Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe (2024)

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

DoughUse 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!

1. Divide pre-made pizza dough into equal portions and roll into a circle.
2. On one half of the dough, spread the ingredients. Fold over and crimp the edges.
3. Cut air vents, brush with oil and bake (per recipe below).

Serve calzones warm with amarinara 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