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A calzone is a stuffed pizza pocket that you can fill with your favorite pizza toppings. This homemade calzone recipe is the perfect prep ahead meal because they freeze and reheat well.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Customize to your favorite pizza flavors! A calzone is an Italian pizza turnover or pizza pocket. Just like pizza, you can fill them with your favorite pizza toppings. My favorite pizza is a margarita pizza so today we are making margarita calzone but feel free to switch it up and add your favorite pizza toppings.
Easy to Make: In the recipe I used homemade pizza dough but to make it even easier you can use store bought pizza dough.
Kid Friendly: It’s one of those recipes the whole family is going to love and who doesn’t love eating with their hands!!
Ingredients Needed
- Active Dry Yeast
- Granulated Sugar
- All Purpose Flour
- Salt
- Olive Oil
- Tomatoes, sliced
- Mozzarella cheese. You can use slices of cheese or you can grate it if you prefer.
- Fresh Basil
How to Make A Calzone
- Combine yeast and sugar with warm water and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until bubbly.
- Add flour, salt, and oil to yeast mixture
- Knead dough by hand or in a stand mixer with a dough hook until dough is smooth. About 5 minutes. Dough will be a little sticky.
- Allow dough to rise for at least one hour.
- Divide pizza dough into 4 pieces.
- Roll out dough to about 6 inches across.
- Layer on your toppings. For my margarita calzone I used a couple of slices of fresh tomato, sliced mozzarella and a few basil leaves. You can also use a light layer of pizza sauce and add your favorite pizza toppings. Put your filling on one half of the circle.
- Fold the other half of the dough over the filling. Crimp the edges by pressing down on the edge of the dough with your finger. Make sure your edges are sealed so none of the cheese leaks out while baking.
- Place your calzones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Use a knife to cut two air vent into each calzone.
- Brush top of calzone with some beaten egg.
- Sprinkle with some grated Parmesan cheese and Italian Seasoning. A little garlic powder would be delish too.
- Bake at 450 until golden brown for about 12-15 minutes.
- Serve the calzone with a bowl of marinara sauce , bbq sauce, tomato sauce or alfredo sauce for dipping
Tips from leigh Anne
- I’m a firm believer that homemade is always better but when I’m are pressed for time I’ll use store- bought pizza dough with this recipe.
- When rolling out your pizza dough try to get a nice even thickness, about 1/4 inch thick. You don’t want any holes in your dough for the cheese to leak out!
- Don’t overfill your calzone or your fillings will leak out as it bakes.
- There are so many options for fillings:
- Cheese. Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Ricotta Cheese, Cheddar Cheese and Parmesan cheese all work well.
- Sauce. I use my favorite pizza sauce or with a Margherita calzone I just use slices of tomato. You could also use a pesto or an Alfredo sauce. Use extra sauce for dipping it into after it’s baked.
- Meat. Pepperoni, Sausage, salami, ham, Canadian Bacon, Prosciutto, Bacon, Chicken.
- Veggies. Tomato, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, spinach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze calzone?
This is a perfect make ahead and freeze recipe. Bake these easy calzones according to the directions below and them wrap them individually in foil and then in an airtight freezer bag or container. They will last for several months and you can grab one whenever you need a quick meal.
When I pull them out of the freezer I just let them thaw and then pop them in the microwave to heat through or you can also warm them up in the oven at about 350 degrees until they are warmed through. About 15 minutes or so.
Is a calzone the same thing as stromboli?
A stromboli is longer and more rectangular in shape and originates from Philadelphia. A calzone is more rounded and shaped like a half moon and comes from Naples, Italy.
How do I store leftover calzones?
Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge.
Other favorite pizza recipes:
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Calzone Recipe
Ingredients
Calzone Dough
- 1 cup warm water
- 3 tsp yeast
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
Calzone Margarita Filling
- tomatoes sliced
- mozzarella cheese sliced
- fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees
- Combine yeast and sugar with warm water and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until bubbly.
- Add flour, salt, and oil to yeast mixture
- Combine wet ingredients in dry ingredients into mixer and knead for 5 minutes until dough is smooth, will be a little sticky. Allow to rise for at least one hour.
- Divide dough into 4-6 pieces. Depending on the size of calzone you’d like.
- Roll dough into circle.
- Layer with toppings – tomato, basil leaves and mozzarella cheese on half of the circle
- Pull other half of circle over the top of filling and seal the edges of the dough closed.
- Bake at 450 until golden brown – about 12-15 minutes.
Tips & Notes:
- Other Filling Ideas:
- Cheese. Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Cheddar and Parmesan all work well.
- Sauce. I use my favorite pizza sauce or with a Margherita calzone I just use slices of tomato. You could also use a pesto or an Alfredo sauce. Use extra sauce for dipping it into after it’s baked.
- Meat. Pepperoni, Sausage, Canadian Bacon, Prosciutto, Bacon, Chicken.
- Veggies. Tomato, peppers, mushrooms, onions, spinach.
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Nutrition Facts:
Mrs.W says
This is hands down the best dough recipe ever! I’ve been using it for about 9 years and realized I have never left a review. It’s so fluffy, soft, chewy, dreamy! We use it for calzones, pizza and breadsticks! It tastes better then most places takeout crusts.
Tiffany says
Just made these tonight for dinner! Can I just say..OMG they are so delish! They taste just just like the tomato mozzarella sandwiches at Starbucks!!!! But a lot cheaper! I spent just $13 on everything at walmart, only thing I didn’t need was flour, kosher salt, and sugar..great, fast, yummy dinner idea!!!!!!
Leigh Anne says
So glad they were a hit at your house – they are so yummy!!
Trenna says
Incredible recipe! Soft, chewy bread and easy to put together! I dare say it could compete with and of the Italian restaurants I’ve been to!
Leigh Anne says
So glad you enjoyed it!