Easy Calzone Pizza Recipe – A Family Favorite

Calzone Pizza is a recipe that’s perfect for families with picky kids! This calzone pizza recipe is both easy and delicious!

I typically don’t mind cooking for my family but sometimes, I get stuck in a rut.  That’s when the struggle begins.  And then I begin dreading mealtime.  So from time to time, I try to share fun, easy recipes with you in case you’re in the midst of a food rut too.  As a mom with five kids, I just don’t have time to be searching for great new recipes all the time.  I know many of you feel the same.  So today, I’m sharing a family favorite with you: My easy Calzone Pizza Recipe!

How To Make This Recipe Even Easier

There are a few ingredients I try to keep stocked in my pantry and refrigerator at all times.  And that includes pizza ingredients.  When I go the homemade route, I always use this amazing Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe.  However, I still try to keep a can or two of store bought pizza crusts on hand for quick options. 

I can turn those cans into a meal or snack quite effortlessly!  So while you can absolutely use the homemade pizza dough recipe when making this Easy Pizza Calzone Recipe, grabbing a can cuts the prep time by an hour!

Easy Calzone Pizza Recipe

This recipe is so easy and definitely a crowd-pleaser.  The best part is you can customize ingredients to your family’s liking.  So it’s truly something that almost everyone will eat!

Calzone Pizza Recipe

Depending on how big of eaters you're feeding, you may want to double this calzone pizza recipe.

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Course: Recipes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: calzone recipe, calzones, Italian recipe, pizza, pizza recipe, recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 777kcal

Author: Mirande Welle

Ingredients

• 1 Can Refrigerator Pizza Crust or homemade pizza dough
• 1/2 Jar Pizza Sauce
• 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded or block
• 1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded or block
• 1-2 Cups Toppings Of Choice
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons Basil Or Parsley
• Garlic Salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Layer a 12x18 sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Open can of pizza crust and unroll on parchment paper.
• Cut the dough into 1" strips, leaving a strip down the center untouched.
• Spread sauce down the (untouched) center.
• Add toppings of your choice.
• Layer cheese on top. (***If using block cheese, cut into small cubes and spread evenly over toppings.)
• Take the strips you've cut and criss-cross over in a braid-type patter to seal your calzone. Tuck in the ends to seal.
• Melt the butter and use a basting brush to paint a light coat over the top of the calzone.
• Sprinkle a light layer of garlic salt over the top.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and give another light coat of butter. Then top with parmesan cheese and either the basil or parsley.
• Bake another 5 minutes or till done.
• Remove from oven, slice, and serve immediately.
• Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Topping Option Ideas:

~Meat Lovers Calzone (sausage, pepperoni, Canadian bacon)
~Hawaiian Calzone (pineapple and ham)
~Meat & Veggie Calzone (Sausage, Onions, Peppers)
~Pepperoni Meatball Calzone (pepperonis and meatballs - can substitute the pizza sauce for marinara sauce too)
~Mac & Cheese Calzone (whip up a batch of homemade mac and cheese to layer inside your calzone)
~Supreme Calzone (pepperoni, sausage, beef, green peppers, onions, mushrooms and black olives)
~Taco Calzone (ground beef, tomatoes, refried beans, salsa)
~Bacon Cheeseburger Calzone (ground beef, bacon crumbles, onions)
~Veggie Calzone (green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and black olives)
~BBQ Beef Calzone (Replace the pizza sauce with a layer of BBQ Sauce. Then layer shredded BBQ beef inside.)
~Chicken Ranch Calzone (Replace the pizza sauce with a layer of ranch dressing. Add chicken, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning inside.)
~Chicken Bacon Ranch Calzone (Replace the pizza sauce with a layer of ranch dressing. Then add grilled chicken, smoked bacon crumbles, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning inside.)

If you have picky kids, getting them involved with the process of fixing these Calzone Pizzas can help encourage them to try them as well. Once they give them a try, I'm quite certain they will become a favorite!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 777kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 1443mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g

Step By Step – A Photo Gallery

For those who like to actually SEE the steps in order, we’ll work our way through with photos.  I know I personally find that helpful when making something for the first time.  

Spread Out Crust On Parchment Paper Lined Pan

Cut 1″ Strips Down Each Side

Pro Tip:  Use kitchen scissors to make the slits!  So much easier than a knife.  A pizza cutter would be another option as well.

Spread A Nice Layer Of Sauce Down The Center

The amount you use can be altered to your preference.  I don’t like my calzones to be dry so I spread a good layer.

Add Toppings Of Your Preference

I like to buy a mixture of frozen peppers and onions at the grocery store to save time. I’m sure fresh gives the best flavor but I typically just do not have time for that and frozen does the job. I also often brown a lot of hamburger meat at once and then freeze it so I can just pull it out and it’s ready to use when I need it. 

Next Comes The Cheese

I personally prefer to do a mixture of block and shredded.  I find it blends really well and the flavors permeate best this way.  But again, personal preference. Block obviously takes a little longer, so if you’re in a hurry, it’s fine to stick with cheese that’s already been shredded for you. 

Braid The Dough In A Criss-Cross Pattern

To seal all those delicious toppings inside, simply criss-cross the dough and pinch.  I love the way these pizza calzones look with the braided dough. 

Brush With Butter And Sprinkle With Garlic Salt

If you don’t have a pastry brush you can simply use a butter knife, but I highly recommend keeping a pastry brush in your kitchen. They come in handy for so many things and really don’t cost much at all. 

After Baking For 15 Minutes, Pull Out And Top With Another Layer Of Butter And Seasonings

This is where you’ll add the parmesan and either basil or parsley. Don’t skip this step – the added butter is so delicious! 

And then after baking a few more minutes, your delicious Easy Pizza Calzone Recipe is complete!  Enjoy!

My Favorite Topping Option Ideas

• Meat Lovers Calzone (sausage, pepperoni, Canadian bacon)
• Hawaiian Calzone (pineapple and ham)
• Meat & Veggie Calzone (Sausage, Onions, Peppers)
• Pepperoni Meatball Calzone (pepperonis and meatballs – can substitute the pizza sauce for marinara sauce too)
• Mac & Cheese Calzone (whip up a batch of homemade mac and cheese to layer inside your calzone)
• Supreme Calzone (pepperoni, sausage, beef, green peppers, onions, mushrooms and black olives)
• Taco Calzone (ground beef, tomatoes, refried beans, salsa)
• Bacon Cheeseburger Calzone (ground beef, bacon crumbles, onions)
• Veggie Calzone (green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and black olives)
• BBQ Beef Calzone (Replace the pizza sauce with a layer of BBQ Sauce. Then layer shredded BBQ beef inside.)
• Chicken Ranch Calzone (Replace the pizza sauce with a layer of ranch dressing. Add chicken, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning inside.)
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Calzone (Replace the pizza sauce with a layer of ranch dressing. Then add grilled chicken, smoked bacon crumbles, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning inside.)

If your family loves pizza, you should check out this Garlic Ranch Pizza Recipe too! It’s another family favorite at our home and a great pizza variation.