Description
This Stuffed French Bread recipe features a deliciously savory filling of ground beef, celery, and creamy soup mixture, all nestled inside a hollowed French bread loaf and topped with melted cheddar cheese. Perfect as a hearty appetizer or a satisfying main dish, it combines classic comfort flavors with an easy-to-follow preparation and a melt-in-your-mouth finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 1 loaf French bread
Filling
- 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 black pepper
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 Tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 350° F to ensure it’s ready to bake your stuffed bread once assembled.
- Cook the filling: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef along with the dried minced onion until the meat is fully cooked. Drain off any excess grease to keep the filling moist but not oily. Add the chopped celery and minced garlic to the skillet and cook for a few more minutes until the celery softens slightly.
- Add soup mixture: Stir in the cream of celery soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir the mixture until it is heated through thoroughly, about 5 minutes, creating a creamy savory filling.
- Prepare the bread: While the filling cooks, slice the French bread in half lengthwise so you have two equal halves. Carefully hollow out the center of each half, reserving the torn bread pieces for the filling.
- Combine bread pieces with filling: Add the torn bread pieces to the skillet with the beef mixture and stir well to incorporate the bread, which will absorb some of the flavorful juices, enhancing the texture.
- Assemble the bread: Place the two halves of French bread on a large baking sheet. Spoon the warm beef and bread mixture evenly into the hollowed-out center of one half. Then sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese evenly over the filling, and top with the other half of the bread to close the loaf.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Rest and serve: Remove the stuffed French bread from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes to set before slicing. Optionally garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm for a delicious meal or snack.
Notes
- You can substitute the cream of celery soup with cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup based on your preference.
- For added flavor, consider adding diced bell peppers or mushrooms to the filling.
- Use freshly grated cheese for better melting compared to pre-shredded varieties.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated in the oven to maintain crispness.
- This dish pairs well with a fresh green salad or steamed vegetables to balance the richness.
