Homemade calzones are easy to make and customize. Stuff with your favorite cheeses and pizza toppings!
Using our favorite pizza dough recipe and our favorite toppings, these calzones turned out delicious! Next time, we might try using the topping ingredients from some of our most popular pizza recipes, like Hawaiian BBQ Pizza or Chicken Veggie Pizza.
Pizza’s Tasty Cousin
Ever since I found my all-time favorite pizza dough recipe, I’ve been thinking of ways to use it. Calzones are something Stephen and I have always loved, so I thought I would give them a try.
If you’ve never had a calzone before and are wondering what it is, think of a pizza pocket. In fact, calzones were originally a type of street food—basically a pizza folded in half and cooked to eat on the go. It’s different from Stromboli which is rolled up and cut into slices after being baked. Instead, it’s folded in half and crimped shut.
But pizza, Stromboli, and calzones are essentially all part of the same family!
I was surprised by how easy they were to make! We stuffed ours with ricotta, mozzarella and pepperoni, but really the options are endless.
The Dough
Like I said, I used our favorite pizza dough recipe (found HERE), which will make 4 large calzones, or 6 medium sized ones.
You can also use a store bought pizza crust, but read the packaging carefully when determining whether it will be enough dough for however many calzones you’d like to make!
A good rule of thumb is that one 12″-14″ pizza crust should give you 2 decent sized calzones.
How to Make a Calzone
It really is as simple as filling the dough rounds, and crimping them shut!
PREP. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Prepare baking surface by dusting lightly with flour or cornmeal.
DIVIDE. If using homemade pizza dough, follow dough directions up until shaping. Divide into 4 balls and make (4) 8″-10″circles.
FILL + FOLD. Place ingredients on one side of each circle. Divide seasonings evenly and sprinkle over each. Fold the top over each and crimp the edges by pinching and folding over. Optional: cut 2-3 small slits on the top to prevent bubbles.
Best filling ingredients:
- Italian sausage
- Fresh herbs
- Ham
- Bell peppers
- Sliced black olives
- Ricotta cheese
- Diced onions
BAKE. Place on prepared surface and bake for 10-12 minutes (watch to make sure the tops don’t burn). Remove from oven when golden brown. Brush with butter and sprinkle with parmesan. Cool for 3-5 minutes before serving.
Sides + More Tips
What to serve with calzones? So many options, but these are some of our favorites:
- Carrabba’s Sausage Lentil Soup
- Tomato Soup
- Loaded Potato Soup
- Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup
- Amazing Cobb Salad
- Honey Mustard Chicken Salad
Fried or baked? We baked ours, but you can totally fry them! Form your calzones like normal, but make sure they are tightly crimped shut. Then, fry them in a shallow pan of oil that is at about 365° F. Cook each side for about 3-5 minutes, or until they are golden brown on each side. Then let them cool on a paper towel-lined plate so that it can collect all of the excess oil!
Storage Tips
STORE baked calzones in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat either in the microwave or in the oven at around 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Reheating them in the oven will help preserve the crisp outside instead of making it too soft.
If you bake them and then place them in an airtight container they will last for about 3 months in the freezer. Thaw them in the fridge before reheating them in either the microwave or oven.
For more “pizza” recipes, try:
- Pizza Bagel Bites
- Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheels
- Grilled Cheese Pizza Roll Ups
- Buffalo Chicken Pizza Muffins
Calzone Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ball pizza dough - try our recipe!
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 tsp parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp salt
- pepperoni
- bell peppers
- olives
- ham - sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Prepare baking surface by dusting lightly with flour or cornmeal.
- If using homemade pizza dough, follow dough directions up until shaping. Divide into 4 balls and make (4) 8"-10"circles.
- Place ingredients on one side of each circle. Divide seasonings evenly and sprinkle over each. Fold the top over each and crimp the edges by pinching and folding over. Optional: cut 2-3 small slits on the top to prevent bubbles.
- Place on prepared surface and bake for 10-12 minutes (watch to make sure the tops don't burn).
- Remove from oven when golden brown. Brush with butter and sprinkle with parmesan. Cool for 3-5 minutes before serving.
Your photo is amazing and I love calzones!
Yum! It sounds pretty easy too. I’m going to be trying this out this weekend! I’d love for you to link up at my party… http://www.doodlesandstitches.com/2012/05/fabulous-friday-link-party_25.html Thanks for sharing the great recipe… I just pinned it.
This calzone looks WONDERFUL! I’m your newest follower, what a great blog you have!