the broil setting on the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the top is golden and lightly crisp.
Remove the bread from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Garnish with the remaining fresh basil, slice into portions, and serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
3583 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 173.3 g | 222% | |
| Saturated Fat | 64.1 g | 320% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 15.7 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 373 mg | 124% | |
| Sodium | 7292 mg | 317% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 330.9 g | 120% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 20.9 g | 75% | |
| Total Sugars | 21.5 g | ||
| Protein | 169.6 g | 339% | |
| Vitamin D | 3.2 mcg | 16% | |
| Calcium | 2267 mg | 174% | |
| Iron | 28.2 mg | 157% | |
| Potassium | 2176 mg | 46% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
