Description
A hearty and delicious stuffed French bread recipe featuring a savory ground beef mixture combined with celery, garlic, and creamy soup, topped with melted cheddar cheese and baked to perfection. Perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat 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
- 1 loaf French bread
- 1 1/2 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.
- Cook Beef Mixture: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and minced onion. Drain any excess grease to keep the mixture lean. Add chopped celery and minced garlic to the skillet and cook for a few minutes until the celery becomes tender. Stir in the cream of celery soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Prepare Bread: While the meat mixture is cooking, slice the French bread in half lengthwise, creating two long pieces. Carefully scoop out the soft bread from the center of each half and tear it into small pieces. Stir these bread pieces into the beef mixture in the skillet until combined.
- Assemble: Place the two French bread halves on a large baking sheet. Spoon the warm beef and bread mixture evenly onto one half of the bread. Sprinkle the freshly grated cheddar cheese liberally over the meat mixture. Optionally, sprinkle with chopped parsley for added color and flavor. Top with the other bread half to form a sandwich.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Remove the stuffed bread from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes to set. Slice into servings and enjoy your warm, cheesy stuffed French bread!
Notes
- Feel free to substitute the cream of celery soup with cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup depending on your preference.
- Using freshly grated cheese will improve melting and flavor.
- Optional parsley adds a nice fresh flavor and color contrast.
- Make sure to drain the ground beef well to avoid an overly greasy filling.
- For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes to the beef mixture.
- This recipe can be easily scaled up for larger gatherings.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
