- Calzone Basics
- Difference between Calzone, Stromboli, and Pizza
- How to Cook a Calzone
- How to Bake a Calzone
- Make Your Own Pizza Dough
- Toppings and Combos
Sadly, calzones don’t get as much attention as their open-faced counterpart, pizza — which is weird, right? Especially when you consider the genetic makeup of these bad boys.
Loaded with cheeses, topped with Parmesan and filled with your favorite meats and veggies, these half-moon-shaped pies are truly the stuff Italian-food-themed dreams are made of.
Below, we’ll dive into the wonderful world of calzones, with recipes and tips on how to make a calzone from scratch — or mostly from scratch — coming right up.
Let’s dive right in, shall we?
Calzone Basics
OK, the first thing you’ll notice about calzones is their distinctive shape. It looks like an empanada or an elevated version of your college staple, pizza-flavored Hot Pockets.
The whole concept of the calzone is pretty amazing, though. It’s like an outside-in personal pizza stuffed with delicious amounts of cheese — ricotta, mozzarella and good old Parmesan — and it comes with an anything-goes approach to filling.
Calzones usually come with a side of dipping sauce, despite the fact that these pizza-like pastries typically include a thin layer of tomato sauce on the inside.
Calzones are Italian street food, hailing from Naples, specifically. Italian calzones tend to be a bit smaller than their U.S. counterparts, making them the perfect portable tidbit for those folks craving crust.
Often, people mix up stromboli and calzones, as both go heavy on the carbs and include much of the same adornments you’ll get on your average pizza. Don’t be fooled — they are not the same.
So, What’s the Difference Between Calzone, Stromboli and Pizza?
Stromboli, calzones and pizza — all are Italian staples, and all contain cheese, meats and veggies interchangeably. Of course, pizzas are the most common and universally beloved of the three as an open-faced flatbread with a lot of versatility.
Calzones are an outside-in version of a pizza, looking like you folded a smaller pizza in half and sealed up the sides. Aside from the difference in presentation, there are a few key distinctions. Calzone fillings all get mixed before filling up the dough, as opposed to pizza’s layered approach. Sauce combines with cheese and meat, then acts as a sort of pie filling.
The second differentiator between calzones and pizzas is the cheese combo. Traditionally, pizza is a mozzarella-only zone, while calzone counts on ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella. That said, the taste experience is pretty similar — though calzones give crust lovers everything they crave.
Stromboli, on the other hand, are similar to calzones in that they’re pastries loaded with cheese and meat. But they differ in the fact that they don’t traditionally have red sauce. They’re more of an outside-in sandwich than an outside-in pizza, like a filled loaf of bread that may contain condiments like mustard.
Now that we’ve cleared things up, let’s get into the technical stuff — tips for making a calzone.
How to Cook a Calzone
There’s some debate about how to make a calzone with pizza dough. You’ll find a lot of variation in toppings as people are confused about which cheeses belong where, or which toppings to include in the mix. The beauty of calzones is there’s no wrong way to make them. The best way to make a calzone is with whatever your favorite ingredients are.
Below, we’ll go over a traditional calzone recipe, complete with a trifecta of cheeses and a satisfying Parmesan and olive oil finish we think really takes this pastry to the next level.
Easy Calzone Recipe
If a mini pizza pocket that’s super tasty and easy to make at home sounds like your dream dinner, this calzone recipe might become your signature dish. This recipe will give you step-by-step instructions for how to roll out your calzone dough, stuff it with toppings, fold it and bake it to perfection. After you’ve mastered this basic calzone recipe, you can jazz it up with different toppings and sauces — the opportunities are endless!
Yields: Two calzones
Serving size: One calzone
Number of servings: 2
Calories: 490 calories, depending on additional toppings
Fat content: 20 grams, depending on additional toppings
Prep time: About 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 10 ounces of pizza dough — store-bought or homemade, it’s up to you
- 2 cups of pizza sauce
- 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup of ricotta
- 2-3 cups of the pizza toppings of your choice
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Garlic-Parmesan seasoning — 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of garlic salt and 1 tablespoon of dried parsley flakes
- Flour or cornmeal, for dusting
Instructions:
- Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Divide pizza dough into two sections and roll into balls.
- Place dough balls on a large baking sheet with a light handful of the cornmeal or flour.
- Roll balls around, coating in the dry mixture, then press them into two flattened circles, making sure dough is the same thickness throughout.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the three kinds of cheese, toppings of your choice and tomato sauce. Gently mix with a wooden spoon.
- Spoon the filling into the two sections of dough, then spread the filling evenly over half of each circle of dough.
- Fold the other half of each flattened piece of dough over the filling, creating a half-moon shape.
- To seal, add a bit of water to the edges of the dough. Press together with your fingers, then, starting at one end, pinch two sides together and gently twist the dough diagonally.
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil and Parmesan cheese mix, then lightly brush olive oil and Parmesan mixture over the tops of the calzones.
- Slice steam vents horizontally into the tops of the calzones with a sharp knife.
- Place the two pastries in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, then rotate the pan and cook for another 10 minutes. The crust should appear a light golden brown.
- Remove from oven and serve hot.
Note: If you’d like, you can stop at step 8 of these instructions and freeze or refrigerate the premade calzones for later.
How to Bake a Calzone
Before you get started, place your oven rack toward the middle, so the tops don’t get burned. As we mentioned above, you’ll need to rotate the calzones halfway through baking. This step ensures they cook evenly and get a consistent golden-brown color as they bake. The edges should be slightly darker, and the filling should be hot and bubbling.
A quick warning: Some of the calzone fillings might try to escape through the steam vents we mentioned in step 10. It’s nothing to worry about — these pastries are sure to come out tasting delicious, regardless of any attempted escapes.
Nonstick Action
We mentioned this above in the recipe we included, but because you’re working with some very sticky dough, you’ll want to be careful to not dismantle your pastries on the way out of the oven.
Just a light sprinkle of coarse cornmeal can keep the calzone from sticking to your pizza stone or baking sheet, and it gives the crust a nice, crispy crunch. Alternatively, flour can have the same nonstick effect, but you’re not getting the added crunch.
If you’d like to skip adding any extra texture, you can line your baking sheets with parchment paper. As the crust bakes, it sticks to the paper less and less, and you’ll get a nice texture on the crusty hand-pie.
Make Your Own Pizza Dough
If you’re making calzones at home, store-bought pizza dough works just fine. But if you’re an overachiever or Italian-food aficionado, making homemade dough elevates this process to an experience, rather than a straightforward act of cooking dinner.
If you’ve never made dough before, don’t panic — it’s not as difficult as you might think. The secrets to making pizza dough from scratch are patience and the ability to follow directions.
Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe
This homemade pizza dough will be the perfect partner for your homemade calzones. In addition to being deliciously flaky and tasting fresh from the oven, this homemade pizza dough will make your kitchen smell irresistible. Check out the simple recipe below.
Yields: 20 ounces of pizza dough, or four calzones
Serving size: One calzone
Number of servings: 4
Calories: 290 calories
Fat content: 16 grams
Prep time: About an hour, including rising time
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes, depending on whether you freeze the dough or cook it immediately
Ingredients:
- 2 packs of active, dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil — keep bottle on hand for brushing
- 2 teaspoons of kosher salt
- 4 cups of all-purpose white flour — keep additional flour close by for the working surface
Instructions:
- Add 1 1/2 cups of warm water to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle your two packets of yeast over the top and let sit for about 5 minutes. The mixture should become fizzy.
- The next step is to whisk in the oil, sugar and salt into the yeast mixture. Then, slowly add the flour, stirring until the dough starts to stick together.
- Coat a clean bowl with olive oil and transfer the dough into the new vessel. Cover your bowl with cling wrap, then place in a warm, dark area until the dough doubles in size. This step should take about an hour. Alternatively, you can drape a clean kitchen towel over the top to block out the light.
- After the dough has doubled in size, flour a clean work surface and knead your dough a few times before using.
- If you wish to freeze the dough for later use, wrap the dough in cling wrap and place in a large Ziploc bag. The dough will stay fresh for up to three months. Otherwise, you’re all set to kick-start your calzone journey.
Toppings and Combos — Tips for Making a Calzone All Your Own
Just like sandwiches, pizza and stromboli, topping combinations for calzones are nearly endless. Calzones traditionally contain ricotta cheese, Parmesan and mozzarella, plus your standard Italian fare — spinach, pepperoni, sausage, tomatoes and so on.
That said, why not customize? In case you’re in the market for a unique calzone that’ll tickle your taste buds and impress your dining mates, here are some ideas.
Please note, the exact calories and fat content for all these recipes may vary depending on which brand of ingredients you use and how much you like to load up your calzone with toppings.
Chicken Sausage and Goat Cheese
Chicken sausage and goat cheese offer a unique spin on the classic calzone toppings. Mushrooms and fresh basil give this calzone an herbal, earthen touch — well-balanced by the side of marinara for dipping.
Yields: 4 calzones
Serving size: One calzone
Number of servings: 4
Calories: 670 calories
Fat content: 25 grams
Prep time: About 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken sausage
- 2 cups of goat cheese
- 2 cups of mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup of chopped mushrooms
- 1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped
- 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, divided in half
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 20 ounces of pizza dough
- 1 cup of your favorite pizza sauce, for dipping
Instructions:
- Whisk together garlic and olive oil in a small bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, add goat cheese, mozzarella, chicken sausage, basil, mushrooms and olive oil-garlic mixture.
- Fill dough with the mixture, then brush with remaining olive oil.
- Cook according to the instructions in the original recipe, and serve with a side of marinara.
Vegan Variation
If you’re vegan, allergic to dairy or just need a break from meat and cheese, here are some adjustments you can make to change up your calzone, sans dairy, but loaded up with veggies and vegan sausage. Swap vegan cheese substitute for regular cheese if you’re looking to make it vegetarian instead.
Yields: 4 calzones
Serving size: One calzone
Number of servings: 4
Calories: 520 calories
Fat content: 26 grams
Prep time: About 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of your favorite vegan cheese shreds
- 1 cup of vegan sausage, diced
- 1 cup of marinara for use in the calzone, plus additional sauce for dipping, if desired
- 1/2 cup of halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup of sauteed onions
- 1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms
- 2 cups of greens of your choosing — such as kale or spinach
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 20 ounces of pizza dough
- For outside glaze: 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon garlic salt, 1 tablespoon parsley flakes and 2 tablespoons of olive oil
Instructions:
- Mix the outside glaze ingredients together in a small bowl and set it aside.
- In another small bowl, whisk together the sauteed onions and minced garlic.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the vegan cheese, vegan sausage, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, greens and the onion-garlic mixture.
- Fill dough with the mixture and about 1/4 cup of marinara sauce, then fold the dough and brush it with the glaze.
- Cook according to the instructions in the original recipe, and serve with a side of marinara.
Ham and Cheese Breakfast Calzones
Because calzones are heavy on the dough and flexible on filling, we find they adapt quite easily to the breakfast table. Ham, eggs and cheddar round out the dish, punctuated by scallions and a dash of greens. We’ve left the marinara off the ingredient list, but feel free to include it if you see fit.
Yields: 4 calzones
Serving size: One calzone
Number of servings: 4
Calories: 650 calories
Fat content: 36 grams
Prep time: About 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 6 eggs, scrambled
- 1 cup of diced ham
- 1/2 cup of sliced scallions
- 1 cup of spinach
- 2 cups of cheddar cheese
- 1 cup of mozzarella cheese
- 20 ounces of pizza dough
- Olive oil for brushing
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the scrambled eggs, diced ham, scallions, spinach and both of the cheeses.
- Fill dough with the mixture, then brush with olive oil.
- Cook according to the instructions in the original recipe, and enjoy!
Steak and Peppers Calzone
Inspired by the cheesesteak, this steak and peppers calzone gives you plenty of sauteed veggies, meat and deliciousness topped with gooey cheese.
Yields: 4 calzones
Serving size: One calzone
Number of servings: 4
Calories: 659 calories
Fat content: 31 grams
Prep time: About 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of cooked steak, chopped
- 1/2 of an onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 bell peppers, cut into strips
- 1 cup of pepper jack cheese
- 2 cups of mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup of marinara sauce, plus extra for dipping
- 1/2 tablespoon of black pepper
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 20 ounces of pizza dough
- Olive oil for brushing
Instructions:
- Mix together the minced garlic, chopped onion and black pepper in a small bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the steak, bell peppers, both types of cheeses and the garlic mixture.
- Fill dough with the mixture and about 1/4 cup of marinara sauce, then fold and brush with remaining olive oil.
- Cook according to the instructions in the original recipe, and serve with a side of marinara.
Barbecue Chicken Calzone
A perennial favorite pizza topping, barbecue chicken is the perfect fit for a calzone. Swap the pizza sauce out for honey and barbecue sauce, and you’ve got a completely different dish on your hands.
Yields: 4 calzones
Serving size: One calzone
Number of servings: 4
Calories: 625 calories
Fat content: 24 grams
Prep time: About 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil, plus extra for brushing
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken
- 1/4 cup of cilantro
- 1/4 cup of diced onion
- 1/4 cup of cooked bacon, chopped
- 1 cup of barbecue sauce — additional portion for dipping, if desired
- 20 ounces of pizza dough
Instructions:
- Whisk together the olive oil, honey, cilantro and barbecue sauce in a small bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the mozzarella, cheddar cheese, shredded chicken, onion, bacon and sauce mixture together.
- Fill dough with the mixture, then brush with remaining olive oil.
- Cook according to the instructions in the original recipe, and serve with a side of barbecue sauce.
Chicken Pesto Calzone
The perfect way to use up some leftover chicken, this calzone trades red sauce for green and throws in some extra veggies for good measure.
Yields: 4 calzones
Serving size: One calzone
Number of servings: 4
Calories: 735 calories
Fat content: 39 grams
Prep time: About 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of shredded cooked chicken
- 1 cup of pesto, plus extra for dipping
- 1 cup of ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup of chopped kale
- 2 cups of mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 cloves of minced garlic, plus extra for brushing
- 1/4 cup of fresh basil
- 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup of diced red onions
- 20 ounces of pizza dough
Instructions:
- Whisk together the pesto, minced garlic, fresh basil and olive oil in a small bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan, kale, tomatoes, red onions and pesto mixture.
- Fill dough with the mixture, then brush with remaining olive oil.
- Cook according to the instructions in the original recipe, and serve with a side of pesto.
Still Craving More Italian Food? Yeah, Us Too
Look, we understand — even if you’ve gotten your calzone fix, you’re probably down for some pizza shortly after that, or a big pile of hearty pasta. And as much as we love a calzone, a stromboli or any iteration of cheese, crust, veggies and cured meats, sometimes we just want to kick it Chicago style — with a deep-dish, double-decker pie.
If the mood strikes, treat yourself to the Giordano’s experience. We welcome you to enjoy our family-friendly sit-down restaurant or call us for delivery or carry-out if you’d rather stay in for a pizza and a movie night. Faraway friends, we’ve got you covered, too — order one of our pizzas, and we’ll ship it straight to your door, so you can heat it up yourself.