Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe (2024)

A Calzone is like a mini pizza pocket and it’s super easy to make at home! A pizza dough crust is filled to the brim with cheese and toppings is baked until golden.

Make these your own by adding your favorite toppings and fillings! They’re a great portable meal and reheat well for snacks and quick meals throughout the week!

Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe (1)

What is a Calzone?

A calzone is an oven-baked, folded pizza that has sealed edges so all the good stuff stays in!

Anything that goes on a pizza can go into a calzone! The pizza fillings are placed on one half of the circular shaped pizza dough. The dough is then folded over, crimped, coated with an egg wash or a brush of olive oil and baked in the oven.

Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe (2)

Stromboli vs. Calzone

Both strombolis and calzones have the same dough and even the same ingredients although a traditional calzone often has ricotta.

The main difference is in how they are sealed. A stromboli is rolled up and a calzone is crimped and sealed. A Stromboli is sliced after baking while a calzone is usually hand held or single serving.

Whatever your preference, they both taste great!

Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe (3)

Tips & Variations

DoughUse homemade pizza dough or store bought/canned. Either works well in this recipe.

A lot of local pizza places (or Italian markets) sell fresh homemade dough and it can be stored in the freezer. I always pick up a couple of packages to have on hand!

Fillings I use a bit of pizza sauce and always serve with extra for dipping. The sky’s the limit for fillings. Make sure your meats are cooked and any watery veggies (like mushrooms or pineapple) are cooked and/or well drained.

Cheese Mozzarella (and a bit of parmesan if you like) add the perfect flavor. Ricotta is both a traditional and delicious addition (but not something I usually have on hand). Sub in whatever you have on hand.

Be sure to allow the calzones to cool a few minutes as the fillings will be hot. A couple of minutes of rest will keep the cheese from being too runny.

Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe (4)

How to Make a Calzone

Making calzone is as easy as folding a pizza in half!

  1. Divide pre-made pizza dough into equal portions and roll into a circle.
  2. On one half of the dough, spread the ingredients. Fold over and crimp the edges.
  3. Cut air vents, brush with oil and bake (per recipe below).

Serve calzones warm with amarinara dipping sauce.

Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe (5)

Leftovers

The best way to keep leftovers is to put them in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To freeze calzones put them in a zippered bag labeled with the date. They should keep for about a month.

Yummy Pizza Inspired Recipes

  • Pizza Pasta Bake – cheesy casserole
  • Bubble Pizza Bread – extra quick
  • Easy Cheesy Pizza Dip – party favorite
  • Pizza Bombs – homemade pizza pockets
  • Easy Pizza Twists – so cheesy

Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe (6)

5 from 122 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe

These Calzones filled with cheese and toppings. Eat them fresh from the oven!

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Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe (8)

Servings 4 calzones

Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe (9)

Author Holly Nilsson

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pizza dough
  • ½ cup pizza sauce
  • ½ cup yellow onion diced
  • ½ cup green bell pepper diced
  • ½ cup sliced pepperoni
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.

  • Divide pizza dough into 4 equal parts and roll each dough ball into a 1/4 inch thick circle.

  • On half of each dough circle, add equal parts sauce, yellow onion, green bell pepper, and sliced pepperoni. Make sure to leave a little room around the edges so you can crimp the calzone shut.

  • Sprinkle the toppings with equal parts shredded cheese. Then fold the other half of the dough over the toppings and crimp the edges.

  • Cut 2-3 air vents into the top of the calzone and place it on to the prepared baking sheet.

  • Brush with olive oil and bake for about 15 minutes or until the dough is fully cooked and the calzone is golden brown.

  • Serve with warmed pizza sauce for dipping.

Video

Notes

Usehomemade pizza dough or store bought.
Check your local pizza places (or Italian market) for fresh homemade dough and store some extra in the freezer.
Ensuremeats are cooked and any watery veggies (like mushrooms or pineapple) are cooked and/or well drained. A few spoonfuls of ricotta can be added for a traditional calzone.
Be sure to allow the calzones to cool a few minutes as the fillings will be hot. A couple of minutes of rest will keep the cheese from running out.

5 from 122 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 483 | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 1406mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 391IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe (10) Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe (11) Cuisine American

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.

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Main Dishes, Pasta and Pizza Recipes, Recipes

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Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is pizza dough the same as calzone dough? ›

Both are prepared with flour, water, salt, and yeast; that's the solution. In contrast, the eggs and olive oil used in most calzone dough give it a deeper flavor and a softer texture. Eggs and oil are not common ingredients in pizza dough, contributing to its crispiness and durability.

Should calzones have sauce inside? ›

Calzones' fillings do not include sauce; marinara is served on the side for dipping. Stromboli portions can also be dipped, but they can also be baked with the sauce inside.

How do you make calzone not soggy? ›

Keep moisture to a minimum to prevent soggy crust. If possible, try to get as much moisture out of any fillings you can. Like for eggplant, you can salt it and put it in the oven first to get a good bit of water out. For cheese, go easy on the fresh mozzarella.

Should a calzone have ricotta? ›

Calzones use ricotta cheese, and stromboli does not. Stromboli is made with mozzarella cheese (preferably low-moisture) to keep moisture at a minimum. This helps the interior dough cook fully. Calzones usually use a blend of cheese that almost always incorporates ricotta.

How do you seal calzones? ›

Fold the side of the calzone with nothing on it over the side with all the ingredients so that the sides touch creating a half moon shape. press down on the edges and push in any veggies that try to escape. Next start from one end and roll up the edges creating the seal.

How do you tell if a calzone is done? ›

Calzone is done when it's golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Should a calzone have an egg in it? ›

A typical calzone is made from salted bread dough, baked in an oven and stuffed with salami, ham or vegetables, mozzarella, ricotta and Parmesan or pecorino cheese, as well as an egg.

Should you poke holes in a calzone? ›

Poke holes or slits in calzone before baking to prevent a dough balloon from taking flight in your oven. Use the oven's middle rack for baking calzone.

What does a traditional calzone have in it? ›

What is an Italian Calzone? It's like a gigantic empanada but made with pizza dough and filled with everything from pepperoni, sausages, veggies, cheeses and tomato sauce. Calzone is a half moon-shaped cheese and sauce filled piece of heaven.

Do I have to vent a calzone? ›

Don't forget to cut steam vents in the top of each calzone.

This prevents the dough from getting soggy, but it also releases the steam that builds up inside the pocket and causes the seam to burst.

Why do you cut slits in calzone? ›

Cut 3 slits into the top of each calzone to allow steam to escape. Brush the egg wash over the dough. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.

Do you use egg wash or oil on calzones? ›

The trick to keep in mind when making calzones

The outlet notes that a simple egg wash (typically of egg and water, though some opt for milk) brushed all over the calzone helps to give it a shiny finish that will rival a store-bought iteration.

Does ricotta go on pizza before or after baking? ›

Does Ricotta Cheese Go on Pizza Before or After Cooking? While ricotta can technically be put on pizza before or after baking, if you want the ricotta to be warm and creamy, it is best to add it to pizza before baking.

Why is my ricotta not creamy? ›

Whole Milk (not ultra pasteurized!): I recommend whole cow's milk for creamy flavor and texture. Alternatively, 2% or 1% milk can be used; but the final result will not be as creamy. Ultra pasteurized milk does not work for homemade ricotta. It won't curdle properly.

How do you keep calzone from sticking to the pan? ›

You can use rubbing oil or nonstick cooking spray. Another option is to use a cooking brush. Both methods will help keep the crust from sticking. A seasoned pan will help prevent food from sticking and last longer.

What is a substitute for pizza dough? ›

Save time by swapping your regular pizza dough for simple substitutes. Our alternative bases include pitta bread, naan, puff pastry, wraps and polenta. Whether you're short of flour or don't have time to make a pizza base, we've compiled 10 simple shortcuts using shop-bought substitutes.

Is there a difference between dough and pizza dough? ›

Pizza dough tends to be thinner and more elastic compared to traditional bread dough, which is why it's better suited for making pizzas.

Is a calzone just a folded pizza? ›

This is a dish stuffed with onions (or sometimes other vegetables, such as potatoes or broccoli), anchovies, olives, cheese and mortadella; the rolled pizza dough is folded in two over the stuffing and the edges are sealed before the dish is fried.

Does a calzone take longer to cook than a pizza? ›

Calzone does take slightly longer than standard pizza to cook because of the folded dough, so allow a couple of extra minutes. Once you have a puffed crust which is darkly charred in spots, remove from the oven with your turning peel and slide into a serving platter.

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