Pepperoni Calzones

A stack of calzones with cheese dripping out of the top and a bowl of marinara sauce next to it.

Learn how to make easy Pepperoni Calzones at home with this simple recipe that starts with pizza dough, filled with a mozzarella and ricotta cheese, pepperoni slices, and then baked to golden brown cheesy perfection in the oven. Calzones are the best family dinner that everyone will love!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword easy pepperoni calzones, pepperoni calzones

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 850kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Ingredients

1 can (11 oz) refrigerated pizza dough
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
20 slices pepperoni

Top of Calzones

1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
Divide the pizza dough into two. Roll out each piece into an 8-inch pizza dough round.
Spread half the ricotta mixture onto the bottom half (stay away from the edges) of each pizza round.
Place 10 slices of pepperoni (less or more is fine) on top of the ricotta cheese.
Top with half the mozzarella cheese.
* I like to layer a few pepperoni slices then some cheese, and repeat that layer 1-2 more times. That way you end up with layers of pepperoni rather than one large layer of it.
Fold the top half of the calzone over the filling and pinch the edges together tightly. Roll pinched edges up and pinch again.

Top of Calzones

Whisk together the egg and water in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash over the top of each calzone.
* You might not use all the egg wash. Just make sure the pizza dough is well brushed with it.
Sprinkle the kosher salt and Italian seasoning over top the egg wash.
Transfer both the calzones to the prepared baking sheet. Loosely tent the baking sheet with tin foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown.

Notes

More Servings : It's easy to make more! You will just need to double all the ingredients. The calzones are larger so if you're feeding little kids you could probably get 4 servings from this recipe rather than the 2 servings listed.

Pizza Dough : I keep it simple and buy the Pillsbury can of pizza dough. You can make your own homemade pizza dough or buy some at the store. Make sure that it is for a large pizza, about 11" to 12" in diameter.

Calzone Tip : Don't overfill the calzone or else you will have a hard time pinching the two edges together. You also want to make sure that you pinch the pizza dough together tightly, then roll up the edges, and pinch again. This will ensure that the calzone filling won't leak out.

How To Serve : Serve calzones with a side of marinara sauce or pizza sauce for dipping. My kids love to dip theirs in some ranch dressing. A side salad is always a good idea with Italian type meals like this one. I buy a bag of butter lettuce mix, add some sliced mini cucumbers, and halved cherry tomatoes. It's an easy way to dress up a bagged salad mix and add more veggies to it. Add whatever veggies your kids love!

How To Store Leftover Calzones : Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for 3-4 days. Leftovers will be soggy and softer so you will probably want to heat up leftovers in the air fryer for a few minutes to crisp them up again. You can also eat it cold (cold pizza is always yummy for some reason) or warm it up in the microwave. I don't mind the softer pizza dough crust when it's warmed up in the microwave but some might.

Variation & Substitution Ideas :

- Calzone Filling : Canadian bacon slices, crumbled cooked Italian sausage, chopped cooked bacon pieces, or just cheese are all great variation ideas for the filling. You can also add some sliced black olives, pineapple (make sure it's not wet at all, pat dry it with a paper towel), chopped tomatoes, jalapeños, etc. Just make sure that you don't overload the pizza crust with filling or else it won't be able to be folded in half and crimped for baking.
- Cheese : Mozzarella and parmesan are the classic pizza cheese but feel free to use anything! Pepper Jack cheese for some spice, Muenster cheese (my fave!), or even a pizza mix with cheddar cheese in it.
- Seasonings : I love the simple addition of the Italian seasoning but feel free to add whatever you want. Garlic powder, basil, or red pepper flakes are all good additions.

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