Description
This delicious Stuffed French Bread recipe features a savory mixture of ground beef, celery, and creamy soup stuffed into a hollowed-out French bread loaf, topped with melted cheddar cheese, and baked to perfection. Perfect as a hearty appetizer or main dish that serves six, this easy-to-make comfort food combines crunchy bread with a rich, cheesy filling.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons dried minced onion (or freshly diced white onion)
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Other Ingredients
- 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 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 (175° C) to prepare for baking the stuffed bread later.
- Cook Filling: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and onions until the meat is no longer pink. Drain any excess grease. Add chopped celery and minced garlic to the skillet and cook for a few minutes until the celery becomes tender. Stir in cream of celery soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until everything is heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Prepare Bread: While the filling cooks, slice the French bread in half lengthwise into two equal pieces. Carefully scoop out the soft bread from the center of each half and tear it into small pieces. Add these bread pieces to the beef mixture in the skillet and stir well to combine.
- Assemble: Place the two hollowed bread halves on a large baking sheet. Spoon the warm beef and bread mixture evenly into one half of the bread. Sprinkle the freshly grated cheddar cheese evenly over the filling, then place the other half of the bread on top to make a sandwich.
- Bake: Put the assembled stuffed bread into the preheated oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes to set. Slice into portions and sprinkle with optional chopped parsley before serving. Enjoy your hearty stuffed French bread!
Notes
- You can substitute the cream of celery soup with cream of mushroom or chicken soup for a different flavor.
- Feel free to add other vegetables such as diced bell peppers or mushrooms for extra texture.
- Use freshly grated cheddar cheese for better melting and flavor compared to pre-shredded options.
- If you like it spicier, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the filling mixture.
- Leftovers can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven for best results.
