Skip the takeout and make this easy Stromboli at home. Italian meats and cheeses are stuffed in a soft pizza dough and baked into a melty, heavenly dinner the whole family will love.

overhead shot of sliced Italian Stromboli on a white platter with marinara sauce.


Italian Stromboli

If you want to impress the pants off anyone, make a homemade Stromboli. I don’t know why everyone thinks they’re hard to make but there super duper easy and the results are nothing short of amazing.

Plus, when you make a Stromboli at home, you can fill it with whatever you want. It’s not that difficult to do….but our favorite is a traditional Italian Stromboli filled with all the same things you’d find in an Italian Hoagie. And in our neck of the woods (Philly, Philly,), you can order your Italian Hoagie as a grinder….which is just an open faced Italian Stromboli that’s been baked, basically.

Homemade Stromboli slice being held over a platter.

What is Stromboli?

A Stromboli is, basically, a large turnover stuffed with savory fillings inside a pizza dough that’s rolled up and baked until golden.

You can use either Italian bread dough or pizza dough, which is what we use for this recipe because it’s easy to whip up or buy at the store.

Stromboli was invented by Italian-Americans in the United States in Philadelphia….and that’s why there so amazing. Philadelphians invent the best things….HELLO Philly cheesesteak!

Italian Stromboli sliced on a white platter on a blue background with sauce in a white bowl.

Calzone vs. Stromboli

While a Stromboli is definitely similar to a calzone, they are not the same thing.

A calzone is, in a nutshell, a pizza folded in half and sealed along the edges. A Stromboli is rolled up like a burrito and then sealed.

Both can have the same type of fillings but, most commonly, calzones are filled with mostly cheese and sometimes vegetables. Stromboli, most often, contains some type of meat and cheese.

Baked Stromboli on a baking sheet.

How To Make Stromboli

If you’ve ever wanted to know how to make Stromboli from scratch, you’ll be happy to know….it’s crazy easy to do!

  1. Make the dough. (or you can use store-bought pizza dough, but my homemade dough is CRAZY easy!)
  2. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle the size of a baking sheet.
  3. Layer the cheese and meat on over the pizza dough leaving a 1/2 inch area around the edge to seal.
  4. Season with garlic powder and Pizza Seasoning.
  5. Roll up lengthwise and fold the ends inward as you roll.
  6. Seal the dough by pressing the edge of the dough onto the outside.
  7. Arrange on the baking sheet seam side down.
  8. Brush the top and sides with egg wash.
  9. Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese and pizza seasoning.
  10. Bake until golden brown and puffed.
  11. Rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Serve!

Pro Tips

To ensure you have a perfect authentic Italian Stromboli every time, follow these easy tips.

  • No Sauce – Well, inside at least. Don’t put sauce inside your Stromboli or you’ll end up with a soggy crust. For sure serve your Stromboli with sauce on the side for dipping.
  • Baking – To ensure your Stromboli is perfectly baked all the way through, bake it on the bottom half of your oven. This will the inside and outside will bake at the same rate.
  • Filling – Don’t overfill your dough so it doesn’t seep out during the baking process.
  • Cutting – Don’t forget to allow your Stromboli to rest before cutting to allow the filling to set. Also, use a serrated knife to slice for best results.
  • Prep ahead – You can assemble the Stromboli up to 24 hours in advance and bake right before serving making this a great option for busy weeknights!
Stromboli sliced next to a white bowl of marinara sauce.

Stromboli Variations

While this recipe is for an authentic Italian Stromboli recipe, you can make your own variations to fit your family’s needs.

Vegetables – Raw or roasted, chopped veggies like broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, spinach and asparagus are fun alternatives to the meat/cheese option.

Meat – Chicken, shredded pork, sliced leftover steak, bacon all are great options.

Cheese – We used provolone here but Swiss, blue cheese, mozzarella or American cheese work well, too. Don’t forget the cheddar!

Dough – While this recipe is made with homemade pizza dough, frozen or fresh store bought dough works extremely well. And why not give sourdough a try, too!

How To Serve It

We like to serve our Stromboli with a side of Pizza Sauce for dipping and with a crisp salad topped with blue cheese dressing.

You can also serve it with a pile of salty potato chips which makes it perfect for game day!

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Homemade Stromboli slice being held over a platter.

Get the Recipe: Easy Stromboli Recipe

Loaded with italian meats and cheeses, this Homemade Stromboli recipe is easy to make for busy weeknight dinners. Quick and simple with homemade or store bought pizza dough.
4.87 from 15 votes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup flour, for rolling
  • 1 1/2 pounds pizza dough, room temperature
  • 1/4 lb sliced pepperoni
  • 1/4 lb sliced capicola
  • 1/4 lb sliced salami
  • 1/4 lb sliced provolone
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp pizza seasoning, divided
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 tbsp grated parmesan
  • 1 cup pizza sauce, for dipping

Equipment

  • baking sheet

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425˚F.
  • Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray OR sprinkle with cornmeal. The cornmeal prevents sticking and adds great texture to the stromboli once cooked. (Don't do both.)
  • Lightly dust a work surface and roll the dough out to a large rectangle approximately 13×9 inches.
  • Layer the pepperoni on the dough leaving about 1/2 inch around the edge. Layer the provolone over the pepperoni and then top with the capicola. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and top with the salami.
  • Sprinkle with the garlic powder and 1 tsp of the Pizza Seasoning.
  • Roll the stromboli up jelly roll style. Tuck the ends inward and continue rolling until the stromboli is sealed.
  • Arrange the stromboli on the prepared baking sheet seam side down. Brush the top and sides with the eggwash. Sprinkle with the remaining Pizza Seasoning and parmesan.
  • Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and crisp.
  • Rest the stromboli for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve with sauce for dipping.

Video

YouTube video

Notes

For best results, use cornmeal on the baking sheet to prevent your Stromboli from sticking to the pan.
Calories: 505kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 83mg, Sodium: 1875mg, Potassium: 243mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 392IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 203mg, Iron: 4mg