These delicious Homemade Pepperoni Calzones will have you going back for seconds Made using homemade pizza dough, marinara sauce, pepperoni and mozzarella, they are a real treat. Make them for lunch or even as part of a bigger dinner with a salad on the side.
What is a Calzone
Essentially, a Calzone is a folded over pizza. So, think pizza pocket. Pizza Pockets are smaller, whereas a Calzone is generally larger and often eaten with a knife and fork. And yes, they are Italian as well! They originated as a street food that you could eat on the go as it’s easier than a whole pizza.
I made these with mozzarella and pepperoni, but you could stuff anything inside your Calzone. I need to make more of them, because these were a huge hit at our place.
Much like my Deep Dish Pepperoni Pizza and the Garlic Fingers, I know these will be going on repeat.
So let’s dive into these Calzones and see how to make them!
What We Need To Make the Calzones
I used homemade Pizza Dough and Marinara Sauce for this recipe. I have not included these steps in this recipe. You can just as easily use store bought pizza dough and marinara sauce. However, if you do want to make the dough and sauce from scratch, just click on the clickable links.
- Pizza dough
- Marinara Sauce
- Mozzarella cheese
- Oregano
- Butter
- Garlic
REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.
Let’s Make Some Calzones
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C, always get the oven going first so it’s ready when you are ready to cook your calzones.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal parts, I usually use a sharp knife and divide it in half and then continue cutting until I have 8 dough balls.
- Roll out the dough balls into 6 inch circles, do this on a floured surface so they don’t stick. If you need to, add a little flour to the tops as you roll them out.
- Add Marinara Sauce to the middles and spread it out, I used a few tablespoons for each one. Be sure to leave about 1 inch around the edge for folding over.
- Add the oregano, cheese and pepperoni, It’s best to put it on one side of circle. I did it here in the middle but had to move it to the side to make for easy folding.
- Fold and seal, gently fold over the Calzones careful not to rip your dough. The dough will not be too thick so just be careful.
- Press the sides firmly together, then fold them over inwards like shown below. Firmly press down with a fork. Pierce a few hole in the top with a sharp knife for the fork.
- Place the Calzones on your baking tray, use two trays if you need to.
- Brush the tops with the garlic butter, this will add extra flavour as well as give them a golden touch.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, they could be done a little quicker so be sure to check on them. They will be cooked when the dough is lightly golden and the inside is bubbly with the cheese melted.
Calzones Hot Out Of The Oven and Ready To Enjoy
Let them cool for a few minutes! Yes, I know you want to eat them now, but they are HOT! I speak from experience when I say they will burn your mouth if you chow down too quickly….hahaha. So, patience friends.
These are fantastic served with Marinara Sauce for dipping. That’s how we enjoyed them!
Can These Calzones be Prepared in Advance
Friends, I’m sorry to say, but you have to put these together just before cooking them. But here’s some make ahead tips to get you organized.
- Pizza Dough can be made in advance, if you are planning to make your own Pizza Dough, this can be done a week before hand! I know, isn’t that great news. Just keep it in a zip-lock bag in the fridge and it will be good to go.
- Divide the dough into balls, this might not be a huge time saver, but you can divide and roll the balls, wrap them and keep them in the fridge until you want to use them.
What Can I Serve With The Calzones
Like I said previously, these go great with Marinara Sauce as a dip on the side. We love them that way. My teens pretty much ate all of them with a ton of sauce on the side.
But you can freshen them up and serve them with a Garden Vegetable Salad or some Sheet Pan Vegetables.
And that, friends, is how we make a Calzone. I think it’s what you’re gonna’ want to make this weekend. At the least, keep them in mind for another time. Like I said, we love them and will be making them over and over for sure.
Have a great weekend everyone and I’ll see you all really soon with more delicious recipes from the kitchen.
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Get The Recipe!
Homemade Pepperoni Calzones
Ingredients
- 16 oz pizza dough
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
- 4 oz pepperoni
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp butter melted
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees f/ 190 degrees c. Have ready a large baking sheet.
- In a small saucepan heat the butter until melted and add the garlic. Cook on low for just a minute and remove from heat.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll into little balls. On a well floured surface roll each ball into about a 6 inch circle. Make sure the surface is floured well to prevent sticking.
- Place a few tablespoons of sauce in the middle of each dough circle. Spread it out leaving about an inch at the edges. Sprinkle over the oregano, cheese and top with pepperoni. Fold over like a half moon. Firmly press down the edges, fold them over and press down with a fork to seal them fully.
- Place the clazones on your baking tray (use two trays if necessary). Pierce the tops with a fork or a sharp knife. Brush with garlic butter and bake for about 20 minutes until lightly golden.
- Remove from oven and allow a couple of minutes to cool before serving. Great served with extra marinara sauce for dipping.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Notes
- Recipe time does not include making pizza dough. This recipe is based on using premade dough or purchased dough.
Thanks For Stopping by & Hope To See You Soon!
