Pepperoni Calzone

If you’re craving a cheesy treat that’s as easy to make as it is delicious, look no further than this pepperoni calzone recipe. This Italian classic is a flavorful twist on traditional pizza. To make it, you’ll wrap bite-sized chunks of savory pepperoni, gooey cheese and a thick, meaty sauce in premade dough for a result that’ll hit the spot for a quick weeknight dinner.

As a bonus, pepperoni calzones are highly customizable, so if you’d prefer yours with some veggies, without meat, or with different fillings, feel free to take this recipe and switch it up however you’d like. They store well too, so go ahead and double the batch and you’ll have leftovers for another night.

Pepperoni Calzone Ingredients

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• Pepperoni: Chop pepperoni into bite-sized pieces.
• Pasta sauce: This recipe uses a meat sauce, but if you’d prefer, you can use a meatless one. You can even make your own spaghetti sauce for a little extra flavor and personalization.
• Mozzarella cheese: For the best results, we recommend shredded part-skim mozzarella, but shredded cheddar or another favorite cheese of your choice will also work well.
• Bread dough: You’ll need a pound of frozen bread dough, and you’ll want to thaw it prior to starting.
• Milk: This recipe calls for 2% milk, but feel free to use any milk you have on hand. The higher the fat content, the better the results.
• Parmesan cheese: You can use either freshly grated or prepackaged Parmesan cheese.
• Italian seasoning (optional): While optional, this does add unmatched flavor to your pepperoni calzone. If you’d like, make a batch of homemade Italian seasoning ahead of time to keep on hand for recipes similar to calzones.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the filling

Diana Chistruga for Taste of Home

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine the chopped pepperoni, pasta sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Step 2: Roll the dough and fill the calzones

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On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into four portions. Roll each into a 6-inch circle, then top each with a scant 1/3 cup of the pepperoni mixture. Carefully lift and fold the dough over the filling, pinching around the edges to create a seal. Place each calzone on a greased baking sheet.

Step 3: Bake the calzones

Diana Chistruga for Taste of Home

Brush milk over the top of each calzone. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and, if desired, the Italian seasoning. Bake the calzones until they’re golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Diana Chistruga for Taste of Home

How to Store a Pepperoni Calzone

Leftover calzones can be refrigerated in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll keep well for up to three days, or you can freeze them for up to three months. If you do freeze them, store them in a freezer-safe airtight container first.

How do you reheat a pepperoni calzone?

To reheat a calzone, bake it at 350° for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese bubbles. If you’d prefer, you can cover the calzone in aluminum foil while it bakes. This will keep the crust from browning too much.

Pepperoni Calzone Tips

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Are calzone and pizza dough the same?

Yes! And while there are endless ways to customize your pizza and calzone recipes, typically the dough is the same for both. It’s also why you can make the fillings or toppings however you’d like—pizza is one of the most customizable meals out there!

What makes a calzone a calzone?

Essentially, a calzone is just a pizza folded in half and sealed at the edges. The fillings stay on the inside, while the crust becomes crispy, golden and baked to perfection. A calzone recipe traditionally calls for a stuffing of different cheeses, sauce and any traditional pizza toppings you like. Calzones are often served with a side of dipping sauce, such as leftover meat sauce or a marinara.

Are calzones healthier than pizza?

Calzones and pizza are essentially the same thing—they use the same ingredients. But because calzones are typically made for one person (and it’s essentially an entire pizza, just folded), the amount of crust used to create one calzone makes enough for two to three people to share. And because a calzone is made to stuff, you can fill it with far more cheeses and toppings than you would a pizza. It’s not that a pizza is healthier than a calzone, but if health is on your mind, sharing a calzone is definitely the way to go. It’s also what makes this pepperoni calzone recipe such a winner—you can save leftovers to enjoy for at least another night.