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Golden Brown Calzone is a family favorite meal idea! It is loaded with your favorite meats, cheese and veggies for a quick and easy recipe.
If your family loves pizza as much as mine, then make this Calzone Recipe. Start with pizza dough and stuff it with sauce, meats, cheese and veggies to create a meal that everyone will love.
The crust is baked golden brown and is perfect to hold in one hand to dip into your favorite dipping sauces. If you have made our Easy Stromboli Recipe then you will love this recipe.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Calzone Recipe
Calzone can be served anytime of the year. My kids love it because they can add their favorite toppings and enjoy it for a quick lunch, snack or dinner. The filling makes is satisfying and keeps them full to tackle their busy schedules.
They even freeze great so I like to stock my freezer for an easy after school snack. If you are looking for a meal that everyone will love, make Calzone.
Ingredients
- Pizza Dough – You can make Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe with flour and yeast or use store bought pizza dough.
- Pizza Sauce – Use jar pizza sauce or make Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe. You can also use tomato sauce. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl
- Red Onion and Green Bell Pepper – We like using a vegetable chopper to chopper the veggies so they are about the same size.
- Pepperoni Slices – You can also use Turkey Pepperoni Slices
- Shredded Fresh Mozzarella Cheese – We recommend to shred low-moisture cheese from bulk cheese for the best taste and it melts better than pre-shredded cheese
- Olive Oil – Gives the calzone a crispy topping. You can also use a egg wash
- Parmesan Cheese – We like using grated parmesan cheese
- Italian Seasoning – Make Homemade Italian Seasoning Recipe
- Garlic Salt – If you are out, see The Best Garlic Salt Substitute
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
Variations Ideas
Feel free to make this calzone with your favorite pizza toppings. Here are some other ideas.
- Sliced Mushrooms
- Italian Sausage
- Ricotta Cheese
- Ground Beef
- Artichokes
- Salami
- Black Olives
- Fresh Basil
How to Make Calzone
- Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2 – Divide the pizza dough evenly into 4 different sections. Roll out each section into a dough circle with a rolling pin that’s approximately ¼ inch thick. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 3 – Spread about tbsp of pizza sauce onto half of the dough making sure to leave room around the edges to seal the calzone.
Step 4 – Sprinkle about a tsp of onions and bell peppers evenly on top of the sauce on each dough.
Step 5 – Layer 6 pepperonis onto each calzone and evenly sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
Step 6 – Rub a small amount of water onto the outside edge of the dough. Fold the dough over the topping and crimp the edges shut with either your fingers or a fork. Gently make 3 slices on top of each calzone to allow air to escape while cooking.
Step 7 – Rub the olive oil on top with a basting brush. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning on top. Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Square Pizza Crust – If you use pizza dough that comes in the sheet form, use a sharp knife to cut out the circles instead of rolling it out again.
- Sealing Pizza Crust – Make sure that the edges are sealed tightly. The water helps form a tight seal to prevent it from coming apart while cooking it.
What to Serve with Calzone
Calzone makes a delicious appetizer or a main dish recipe. We have even served it as a quick lunch since it is so easy to make. My kids love when I make Little Caesars Crazy Bread with a Homemade Ranch Dip and Easy Marinara Sauce.
We also love to serve with Easy Caesar Salad Recipe, Air Fryer Broccoli and Spinach Strawberry Salad for a light side dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
A classic calzone is usually stuffed with melted cheese, meats, vegetables and fresh herbs and spices. We love to add in crumbled sausage and diced ham with tons of veggies but you can add any filling that you prefer.
The main differences between the two is the shape of the dough. They are both stuffed with meats, cheese, and spices so it is just how you shape your dough.
These are best served fresh but the leftovers can be stored for up to 5 days as long as they are refrigerated in an airtight container.
Yes, you can freeze calzone after you have baked them. Allow the calzone to cool then place on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour. Once they are frozen, wrap in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to reheat.
I recommend reheating them in the oven to make the outside crispy again. But you can also reheat in the microwave if that is the only option.
More Easy Pizza Recipes
We love to hear from you. If you make this Calzone Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.
Calzone
Ingredients
- 1 pound Pizza Dough
- ½ cup Pizza Sauce
- ½ Red Onion diced
- ½ Green Bell Pepper diced
- 24 Pepperoni slices
- 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
For the Topping:
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Parmesan Cheese
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide the pizza dough evenly into 4 different sections. Roll out each section into a dough circle with a rolling pin that’s approximately ¼ inch thick. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Spread the pizza sauce onto half of the dough making sure to leave room around the edges to seal the calzone.
- Sprinkle the onions and bell peppers evenly on top of the sauce. Layer 6 pepperonis onto each calzone and evenly sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
- Rub a small amount of water onto the outside edge of the dough. Fold the dough over the topping and crimp the edges shut with either your fingers or a fork.
- Gently make 3 slices on top of each calzone to allow air to escape while cooking.
- Rub the olive oil on top with a basting brush. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning on top.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
This Calzone was so delicious and easy to make! My kids loved that they could add their favorite pizza toppings.