Pepperoni and Cheese Calzones
These toasty pizza pockets are crammed with zesty sauce, gooey cheese, and plenty of smoky pepperoni. And thanks to store-bought pizza dough, they’re ready in a flash. Even better news? Pepperoni and cheese isn’t the only option; anything you put on your pizza can go into your calzone. The possibilities are endless!
This recipe was written for the Arizona Republic.
What is a calzone? A calzone is essentially an Italian empanada, a hand-held treat featuring chewy-crisp pizza dough stuffed with classic pizza toppings. The process for making a calzone is simple – sauce and fillings are placed on a round of dough, the dough is folded over and sealed, and the calzone is baked until golden brown.
What’s the difference between a calzone and stromboli? While calzones and strombolis have similar ingredients – dough, sauce, meat, and/or vegetables – the way they are shaped is different. A calzone is pinched and sealed like a turnover, while a stromboli is rolled up and sliced like a jellyroll.
What should you put in your calzone? Whatever you would put on your pizza! And since calzones can be made to serve one person (as instructed in the recipe below), they’re completely customizable. Get your family and friends involved when making calzones; offer a variety of ingredients – cooked meats, vegetables, sauces, and cheeses – and have everyone make their own. Pro tip: Make sure your meats are cooked and any watery ingredients (like mushrooms and pineapple) are well drained.
What type of dough should you use? I recommend store-bought pizza dough. You can find fresh dough in most supermarkets, often sold near the deli. In addition, many pizza shops will sell fresh dough, so don’t hesitate to ask. You can also purchase frozen pizza dough and thaw it according to the package directions. Pro tip: When making your calzone, make sure you roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness; the dough should be thick enough to hold all the toppings without breaking, but also thin enough to fold over and seal.
Calzone ingredients
- Sauce. I recommend pizza sauce over marinara sauce. Pizza sauce is thicker, and less watery, making it ideal for calzones. You can also use white sauce. Remember to save some sauce to serve on the side for dunking!
- Cheese. Classic cheeses for calzones include mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta, but feel free to use cheddar, Monterey jack, pepper jack, Colby, Swiss, gouda, feta, and/or goat cheese.
- Meat. Consider salami, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, ham, bacon, Italian sausage, ground beef, steak, meatballs, and even chicken. Note: Cook all raw meats and sausages before assembling your calzones.
Don’t overstuff your calzones! When assembling the calzones, use enough filling for a hearty calzone, but not so much that it makes it difficult to fold over and seal the dough. And make sure the edges are well-sealed, you don’t want your calzones popping open while baking (it’s OK if a little filling oozes out). Use the ingredient measurements below as a guide for this, and all future calzones.
Cool your calzones before serving. Since calzones are basically pockets of pizza, they’re just as fiery when they come out of the oven, and that heat stays trapped inside. To prevent burning your mouth, and to ensure the cheese isn’t too runny, cool your calzones for 5 minutes before serving.
Assembled calzones can be stored both before and after baking (great for planning ahead)
- For uncooked calzones: To store your calzones before baking, arrange them on a baking sheet, in a single layer. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 3 months (once they are frozen on the baking sheet, you can transfer them to freezer bags). Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
- For baked calzones: Store leftover baked calzones in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat leftover calzones on a baking sheet, in a 300-degree oven for about 15 minutes, until hot in the center.
Calzone inspiration
- Meat Lovers: Pizza sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, and ground beef.
- BBQ chicken: Barbecue sauce, cooked chicken, mozzarella, provolone, and/or cheddar.
- Hawaiian: Pizza sauce, Monterey jack, Canadian bacon, and pineapple.
- Buffalo chicken: Buffalo sauce, cooked chicken, mozzarella, and blue cheese. Serve with ranch dip on the side.
- Veggie: Pizza sauce (red or white), onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, artichoke hearts, black olives, and/or hot peppers. Pro tip: Sauté veggies first so they don’t create a watery filling.
Pepperoni and Cheese Calzones
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh, store-bought pizza dough, or frozen pizza dough, thawed according to the package directions
- 1 cup pizza sauce, plus more for dipping (warm the dipping sauce)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup sliced pepperoni
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with cooking spray.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Roll each ball into a 1/4-inch-thick circle.
- Spoon the pizza sauce on the center of each circle (about 2 tablespoons of sauce per calzone). Top the sauce with the mozzarella and pepperoni (about 1/4 cup of cheese and 5 slices of pepperoni per calzone).
- Pull up one side of the dough and stretch it over the filling to reach the other side, making a half moon. Pinch around the edges to seal. Transfer the calzones to the prepared baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, parsley, and garlic powder. Brush the calzones with the butter mixture. Using a sharp knife, cut a slit in the top of each calzone to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Sprinkle the tops of the calzones with the parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Cool for 5 minutes before serving with warm pizza sauce on the side.