Easy Homemade Calzone Recipe
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Learn how to make delicious homemade calzones with this easy recipe that includes step-by-step instructions.
Your family will be so impressed when you present them with their very own Italian calzone filled with savory ingredients, from gooey cheese to flavorful meats and even veggies if you like.
Looking for more pizza-inspired meals? Make sure to try my recipes for Chicken Pizza Recipe, Pepperoni Pizza Dip that makes a delicious meal, and Pizza Margherita Grilled Cheese too!
What is a Calzone?
A calzone is a type of savory Italian turnover made from pizza dough folded in half and stuffed with various ingredients, similar to a stuffed pizza or a turnover.
A traditional calzone includes ingredients such as cheese (commonly ricotta cheese, mozzarella, or provolone), cured meats such as pepperoni or salami, vegetables like mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers, and sometimes tomato sauce or marinara. It is then baked until the crust is golden brown and crispy.
^^^The top two calzone halves were fried, the bottom two were baked.^^^
The inspiration for my version comes from Mama Mia’s Pizzeria in Fresno, CA. This is where I was first introduced to calzone (back in the late 80’s), and I fell in love with them. Which really isn’t that much of a stretch given how much I love pizza.
I always ordered mine with ground beef and Italian sausage with mozzarella cheese, oh and they are fried! My son likes his with mushrooms and bell pepper, and my daughter likes hers with mozzarella and sliced black olives – lots and lots of black olives!
Check out this How to make Homemade Pizza post for detailed instructions and recipes for making pizzeria quality pizza at home.
What you’ll need
- Italian pizza dough with Tipo 00 flour – Homemade pizza dough with all purpose flour, or store-bought pizza dough separated into four dough balls for large, or eight balls for smaller size.
- Italian ground beef with Italian sausage, cooked is my favorite – You can also use regular ground beef or Italian sausage if you prefer.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Beaten egg wash or olive oil
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning
- Pizza sauce for dipping – Homemade or store-bought pizza sauce – Marinara sauce will also work if that is what you have on hand.
Optional calzone fillings
- Pepperoni slices – I like to use mini pepperoni
- Bell pepper
- Chopped onion
- Black olives
- Sautéed, sliced mushrooms
- Any of your favorite pizza toppings
- Olive oil for frying – Optional
Check out the printable recipe card below for the complete recipe and detailed instructions.
Tools used
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- Large baking sheet or large pizza stone
- Wok if frying
- Pizza peel
- Parchment paper sheets
- Boxed grater for the cheeses
- Spider strainer for frying
How to make calzone
Note: Pizza dough is best when made up to 3 days before you make your calzone or pizza!
To bake in the oven:
Place pizza stone on the center oven rack. Preheat to 450°F (220°C) for one hour to get it really hot. If you do not have a pizza stone, use a baking sheet.
Remove pizza dough from refrigerator and allow to come up to room temperature, about one hour.
Place each dough ball on a lightly floured surface and push down with your hands to form a circle that is about one-quarter inch thick and 8-inches in diameter.
If dough shrinks back it is too cold. Allow to warm up for a few more minutes and try again.
Place two dough circles on a parchment paper sheet or leave on floured surface if frying. Add ground meat mixture to one half of the dough circle, keeping at least an inch clear around the edges.
Top with pepperoni slices, if using, or any additional toppings that you would like, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
Fold the top half of the dough over and gently press down until the seam match up. Start to press edge of the dough together to seal until almost all the way around.
Gently press down on the center to remove air pockets. Seal the remaining edges together and flip the edge over a bit to form a rim.
Cut two small slits in the top of the calzone for hot air to escape while baking. Brush top of calzone with beaten egg or olive oil, then sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
Slide calzone and parchment paper onto hot baking stone, or place parchment lined baking sheet with calzones into preheated oven.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
To fry calzone:
Heat oil in a wok or large saucepan to 375°F (190°C).
Slide prepared calzone into the hot oil one at a time, and cook until golden brown. Flip over and cook the second side.
Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain, and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
The calzone that is cut in half was baked, and the big puffy one in the back was fried.
Serve with warmed red pizza sauce or white pizza sauce for dipping and a tossed green salad to complete the meal.
Expert Tips
- I used the smaller holes (on the right side) of the boxed grater to shred the parmesan that I put inside the calzone, the large holes (on the back side) for the mozzarella, and the smallest holes (on the front) to finely grate the parmesan that is sprinkled on top of the baked calzone.
- The fried calzone is fluffier with a chewy texture – like a cross between a doughnut and a fresh baked bagel. The baked calzone has a firmer texture closer to a bagel. Both are delicious, but fried is still my favorite.
- Traditional calzone are made without sauce on the inside, the sauce is served on the side for dipping. I do however add a tablespoon of sauce on top of the meat for added flavor. Do not add too much or your calzone will become soggy inside.
- I have made these calzone the same size that is served at Mama Mia’s. Feel free to make 8 smaller calzone if you prefer.
FAQ’s
To prevent a soggy calzone, make sure to properly drain any moisture-rich ingredients like vegetables or cooked meats before adding them as fillings.
It is best to not use fresh mozzarella (the kind in a ball with water) because it releases water as it cooks. The same goes for mushrooms. It is better to sauté them ahead of time.
To seal the calzone, make sure to press the edges of the dough together firmly and then crimp them with a fork or your fingers to create a tight seal. You can also brush the edges with a little water or beaten egg to help them stick together better.
Make sure not to overfill the calzone, as this can cause the filling to burst out during baking. Leave some space around the edges of the dough when adding the fillings, and seal the calzone tightly to prevent leakage.
The cheese filling may bubble up through the slits on top of the calzone, but you should still be okay as long as the calzone is not overstuffed.
Allow the calzones to cool completely. Wrap the cooled calzone tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to help retain moisture and prevent them from drying out. Place the wrapped calzones in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
When you’re ready to enjoy the leftover calzones, you can reheat them in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
More delicious Italian recipes
- Skillet Chicken Cacciatore
- Linguine alla Carbonara
- Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Manicotti
- Pasta for a Crowd – Uses the same Italian Ground Beef
- Classic Tiramisu for dessert!
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it!
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Enjoy!!
Easy Homemade Calzone
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pizza dough homemade or store-bought, made 2 to 3 days ahead of time and refrigerated.
- 1 pound Italian seasoned ground beef or ground meat of your choice
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 tablespoons shredded parmesan for inside calzone
- 1 large egg beaten
- 4 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese for top of calzone
- Italian seasoning to sprinkle on top
- 1 cup pizza sauce or more for dipping
Optional Calzone Fillings
- pepperoni
- sliced black olives
- sautéed sliced mushrooms
- diced red bell pepper
Instructions
To Bake in Oven
- Place pizza stone on the center oven rack. Preheat to 450°F (220°C) for one hour to get it really hot. If you do not have a pizza stone, use a baking sheet.
- Remove pizza dough from refrigerator and allow to come up to room temperature, about one hour.
- Place each dough ball on a lightly floured surface and push down with your hands to form a circle that is about one-quarter inch thick and 8-inches in diameter. If dough shrinks back it is too cold. Allow to warm up for a few more minutes and try again.
- Place two dough circles on a parchment paper sheet or leave on floured surface if frying. Add ground meat mixture to one half of the dough circle, keeping at least an inch clear around the edges.
- Top with pepperoni slices, if using, or any additional toppings that you would like, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Fold the top half of the dough over and gently press down until the seam match up. Start to press edge of the dough together to seal until almost all the way around.
- Gently press down on the center to remove air pockets. Seal the remaining edges together and flip the edge over a bit to form a rim.
- Cut two small slits in the top of the calzone for hot air to escape while baking. Brush top of calzone with beaten egg or olive oil, then sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
- Slide calzone and parchment paper onto hot baking stone, or place parchment lined baking sheet with calzones into preheated oven.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
To Fry Calzone:
- Heat oil in a wok or large saucepan to 375°F (190°C).
- Slide prepared calzone into the hot oil one at a time, and cook until golden brown. Flip over and cook the second side.
- Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain, and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve with warmed red pizza sauce or white pizza sauce for dipping and a tossed green salad to complete the meal.
Notes
- To prevent a soggy calzone, make sure to properly drain any moisture-rich ingredients like vegetables or cooked meats before adding them as fillings.
It is best to not use fresh mozzarella (the kind in a ball with water) because it releases water as it cooks. The same goes for mushrooms. It is better to sauté them ahead of time. - Make sure not to overfill the calzone, as this can cause the filling to burst out during baking. Leave some space around the edges of the dough when adding the fillings, and seal the calzone tightly to prevent leakage.
- Leftovers: Allow the calzones to cool completely. Wrap the cooled calzone tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to help retain moisture and prevent them from drying out. Place the wrapped calzones in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
When you’re ready to enjoy the leftover calzones, you can reheat them in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
