Homemade calzones bring the authentic Italian pizzeria experience right to your kitchen in just 35 minutes. These golden-brown pockets of joy, packed with melty cheese and your favorite fillings, make an irresistible weeknight dinner option.
Simple yet satisfying, each calzone delivers the perfect balance of crispy exterior and tender interior, while keeping the calories reasonable at 376 per serving. Whether you’re feeding a family or meal-prepping for the week, these versatile handheld delights will become your new go-to recipe.
Essential Ingredients
- Pizza Dough (2 lbs): Fresh or store-bought, brought to room temperature for easy handling
- Mozzarella Cheese (2 cups): Freshly shredded for best melting results
- Egg (1 whole): Beaten well for a golden-brown crust finish
- Parmesan Cheese (2 Tbsp): Freshly grated for optimal flavor
- Italian Seasoning: For authentic Italian flavor enhancement
- Pizza Sauce: Warmed for perfect dipping experience
Optional Filling Choices
- Meats: Pepperoni, cooked Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, shredded chicken
- Vegetables: Black olives, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, jalapeños
- Extra: Pineapple for a sweet twist
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare Oven: Heat to 450°F with pizza stone inside (or upside-down baking sheet)
- Shape Dough: Divide into 8 portions, roll each into ¼-inch thick disks
- Fill: Add ¼ cup toppings and cheese on one side of each disk
- Form Calzones: Fold dough over filling, seal edges carefully
- Finish: Create steam vent, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with parmesan and seasoning
- Bake: 12-14 minutes until golden brown on preheated stone
- Rest: Cool for 10 minutes before serving with your favorite sauce
Cooking Techniques
Getting that perfect golden-brown crust on your calzones comes down to three simple tricks! First, preheating your pizza stone makes a huge difference – it creates that wonderful crispy bottom we all love. No pizza stone? No problem! An upside-down baking sheet works great too.
Don’t forget that little slit on top – it’s like giving your calzone a tiny chimney to let steam escape, preventing any filling explosions. And that egg wash? It’s your secret weapon for that beautiful shiny finish!
Variations & Substitutions
Your calzone is like a blank canvas – have fun with it! Love veggies? Try a mushroom-pepper-onion mix. Craving something spicy? Add some jalapeños with Italian sausage.
You can also swap the regular pizza dough for whole wheat if you’d like, or use dairy-free cheese for a lighter version. Mix and match any toppings you love on pizza – they’ll work just as well in your calzone. Just remember not to overstuff (about ¼ cup of filling is perfect) so your calzone seals properly.
Serving Suggestions
Make your calzone meal extra special with some fun dipping options! While classic marinara is always a winner, try setting up a dipping station with different sauces – garlic white sauce, ranch, or even BBQ sauce for a twist.
Add a fresh green salad on the side to balance out the meal. Want to make it party-friendly? Cut each calzone in half and arrange on a big platter with small bowls of different sauces. Just remember to let them cool for those 10 minutes – the filling gets super hot!
Storage Tips
These little pockets of joy keep really well! Once they’re completely cool, wrap them individually in foil or pop them in an airtight container. They’ll stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, warm them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes – this keeps the crust crispy. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The microwave works in a pinch, but the crust won’t be as crispy.
Calzones
Equipment
- Pizza stone or baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- 2 lbs pizza dough homemade or store-bought
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 whole egg beaten
- 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese freshly grated
- Italian seasoning
- pizza sauce for dipping
Optional Filling Ideas
- pepperoni
- ground Italian sausage cooked
- Canadian bacon
- shredded chicken cooked
- black olives
- mushrooms sliced
- bell pepper chopped
- onion chopped
- fresh jalapeño pepper
- pineapple
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F, with a pizza stone inside if possible (or use a baking sheet turned upside down).
- Divide pizza dough into 8 portions. Roll each into a flat disk, about ¼ inch thick.
- Add about ¼ cup of toppings to one side, including a generous sprinkle of cheese. Fold the other half of dough over the toppings and seal the edges together.
- Place calzones on a large piece of parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to make a small slit on top of each calzone (for steam to escape while baking).
- Lightly brush tops of calzones with beaten egg, then sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
- Transfer calzones (on the parchment paper) to the hot pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve with warmed pizza sauce or Marinara sauce for dipping. Or try other dipping sauces like white garlic sauce, ranch, Alfredo, or bbq sauce.
