Best Ever Homemade Italian Calzone (Family Recipe)
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This Italian calzone recipe takes all the great flavors of pizza and stuffs it into a toasty turnover. Make this easy calzone recipe in less than one hour! You can even add your own calzone fillings to include your favorite pizza toppings!
When it comes to Italian recipes, this is a great one. It’s a fun and simple way to get that traditional calzone recipe flavor, without a hard recipe to try and follow.
The next time that you’re craving Italian food, these easy calzones are a good idea to make.
The half-moon shape is loaded with toppings and different variations of cheese, and that perfect golden brown folded pizza dough is too good to pass up.
The recipe card literally walks you through the step-by-step process to make a delicious calzone right at home.
Italian Calzone Recipe
Do you remember how pizza night was always the most anticipated? Why not garner that same excitement with this Italian calzone recipe?
Create this meal with some homemade pizza dough, a delightful mixture of ricotta and mozzarella cheese, and all your favorite toppings.
That’s it! A great family dinner option for any night.
If you love the flavors in this homemade calzone, you should try my easy stromboli! Instead of a cheesy pocket, everything is rolled up and sliced into spiral rounds.
Or, add a fun twist to this crowd favorite with my Pizza Dip.
It’s perfect for an appetizer or party snack, and you can easily make two or three with different toppings.
Homemade Calzone Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Don’t roll too thin! The dough needs to be thick enough to support the weight of the toppings. Otherwise, it will break apart when you try to seal it.
- How to keep everything in: Fold one side of the dough over to form a half moon shape.
Then, pinch and roll the sides together to completely enclose your toppings. - Want a gorgeous sheen? While an egg wash is optional, brushing it over the tops gives the final baked calzone a picturesque shine.
- Make-ahead tip: Since leftovers last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, this easy calzone recipe is great for a week’s worth of lunches.
You can also freeze the prepared calzones, then bring to room temp before baking.
Italian Calzone Serving Suggestions
Pair this homemade calzone recipe with my 5-minute marinara! Or, whip up some basil pesto or alfredo sauce for extra dipping options.
To add some veggies to your meal, include a side of these crispy zucchini chips, some buttery garlic roasted broccoli, or make a big bowl of my copycat Olive Garden salad.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Baking Sheets – Add a layer of parchment paper for quick and easy cleanup!
- Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- Rolling Pin – You can use a wine bottle or your hands if you don’t have one.
- Cheese Grater – Fresh cheese melts down easier to make this homemade calzone recipe even better. Skip the bagged shreds and grate it yourself.
Homemade Calzone FAQ
The crust will have a golden-brown coloring to it. But another way to check is by lightly tapping your Italian calzone with your knuckle. If it sounds hollow, it’s done!
When making this Italian calzone recipe, place the pan in the oven while you preheat to get it nice and hot. This helps the bottom cook evenly and stay crispy.
Also, don’t overstuff! Evenly spread out the ricotta mixture, then add a light layer of whatever toppings you’re craving that night.
Place your leftover Italian calzone in the center of a baking sheet, then pop it in the oven at 400°F for about 20 minutes or until warmed through.
You can also use an air fryer if you can’t wait that long! Keep the temperature the same, but reduce the time to 3 or 4 minutes.
That all depends on the type of calzone that you want! If you want cheese calzone, you’re going to want to add a ton of different types of cheese. For my own personal consumption, I like to fill the pizza pockets with simple ingredients that consist of:
pizza sauce
Italian sausage
bell peppers
red peppers
pecorino romano cheese
roasted garlic cloves
slices pepperoni
And those are just a few options! You can fit a lot in large calzones, but if you’re making smaller calzones, you’ll have to stretch the dough to be able to get all the fillings that you want into this great recipe.
Don’t forget that you’ll want to add parmesan cheese on top of each calzone – and I always have marinara sauce for dipping! You can make your own true calzone in any way that you want – so make a list of pizza toppings and head to the grocery store!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Best Ever Homemade Italian Calzone (Family Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Best Ever Pizza Dough
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped basil
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup grated mozzarella, divided
- 1 cup cooked Italian sausage
- 1/2 cup fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Prepare pizza dough. Divide into four sections and bring to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, parsley, basil, parmesan, black pepper, and ½ cup of grated mozzarella. Stir to combine fully.
- Use your fingers or a rolling pin to flatten each section of dough into an 8-9” round.
- Place ¼ of the ricotta mixture in the center of the round. Add additional toppings – sausage, diced tomatoes, and additional mozzarella cheese.
- Fold one side of the dough over to form a half moon. Pinch and roll the sides of the dough to enclose the toppings completely.
- Whisk together the egg with a tablespoon of water. Brush the egg mixture over the calzone to add a golden sheen to the baked calzone. Cut a couple slits in the top of the calzone for steam to escape.
- Bake calzones on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes or until deep golden brown.
- Brush tops with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese and fresh herbs.
- Serve with marinara sauce.
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published November 2021, updated and republished April 2024
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I’ve never tried to make a calzone before, and was wary of this, but it came together so well. Going to make this a weekly, or bi-weekly thing.
I made this recipe last night. Used store bought dough. Lover of Italian food husband, raved about it. Definitely a keeper recipe!