Description
This Stuffed French Bread recipe is a hearty and comforting dish featuring a flavorful ground beef mixture combined with celery, garlic, and creamy soup, all stuffed inside a crusty French bread loaf and topped with melted cheddar cheese. Perfect for a family meal or casual gathering, it combines savory flavors with a satisfying cheesy finish baked to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Ground Beef Mixture
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 Tablespoons dried minced onion (or freshly diced white onion)
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 can (10 ounces) cream of celery soup (or cream of mushroom or chicken soup)
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
Bread and Cheese
- 1 loaf French bread
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 Tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350° F to prepare for baking the assembled stuffed bread.
- Cook the Beef Mixture: Brown the ground beef with the minced onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until fully cooked. Drain any grease from the pan. Add chopped celery and garlic and cook for a few minutes until the celery is tender. Stir in the cream of celery soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir the mixture over medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Prepare the Bread: While the beef mixture is cooking, slice the French bread loaf lengthwise into two equal halves. Scoop out the soft bread from the center of each half, tearing it into small pieces. Add these bread pieces to the beef mixture in the skillet and stir well to combine.
- Assemble the Stuffed Bread: Arrange the two bread halves on a large baking sheet. Spoon the warm beef and bread mixture evenly onto one half of the bread. Spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the beef mixture. Place the other half of the bread on top to close the sandwich.
- Bake: Bake the assembled stuffed French bread in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and gooey.
- Serve: Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired and serve warm. Enjoy this savory and cheesy stuffed French bread!
Notes
- The soup can be substituted with cream of mushroom or cream of chicken for a different flavor profile.
- The ground beef can be replaced with ground turkey or chicken to reduce fat content.
- Adding chopped parsley on top is optional but adds a nice fresh color and flavor.
- Be sure to drain excess grease from the beef to avoid soggy bread.
- Use freshly grated cheddar cheese for the best melting results.
- This recipe can be doubled for larger gatherings.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge and reheated in the oven for best texture.
