Calzoni means “pant leg,” and while a traditional calzoni is shaped like a pant leg, most calzonis look more like a pizza turnover nowadays. Whatever way you decide to shape your homemade calzoni, we hope you enjoy making calzoni with your friends and family.
These classic Italian entrees are perfect any time of year for virtually any occasion. If you aren’t already hungry, we bet you’ll probably start craving a calzoni after reading this compilation of the best calzoni recipes.
1. Pepperoni Calzoni Recipe
It is hard to say no to this calzoni. The filling ingredients are a match made in heaven, pepperoni plus mozzarella cheese. This recipe also calls for homemade dough.
To make the dough, you will need a large mixing bowl, all-purpose flour, warm water, olive oil, yeast, sugar, and salt. You don’t need a stand mixer to create your own dough, all you need is a whisk, bowl, and your hands.
Trust us, even the newest home chefs can pull off this calzoni recipe. Once the dough comes together, knead it on a floured work surface for about five minutes.
Next, grease a bowl with oil and place the dough ball inside. Cover the bowl with a lightweight kitchen towel and let the dough rise for about an hour (or until doubled in size) at room temperature.
Finally, preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and softly punch down the dough and divide it into even pieces.
Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough and add your filling ingredients on one side, leaving an inch of space around the edge of the calzoni dough. Fold it in half and pinch the sides to ensure a tight seal around the edges.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, then brush the tops with olive oil and sprinkle Italian seasoning on top before serving.
Get the full recipe and directions here.
2. Meat Lovers Calzoni Recipe
A meat lovers calzoni would win us over any day of the week. This meaty entrée is filled with Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, and pepperoni.
The other ingredients include sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and mozzarella cheese for the filling. Instead of olive oil, the dough calls for melted butter, but you can make the fresh dough just as easily as in the first recipe.
Bake your prepared calzoni at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes. Spread some marinara sauce on top and garnish with fresh basil before serving.
If you have any leftover calzoni, let them cool completely and wrap them up individually in tin foil. Place all the wrapped calzonis in a large freezer-safe bag and store them in your freezer for up to three months.
Get the full recipe and directions here.
3. Chicken and Spinach Calzoni Recipe
This healthy calzoni features chicken breasts, baby spinach, onion, mozzarella cheese, and marinara sauce. Make it easy on yourself and buy a rotisserie chicken for this calzoni.
Start preparing the filling by softening the chopped onion in a pan on medium heat for a few minutes. Add the fresh spinach and let it cook down until it wilts. Next, incorporate the cooked chicken and season with paprika, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
The homemade dough for this calzoni calls for fresh yeast instead of active dry yeast, but it froths in the same way you see with the other dough recipes.
It takes just 15 minutes to cook this decadent calzoni. Once it’s ready, let it cool for five to ten minutes and dig in.
Get the full recipe and directions here.
4. Vegetarian Calzoni Recipe
Your vegetarian friends will thank you for making this deliciously decadent calzoni for them. The fillings we used were tomatoes, red bell peppers, fresh garlic, red onions, and a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
Feel free to add other vegetables, such as roasted eggplant, zucchini, or any variety of mushrooms, to enhance this vegetarian calzoni.
You can make fresh dough by following this recipe, but you are more than welcome to use a premade dough if you’re in a time crunch.
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper, fill and seal your calzonis, then brush the tops with egg wash before baking them. There is nothing wrong with meat-free calzoni, we certainly think this dish is a keeper.
Get the full recipe and directions here.
5. Prosciutto and Artichoke Calzoni Recipe
We love this Instagram-worthy calzoni. The decadent filling consists of prosciutto, canned artichoke hearts, onion, baby spinach, bell pepper, mozzarella cheese, and Italian seasoning.
Everything comes together in a beautifully golden-brown homemade dough. There is quite a bit of preparation required to create this prosciutto and artichoke calzoni, but all of that effort pays off in the end.
Many hands make light work, so call on your friends and family to make this homemade calzoni with you.
Get the full recipe and directions here.
6. Provolone, Sauteed Onion, and Spinach Calzone
Yet another vegetarian-friendly calzoni, this recipe provides other filling suggestions. Sauteed shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and capers are among the delicious additions to consider for this dish.
Don’t feel like you have to stick to one type of cheese; along with classic mozzarella, you can also incorporate asiago, parmesan, or gorgonzola in your calzoni if you want.
The most significant difference with this recipe is the author tells you to let the prepared calzoni sit at room temperature for 45 minutes. While you are waiting, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare an egg wash and brush the tops of your calzoni with it before baking them for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400 and bake for another 15 minutes before serving.
Get the full recipe and directions from King Arthur Baking.
7. Cheesy Keto Calzone
Lastly, this keto-friendly calzoni recipe is also gluten-free. The secret to the homemade calzoni dough is psyllium husk powder.
This unique ingredient helps mimic the texture of regular bread, which is important because the keto-friendly dough consists of cream cheese and mozzarella.
If you cannot find psyllium husk powder, it’s alright to leave it out; just know that the dough will be softer than a regular calzoni.
The filling ingredients you will need are ricotta, mozzarella, feta, spinach, garlic, onion, nutmeg, butter, plus some egg to bind everything together. Bake this calzoni at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes and serve with your favorite keto-friendly marinara sauce.
Get the full recipe and directions from I Breathe I’m Hungry.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of the best calzoni recipes. There are so many flavor combinations to try, so the sky is the limit. Let us know about your favorite calzoni recipe in the comments!
If you like this post, we think you’ll really like our Cast Iron Pizza Recipes post.
