Description
This Stuffed French Bread recipe features a savory mixture of ground beef, celery, and creamy soup nestled inside a hollowed French bread loaf, topped with melted cheddar cheese and baked to perfection. Ideal for a family dinner or casual gathering, it combines hearty flavors and a satisfying texture for a crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the 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 pepper
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 Tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
Bread
- 1 loaf French bread
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350° F to prepare for baking the stuffed bread later.
- Prepare Filling: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef along with the minced onion until fully cooked. Drain excess grease to keep the filling lean. Add chopped celery and minced garlic to the skillet, cooking until the celery softens. Stir in the cream of celery soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper, heating the mixture thoroughly for about 5 minutes.
- Prepare Bread: While the filling cooks, slice the French bread loaf lengthwise into two equal halves. Hollow out the soft center from each half, tearing the removed bread into small pieces. Add these bread pieces into the beef mixture and stir well to combine.
- Assemble Stuffed Bread: Place the two bread halves on a large baking sheet. Spoon the warm beef and bread mixture evenly onto one half of the loaf. Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese evenly over the filling. Place the second half of the bread on top to form a sandwich.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and let the stuffed bread stand for 5 minutes. Slice into portions and serve warm for a delicious and hearty meal.
Notes
- You can substitute cream of celery soup with cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup according to your preference.
- For added freshness and color, sprinkle chopped parsley on top before serving.
- Use lean ground beef to reduce fat content while maintaining flavor.
- Be sure to drain grease after browning the meat to keep the dish from becoming too oily.
- The bread pieces added into the filling help bind the mixture and add texture.
