How to Make Calzones

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: June 1, 2021

Calzones, which are made with a pizza crust-style dough and stuffed with tomato and meat or vegetable fillings, are the portable alternative to pizza. They're delicious hot from the oven, but you can also save them for later and eat them at room temperature. This article provides instructions on make calzones from scratch.

Ingredients

Dough

1 teaspoon sugar
1 envelope instant dry yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra oil

Filling

1 pound loose Italian sweet sausage
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 16-oz can stewed tomatoes
1 cup baby portobello mushrooms, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded mozzarella

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Making the Dough

1
Combine the ingredients. Place the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl. Use a stand mixer or a hand mixer to mix the ingredients. Keep the mixer running while you add the water and 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) of the oil. The dough will be sticky at first, but should soon form into a ball.^{[1]
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- If the dough seems too dry, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time to moisten it until it forms a ball.
- If the dough seems too sticky, add 1 teaspoon of flour at a time until it holds its shape.
2
Knead the dough. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface. Use your hands to knead the dough until it comes together into a firm ball. The surface of the dough should begin to look smooth and a little shiny.
3
Let the dough rise. Rub a large bowl with a few teaspoons of olive oil so the inside is thoroughly coated. Place the dough ball into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set the bowl in a warm part of the kitchen. Let it rise until it has doubled in size, which should take 1 - 2 hours.
4
Rest the dough. Remove the dough from the bowl and punch it down. Divide it into 8 parts, one part for each calzone you want to make. Set the dough pieces on a tray, cover it with plastic wrap, and let them rest for 10 minutes.
- If you want to make larger calzones, divide the dough into fewer parts. For more calzones, divide the dough into smaller parts.
- At this point you can place the dough in the refrigerator and use it at a later time, or go ahead and complete the calzone recipe.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Making the Filling

1
Brown the sausage. Heat a little cooking oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, place the sausage in the pan. Brown the sausage on one side for 5 minutes, then turn it over and brown it on the other side. Cook the sausage until it has thoroughly cooked through. Remove the meat from the skillet and set it aside.
2
Sauté the onions and garlic. Add the onions to the skillet and sauté them until they become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more.
3
Add the seasonings. Place the salt, pepper, and oregano in the pan and stir well.
4
Add the tomatoes and mushrooms. Place the tomatoes and mushrooms in the skillet with the onions. Let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The filling should become thick and fragrant. If it seems too runny after 20 minutes, continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
5
Add the sausage meat. Stir the meat back into the skillet. Remove the skillet from heat and prepare to fill the calzones.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Assembling the Calzones

1
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2
Roll out the dough. Remove the plastic wrap from the tray of dough pieces. Place the first piece of dough on a floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it into disc shape. Continue until all the dough pieces are rolled into discs.
3
Add the filling. Spoon filling into the center of each disc of dough. The filling should take up about 1/3 of the dough; don't add so much that it spreads to the edges, as this will prevent the calzones from cooking properly.
4
Fold and pinch the dough. Lift one side of a dough circle and fold it in half over the filling. Use your fingers or a fork to crimp the dough where the edges meet, so that you now have a half-moon shaped calzone. Repeat with the remaining dough circles.
5
Bake the calzones. Lay the calzones on a greased baking sheet. Use a fork to poke a hole in the top of each calzone. Brush the calzones with a little olive oil. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the calzones until the tops turn golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and serve warm.
6
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

How much flour is needed for the dough?

Zee

Community Answer

It doesn't specify, but I would recommend starting out with a small amount (about 1.5 cups), and add in tablespoons until it feels right. It shouldn't be very sticky or too stiff.
Question

How do I bake a calzone in a microwave?

Community Answer

You can't bake one from scratch. It has to be a microwaveable calzone or one that you are reheating.
Question

What can I substitute for the meat and oregano if I don't have any?

Community Answer

You can really put anything you want in a calzone, but tofu and broccoli is a healthy and surprisingly tasty option.