Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe
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Learn how to make homemade calzones that rival your favorite pizza joint! With a golden, crispy crust and a cheesy, pizza-inspired filling, this calzone recipe is perfect for pizza night or whenever you’re craving a hot, delicious pizza in a pocket. Bonus: everyone can make their own with all their favorite fillings!
Calzone is pronounced “kal-ZOH-neh” in Italian—and this easy calzone recipe is a family favorite and always a crowd-pleaser! These savory Italian turnovers, or folded pizzas, are filled with a cheesy mixture and your favorite toppings, then wrapped in pizza dough and baked to crispy, golden perfection.
You can make calzones using your favorite homemade pizza dough or opt for store-bought to save time. Whichever you choose, calzones are quick and easy to make and can be customized to your liking; just about anything that goes on a pizza can go in a calzone! Just be careful not to overstuff them or the filling will ooze out during baking.
Be sure not to confuse this calzone recipe with stromboli, a similar Italian-American dish that is typically rolled or folded into a cylindrical or rectangular shape.
What You’ll Need To Make Calzones
- Pizza dough: Forms the base of the calzone, providing a chewy, golden crust. If using store-bought, choose dough with simple, quality ingredients (I love Trader Joe’s pizza dough).
- Olive oil: Used for greasing the pan to prevent sticking and to help achieve a golden, crispy crust.
- Cheese (shredded mozzarella, ricotta, and Pecorino Romano/Parmigiano Reggiano): These cheeses create a creamy, melty filling—mozzarella adds gooeyness, ricotta provides creaminess, and Pecorino Romano/Parmesan adds flavor.
- Dried oregano & Crushed red pepper flakes: Italian herbs and a bit of heat to the filling for extra flavor.
- Pizza or marinara sauce: A light amount is used inside the calzones and the recipe is for dipping, adding a delicious tangy contrast to the cheesy filling.
- Pepperoni: Adds a classic, savory flavor to the calzone. You can also swap for other meats or veggies if preferred.
- Beaten egg: Brushed on the calzone before baking for a shiny, golden finish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
calzone Filling Ideas
Don’t feel limited by the suggested fillings—get creative and try any combination that suits your taste! Here are a few ideas to inspire you:
- Spinach and ricotta cheese
- Sausage, peppers, and provolone
- Mushroom, onion, and provolone
- Ham, pineapple, and mozzarella
- Chicken, pesto, and mozzarella
Step-by-Step Instructions
If the pizza dough is cold, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450°F and position the rack at the lowest level. Drizzle a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. In a medium bowl, mix the mozzarella, ricotta, Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan), salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
Divide the pizza dough into two even balls. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each dough ball into a circle between 7 and 8 inches in diameter and ⅛ and ¼-inch thick. Spread 1 tablespoon of sauce over one half of each dough round, leaving a 1-inch border. Then, layer with pepperoni slices and the cheese mixture.
Dab a bit of water around the edges with your finger to help seal the dough. Holding the filling in place with one hand, fold the empty half of the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Use a fork to press the edges together and seal. Then roll the edge up to seal tightly again.
Transfer the calzones to the baking sheet. Brush with the egg wash and then prick each calzone with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking. Bake for about 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown, and serve with pizza sauce for dipping.
This easy calzone recipe is easy to make ahead. Simply assemble the calzones, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigera for up to 24 hours before baking. Alternatively, freeze for longer storage. The baked calzones can also be frozen and reheated.
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Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe
Satisfy your pizza cravings with easy-to-make homemade calzones!
Ingredients
- 1 lb homemade or store-bought pizza dough
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for greasing the pan
- 1 cup (4 oz) shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese, preferably Galbani brand
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- ⅛ teaspoon salt (see note)
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons pizza or marinara sauce, plus more for dipping if desired
- 8 large thinly-sliced pepperoni (1.5 oz)
- 1 egg, beaten, for brushing the calzones before baking
Instructions
- If the pizza dough is cool, let it sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and set an oven rack in the lowest position. Drizzle a rimmed baking sheet with the olive oil.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the mozzarella, ricotta, Pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano), salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Divide the dough into two even balls. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each dough ball into a circle between 7 and 8 inches in diameter and ⅛ and ¼-inch thick.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of sauce over one half of each round of dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with the pepperoni slices and cheese mixture. (Just evenly spoon the cheese mixture on top of the sauce and pepperoni; no need to spread it.) Using your finger, dab a bit of water around the edges (this will help the dough seal). Holding the filling in place with one hand, use your other hand to fold the bare half of the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Using a fork, press the edges of the dough together to seal. Roll the edge up to seal again.
- Transfer the calzones to the greased baking sheet. Brush with the egg wash and then prick each calzone with a fork 5 times to allow steam to escape during baking. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Let cool for about 15 minutes, then serve.
- Note: If using store-bought pizza dough, increase the salt in the cheese mixture to ¼ teaspoon.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The assembled calzones can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. Prior to baking, brush with the egg wash and prick with a fork. The assembled calzones can also be frozen before baking; wrap them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, making sure that the wrap is tightly sealed. Prior to serving, let sit out at room temperature for a bit so the dough is soft enough to prick with a fork. Brush with the egg wash and prick before baking. The baked calzones can also be frozen. To reheat a frozen calzone, simply remove it from the freezer, unwrap it, and place it on a baking sheet. Bake it in a preheated oven at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Serving size: 1/2 a calzone
- Calories: 584
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 59 g
- Sugar: 2 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Sodium: 1,196 mg
- Cholesterol: 56 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Made pizza dough in my bread machine, followed the recipe exactly and got PERFECTION!! Definitely going to be my go to recipe for calzones!! Yum!!
So delicious! I’m not a pizza lover but loved these! Your pizza dough recipe is awesome and made enough for four big calzones! Definitely adding to the meal rotation in my house.
Made this last night for Valentines Day. I added aprox 1/2 cup of finely chopped spinach leaves to the cheese mix. I used turkey pepperoni on one and chunks of cooked chicken meatballs in the other one. Both were very good. I need to improve my crimping and rolling technique as they leaked a little 🙂 My husband loved them and made plenty for leftovers for lunch today. Served with a side salad. Thanks for another great easy recipe.
Love the chicken meatball idea, Danita!
Oh, my!!! Delicious. The crust, the filling (I may have use a bit more of everything!). I have 5 people to feed, so I doubled the recipe, and just made 5 instead of 4 calzones, because I knew we would all want a whole one to ourselves. Will make again and again, and maybe try different fillings, although it will HAVE to have the ricotta/cheese mixture!
This came right on time. I have been looking for a great Calzone recipe for a while now. I am not a fan of Ricotta at all. Can I leave it out or substitute it?
As always everything made from your site or books is exceptional.
Thanks,
Susan
Hi Susan, I would substitute more mozzarella. I’d love to know how it turns out!
I’m not one to leave reviews, but seeing as there are none yet for this recipe I thought I’d get the ball rolling and encourage everyone to give this a try! Absolutely delicious and perfect proportions – so cheesy and flavorful! The only changes I made were using vegetarian pepperoni slices and adding two tablespoons of your pesto sauce into the cheese mixture. That really gave a fantastic flavor, and I highly recommend that to anyone! Thank you very much Jennifer for a delicious Friday night dinner, and for all your other recipes I’ve made over the years – they’re always incredible!!
💗