Mozzarella, ricotta, sausage and more are wrapped in pizza dough to create the Best Calzone ever! It’s easy to make, easy to customize and even easier to eat way too much of. Serve it with a little marinara on the side and enjoy what might just be your new favorite dinner recipe.

A sliced calzone is garnished with fresh herbs.


The Best Calzone

After a lot of really delicious trials, I’ve finally landed on what I can truly say is the BEST calzone recipe I’ve ever made! And I’ve made sure to keep it simple, that way you can customize this calzone recipe to your personal tastes should you choose to change it up a little bit. Essentially, it’s got all of the goodness of a pizza wrapped up in dough and baked until gooey.

It’s so easy to make calzones. You pretty much just have to make the filling (which is delightfully simple), slap it in some pizza dough and bake until golden brown and irresistible. Dunk it in some marinara sauce on the side and you’ve got yourself the ultimate calzone dinner! Both diced pepperoni and browned sausage combine with ricotta and mozzarella cheese to make sure you’re nice and full.

I also like to include some sautéed green peppers in my calzone filling, but that’s entirely optional! They offer a pop of vibrant color and flavor that puts these calzones a step above the rest. Feel free to omit them entirely or swap with red bell peppers if desired. For more tips and variations to try, scroll down and enjoy this versatile calzone recipe!

An unbaked calzone is placed on a baking sheet.

How to Make the Best Calzone

This recipe for calzone is the only one you’ll ever need. Check out how to make it here and scroll down to the recipe card for even more info!

  1. Make the filling. Combine the mozzarella, ricotta, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Cover and chill until you’re ready to assemble the calzones.
  2. Prepare. Preheat the oven to 375°F. While that’s heating up, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray or sprinkle with cornmeal.
  3. Assemble the calzones. Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll each piece of dough out on a lightly floured surface into a circle that’s about 1/8 inch in thickness. Fill one side of the dough with just half of the cheese mixture. Top the cheese with your favorite toppings like pepperoni, browned sausage, and sautéed peppers. Fold the dough over the filing to make a half moon. Use a fork or your fingers to crimp the edges.
  4. Brush and bake. Brush the tops of each calzone with a whisked egg. Sprinkle on some pizza seasoning and parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
A baked calzone is on a baking sheet.

Tips and Variations to Try

Take a quick look at these notes before making your calzones:

  • Change the meats or go meatless. This can very easily become a vegetarian recipe! You can omit the meats entirely if you feel like it. I like to dice up some pepperoni and add browned Italian sausage, but you can use just one of these meats if you’d like. Or, use mini pepperoni instead of dicing it.
  • Homemade ricotta. If you have a little extra time on your hands, go the extra mile with homemade ricotta cheese. It’s SO good!
  • Make it spicy. Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes to create some heat.
  • Make it a pizza calzone. You can just use mozzarella cheese and pepperoni as your fillings to create the best pizza calzone! Top it off with pizza seasoning and serve with pizza sauce for the full experience.
A cheese calzone is being dipped into marinara sauce.

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A sliced calzone is garnished with fresh herbs.

Get the Recipe: Calzone Recipe

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
A classic Italian-American favorite! This calzone is stuffed with zesty sausage, colorful bell peppers, and gooey mozzarella cheese.
5 from 2 votes
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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Pizza Dough, We like to use homemade but your favorite pizza dough will work here.
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup diced pepperoni, optional
  • 1/2 cup browned sausage, optional
  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper, sautéed, optional
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten.

Equipment

  • 1 baking sheet

Instructions 

  • Make the filling by combining the mozzarella, ricotta, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Cover and chill until ready to assemble the calzones.
  • Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment and coat with cooking spray or sprinkle with cornmeal.
  • Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.
  • Roll each piece of dough out on a lightly floured surface into a circle approximately 1/8 inch in thickness. Fill one side of the dough with 1/4 the cheese mixture. Top the cheese with your favorite toppings.
  • Fold the dough over the filing to make a half moon and crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
  • Brush the top of each calzone with the egg and sprinkle with pizza seasoning and parmesan cheese.
  • Bake in the oven until golden brown and crisp, approximately 30 minutes.
  • Serve immediately with sauce for dipping.
Calories: 923kcal, Carbohydrates: 112g, Protein: 39g, Fat: 36g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 125mg, Sodium: 2357mg, Potassium: 241mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 583IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 300mg, Iron: 7mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American, Italian