If you love pizza, you're going to fall in love with this homemade Calzone Recipe! Filled with your favorite cheeses, meets and herbs, then folded like a pizza pocket and baked to perfection.
And if you're feeling courageous, use my homemade foolproof pizza dough recipe to for this calzone recipe.
If you like comfort food like homemade Calzone's, then you need to try my other recipes like my Homemade Stromboli, My mother's Sicilian Vota Vota recipe and my Caprese Pizza Recipe.
Visit my recipe box for some more great recipe ideas inspired by Italian tradition!
Jump to:
- Here's Why You'll Love this Recipe
- What is a Calzone?
- Calzone vs Panzerotti: What's the Difference?
- Ingredients
- How to Make Homemade Calzone Step by Step
- Top Tips
- Substitutions and Variations
- Answers to Commonly Asked Questions
- Serve Calzone with an Appetizer
- Recipe Details
- Top Tips
- PIN it for later here
- Food Safety
- Comments
Here's Why You'll Love this Recipe
You'll love my Homemade Calzone recipe not only because it's made with love, but also because:
- classic Italian comfort food made easy
- perfect for take to work leftovers
- customizable that you can stuff with your own pizza toppings
- flavors will satisfy both kids and adults
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What is a Calzone?
FUN FACT: The word CALZONE comes from the Italian word for "trouser leg". It was designed to be a "walking pizza", easy to eat and go.
And panzerotti are often called "mini calzones" outside of Italy, but in Italy, they're considered their own specialty of beloved street food known for its crispy, fried shell and gooey, cheesy center.
Calzone vs Panzerotti: What's the Difference?
| Feature | Calzone | Panzerotti |
| Origin | Naples, Italy | Southern Italy (especially Puglia) |
| Cooking Method | Baked in the oven | Deep-fried until golden |
| Dough Type | Pizza dough | Softer, slightly thicker dough |
| Size | Larger, typically dinner-plate size served as a meal | Smaller, handheld and snack sized |
| Filling | Typically ricotta, mozzarella, meats, and vegetables | Often tomato sauce and mozzarella, sometimes ham or salami |
| Texture | Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside | Golden, crispy and slightly oily exterior |
| Serving Style | Served as a main dish or dinner | Often eaten as street food or a snack |
Ingredients
For homemade calzones you'll need: pizza dough, garlic powder, pizza sauce, mushrooms, pepperoni, mozzarella, fresh basil, parmesan cheese and any other preferred toppings you would normally put on pizza.
For exact measurement details and directions see recipe card...
How to Make Homemade Calzone Step by Step
Preheat your oven to 375℉ and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
If you are feeling confident, try making your own pizza dough with my fool proof pizza dough recipe.
On a floured surface, divide your pizza dough into 3 and fold the dough underneath to form a ball. Let rest on the counter for 30 minutes covered with a wet paper towel gently covering them. Gently remove the paper towel and using your fingers stretch the dough to make a circle about 8 to 9 inches in diameter. Repeat for all the balls of dough.
Brush one half of the dough with a mixture of olive oil and garlic powder being careful not to spread it out to the edges, otherwise it will be difficult to close the ends of the dough when you fold it over.
Add pizza sauce and layer your pizza toppings. Top with fresh basil.
Make an egg wash with an egg and using a clean basting brush, brush it over the edges of the pizza all the way around the perimeter.
Then gently fold one half over to the other and pinch the ends together. If possible fold the edges underneath.
Carefully transfer the calzones to the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush remaining egg wash over the top of the calzone. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until crispy and golden. Bake on middle rack of your oven.
Remove from oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice in half and serve with remaining pizza sauce.
Storage:
Leftover calzone store nicely wrapped in parchment paper in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Warm up in the oven or in a toaster oven for 5 to 10 minutes at 350F.
Top Tips
Let the dough rest before rolling. Allowing the dough to rest makes it easier to stretch.
Don't overfill the calzone because too much filling will make it more difficult to close the calzone causing the filling to leak out.
Seal the edges well and use an egg wash.
Cut a steam vent on the top to prevent soggy spots.
Substitutions and Variations
Get creative with substitutions and variations in this Homemade Calzone recipe by using:
- Classic Calzone - fill your calzone with classic ingredients including ricotta, mozzarella, ham and dried oregano.
- Sausage and Pepper - fill your calzone with a combination of pork sausage and pepper and provolone cheese
- Vegetarian - replace filling and use spinach and ricotta for a vegetarian option
- Three Cheese - add three cheeses to your calzone like fontina, mozzarella and parmesan for extra richness
The perfect recipe isn't that far away. I'd love to know how you substituted ingredients to fit your dietary needs. Drop a comment below and let me know!
Answers to Commonly Asked Questions
A calzone is a half moon shaped turnover that's sealed and baked with the sauce and fillings inside. A stromboli, on the other hand, is rolled up like a log and usually has the sauce served on the side. Both use pizza dough but differ in shape and serving style.
Before baking, remember to put a slit in the top to let the steam escape. This will prevent soggy spots when baking your calzone.
The best way to reheat calzone is to place it in a 350F oven and warm up for 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve Calzone with an Appetizer
Try these appetizers inspired by Italian traditional recipes:
Recipe Details
Homemade Calzone Recipe
https://easyhomemaderecipes.caIngredients
- 1 pizza dough room temperature
- 1 egg
Pizza Filling
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- 1½ cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup mushrooms sauteed
- 6 oz pepperoni slices
- ¼ cup banana pepper rings in oil and vinegar
- 8 oz mozzarella shredded
- ¼ cup olives sliced
- 4-6 leaves fresh basil
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375℉ and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a floured surface, divide your pizza dough into 3 and fold the dough underneath to form a ball. Scissors work well to separate the dough. Keep the balls about 3 inches apart from one another. Let rest on the counter for 30 minutes covered with a wet paper towel gently covering them. (this will allow the dough to relax for the next step)1 pizza dough
- Gently remove the paper towel and using your fingers stretch the dough to make a circle about 8 to 9 inches in diameter. Repeat for all the balls of dough.
- Brush one half of the dough with a mixture of olive oil and garlic powder being careful not to spread it out to the edges, otherwise it will be difficult to close the ends of the dough when you fold it over.¼ cup olive oil, ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- Add pizza sauce and layer your pizza toppings. Top with fresh basil.1½ cup pizza sauce, 1 cup mushrooms, 6 oz pepperoni slices, ¼ cup banana pepper rings, 8 oz mozzarella, ¼ cup olives, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, 4-6 leaves fresh basil
- Make an egg wash with an egg and using a clean basting brush, brush it over the edges of the pizza all the way around the perimeter. Then gently fold one half over to the other and pinch the ends together. If possible fold the edges underneath.1 egg
- Carefully transfer the calzones to the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush remaining egg wash over the top of the calzone. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until crispy and golden. Bake on middle rack of your oven.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice in half and serve with remaining pizza sauce.
Notes
Top Tips
Let the dough rest before rolling. Allowing the dough to rest makes it easier to stretch. Don't overfill the calzone because too much filling will make it more difficult to close the calzone causing the filling to leak out. Seal the edges well and use an egg wash. Cut a steam vent on the top to prevent soggy spots.Nutrition
PIN it for later here
Food Safety
Note that the storage guidelines provided on this page and site are estimates from personal experiences. We are all adults and as an adult you are responsible to ensure that the food you eat is safe to eat. Since, I'm not a food safety expert, you are responsible to review your local guidelines on food storage prior to storing any food left-overs.
Remember to:
- Not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For Canadian Guidelines check the Government of Canada Food Safety Guidelines or see more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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