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!
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.
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!
Tips & Variations
Dough Use 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.
How to Make a Calzone
Making calzone is as easy as folding a pizza in half!
- Divide pre-made pizza dough into equal portions and roll into a circle.
- On one half of the dough, spread the ingredients. Fold over and crimp the edges.
- Cut air vents, brush with oil and bake (per recipe below).
Serve calzones warm with a marinara dipping sauce.
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
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
Check your local pizza places (or Italian market) for fresh homemade dough and store some extra in the freezer.
Ensure meats 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.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
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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Could I make a calzone with left over beef, vegetables, and gravy? And pie crust?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Judith. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
I have to use a toaster/convection oven for cooking…the temperature on it only goes to 400°. (I usually just use the “Bake” mode and not the convection part.) Suggestions?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Chris, but that should be just fine. I would just increase the cook time. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
This was super yummy and easy to make! The only thing I changed was instead of olive oil on top, I brushed butter mixed with garlic and oregano. Thank you for the recipe definitely a keeper.
Hi, can these be air-fried? Maybe brushed with a little oil or melted butter first?
I haven’t tried it Lois but I think that would work just fine! I would spray them with cooking spray or brush them with a little oil. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
I make my own pizza dough it’s not hard. I used left over corned beef and cabbage with mushrooms pre cooked to get rid of the liquid in them I added mozzarella cheese and I put garlic and basil in the pizza dough baked on a pizza stone wow yummy in da tummy
I also used marinara sauce
Oh my! That sounds amazing. Thank you for sharing, Mel!
Hi Holly,
Is the Home made Pizza Dough recipe linked above for the 1 pound of pizza dough needed for the calzone recipe? The Pizza dough recipe doesn’t say how many pounds it makes.
Both the homemade pizza dough and Quick No Fail Pizza Dough recipes make approximately 1½ pounds of dough. Enjoy Alisa!
Yummy and easy. I enjoyed it because it’s something different than just pizza. Thanks!
You’re welcome Liz!
Turned out very good
Hi! I’m excited to make these for my family. We were learning about Italy and wanted to make something traditional of the country. But my question is about the nutritional information. Is it for 1 calzone or for 4 calzones? I am assuming just one but I wanted clarification before I put it MFP. Thank you!
All nutritional information is based on one serving. Enjoy the calzones Suzanne!
Hi holly! Can these be made ahead of time earlier in the day, refrigerated and baked later?
We haven’t made them ahead, but this should work. Take them out of the fridge while you preheat the oven. They may take a couple of extra minutes to bake. Let us know if you try making them ahead Jessie!
I want to make these as a present as freezer food for teenagers :)
Do you cook as normal then freeze? Or part cook? And then what would you suggest as cooking guidelines from frozen?
We have only tried freezing them after they are baked. Reheat them in a 400°F oven for about 15 minutes, or until heated through. While we haven’t tried freezing these unbaked, I would think this would also work. I’d suggest baking at 400°F for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Let us know how it works if you try freezing them Marie!
Finally gave these a try and oh boy! They were so yummy. I made one batch with regular pizza dough and then tried a second with gluten-free dough and both were so amazing!
So glad you loved these as much as we do Samantha, they’re one of my daughter’s favorites!
No oven temperature?
Step 1. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
Hope that helps!
I make these with potatoes, Hamburger, onions, crumbled bacon. Bake and smothered with sausage gravy. Delicious & easy to make.
YUMMY!!!!!!
Instructions say to preheat the oven to 425, soooo, i would think 425??? Jeeeesh!!