This homemade calzone recipe is a blast to make, super customizable, and freezer friendly! I’ve included an easy dough recipe that makes enough for 4 calzones, but you can totally swap that with store-bought pizza dough or your favorite pizza dough recipe.
Let’s get in the cal-zone!
Want more fun and customizable dinner ideas? Get them in the Workweek Lunch Meal Prep Program. You’ll get weekly meal plans, a grocery list generator, and access to 600+ meal prep-tested recipes. Start your free trial today!
Let’s talk about fillings for these homemade calzones
The filling possibilities are really endless here so feel free to get creative. Think of your favorite pizza toppings and use those as inspiration for the calzone filling. Some other filling combinations that would work super well are:
- spinach, mushroom, and garlic
- sundried tomato, olives, and pesto instead of red sauce
- pepperoni and sausage
- ham and pineapple
- buffalo or bbq chicken and veggies
- ground beef, onion, tomato, and cheese (aka cheeseburger)
- ricotta and spinach, leave out the sauce and use it to dip instead
Related: 20 Delicious Copycat Recipes for Meal Prep
Other Ways to Customize This Recipe
- Use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose if needed
- If vegan or dairy-free, use a non-dairy cheese like Daiya or Violife.
- Marinara sauce can be replaced with either pizza sauce or tomato sauce
- As we mentioned above, if you do not want to follow this dough recipe, you can use store-bought pizza dough or your favorite pizza dough recipe!
Related: Easy Dinner Ideas For Kids (Under $13 Each!)
Ingredients to Know
You need active dry yeast for the dough in this recipe! if you are unfamiliar with it, it is normally found in the baking aisle of your grocery store next to other dry ingredients such as flour or baking powder!
How to Knead Dough
If you have never done this before or need a bit of a refresher, check out this quick Youtube video!
Related: 10 Indoor Date Night Ideas On A Budget
How to Store & Reheat Homemade Calzones
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze assembled (unbaked) calzones or baked and cooled ones. Place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for 2 hours, then transfer to airtight containers. Defrost overnight in the fridge before baking or reheating.
- Reheating: Best in the oven or toaster oven, but the microwave works too. You can even eat them cold or at room temperature.
Why Calzones Are Great for Meal Prep
Calzones are basically handheld, portable pizzas—which means they’re easy to store, reheat, and take on the go. They’re also fun to make in batches, especially if you’re cooking with kids or want to set up a “DIY calzone bar.” You can prep a variety of fillings in advance and assemble them throughout the week for a dinner that never gets boring.
This is exactly the type of recipe we highlight in the Workweek Lunch Meal Planner: easy, flexible meals that save you time and reduce weeknight stress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze calzones before baking?
Yes! Assemble them without cutting slits, freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to containers. Bake straight from frozen or defrost overnight for best results.
Do I need to cook the fillings before adding them?
For vegetables like mushrooms, peppers, or onions, it’s best to sauté them first to release moisture. For proteins like ground beef or sausage, cook fully before stuffing.
What cheese works best in calzones?
Mozzarella is classic, but ricotta, provolone, or non-dairy cheese alternatives also work great.
Can I reheat calzones in the microwave?
Yes, but they’ll be softer. For the crispiest crust, reheat in the oven or toaster oven.
How do I keep calzones from bursting?
Don’t overstuff them, and make sure to seal the edges tightly by pinching or crimping with a fork. Cut small slits in the top to let steam escape.
Other recipes you’ll love:
- Our Favorite BBQ Wings Recipe
- Meal Prep Burger Bowl With Shake Shack Sauce
- Meal Prep-Friendly Jackfruit Tacos With Elote
- Veggie Mac And Cheese With Cauliflower, Zucchini, And Bell Pepper
- Meal Prep Turkey Burger Recipe With Crispy Fries
- Orange Chicken Recipe (Trader Joe’s Copycat)
Sausage & Pepper Homemade Calzones
Ingredients
For the dough
- 3/4 cup water like warm bath water (100F/37C)
- 1 tsp active dry yeast about half a packet
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the filling
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper chopped
- 7 oz Italian sausage
- salt and pepper to taste
For the calzones
- 1 cup marinara sauce sub pizza sauce or tomato sauce
- 2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese sub cheese blend of choice
- 2 TBSP olive oil
Instructions
- Make the dough. Skip to step 2 if using premade dough. In a medium-sized bowl, pour in warm (but not too hot) water and sprinkle the yeast and sugar on top. Whisk vigorously until yeast and sugar are combined and cover with a clean towel and let sit for 5 minutes. Then remove the towel – the mixture should be slightly foamy. Pour in the oil and flour, followed by the salt, making sure the salt doesn’t come in direct contact with the yeast. Mix with a sturdy spatula or your hands until all of the flour is wet and a shaggy, thick dough is formed. If the dough is way too wet, add 1 tbsp of flour at a time mixing in between until a thick dough is formed. Do the same with 1 tbsp water at a time if it is way too dry. Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough into a ball with the palm of your hand for about 5 minutes. The dough is ready when you can press your thumb into the dough and it slowly springs back. Allow dough to rest in a greased bowl in a warm spot covered with a towel for 30 minutes to an hour (longer is better) until it has just about doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C). Prepare the filling: In a skillet on medium heat, add the olive oil, chopped onion, peppers, and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then push the veggies to one side of the pan and add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula as it cooks. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until veggies have released most of their moisture and sausage has browned and stir everything together. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
- Assemble the calzones: On a lightly floured surface, turn out your pizza dough. Using a bench scraper or large knife, cut into 4 equal-sized balls, about the size of a small apple. Take one dough ball and roll it out to a large, thin circle, until you reach a diameter of about 6-8 inches (15-20cm). On half of the circle, spoon about 1/4 cup of sauce, sprinkle 1/2 cup of cheese, and top with 1/4th of the filling mixture, or about 1 cup of filling per calzone. Make sure to leave about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) of space around the sides for crimping. Fold the empty half of the dough over the filling and pinch the bottom dough into the top dough to crimp and seal the calzone. You could also use a fork to crimp for another sealing option. *If freezing calzones, you can freeze at this point before baking.
- Carefully transfer the sealed calzones to a baking sheet with foil and brush the calzones with olive oil. Cut several slits in the calzone to allow steam to escape. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Check the calzones halfway through baking and rotate the pan to evenly brown all of them. Allow calzones to cool on a cooling rack to prevent the bottom from getting soggy. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container or wrapped in foil in a bag.
- To freeze: you can freeze assembled, prebaked calzones (without the slits), or baked and cooled calzones by placing calzones on a baking sheet in the freezer for two hours before storing them in air-tight containers and returning to the freezer. Defrost in the fridge overnight before baking for best results! Enjoy!
Christopher T. Nolan says
This is Stromboli. All calzones contain ricotta.