Description
This Stuffed French Bread recipe features a flavorful ground beef mixture combined with creamy soup and vegetables, stuffed into a hollowed-out French bread loaf, topped with melted cheddar cheese, and baked to perfection. It’s a hearty and satisfying dish perfect for a family meal or gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread
- 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
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 Tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350° F to ensure it’s at the right temperature for baking the stuffed bread later.
- Cook beef mixture: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with dried minced onion until fully cooked. Drain any excess grease. Add chopped celery and minced garlic to the skillet and cook for a few minutes until the celery is tender. Then stir in the cream of celery soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Prepare bread: Slice the French bread loaf in half lengthwise to create two equal pieces. Hollow out the soft bread from the center of each half by scooping it out and tearing the inner bread into small pieces. Add these bread pieces into the beef mixture in the skillet and stir well to combine.
- Assemble stuffed bread: Place the two hollowed halves of French bread on a large baking sheet. Spoon the warm beef and bread mixture evenly into the hollow of one half. Spread it out uniformly. Sprinkle the freshly grated cheddar cheese evenly over the beef mixture. Then place the other half of the bread on top to cover the stuffing.
- Bake and serve: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired, then slice, serve, and enjoy your hearty stuffed French bread!
Notes
- Be sure to drain excess grease after browning the beef to prevent a greasy filling.
- You can substitute cream of celery soup with cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup to vary the flavor.
- Using freshly grated cheddar cheese melts better and has more flavor than pre-shredded cheese.
- Serve warm for best taste and texture.
- Optionally add chopped parsley on top for color and mild freshness.
