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These easy, cheesy Meatball Calzones start with premade pizza dough and frozen meatballs, making them super quick to put together! It’s a recipe the whole family will love!
This post is sponsored by the Utah Pork Producers,
but all opinions and text are my own!
Anyone else LOVE Italian food? Yep, same here! And what I love even more is Italian food I can whip up quickly any night of the week. Enter these Meatball Calzones!
This is the perfect recipe when you need something quick as it uses pre-made dough & meatballs and the kids love them!
Ingredients Needed
- Store-Bought Pizza Dough – I like the Pillsbury 13.8 ounce tube of pizza dough. You can also use a homemade pizza crust recipe, if you prefer. I’ve seen calzones made with pie crust, but much prefer the flavor and texture of traditional pizza dough.
- Pizza Sauce
- Mozzarella Cheese – I prefer to shred the cheese myself as it tends to be more creamy and melt better than pre-shredded cheese.
- Meatballs – You can use homemade or frozen Italian meatballs from the grocery store (just make sure they’re thawed before you bake the calzones).
- Vegetable Oil – Or olive oil
- Parmesan Cheese
- Italian Seasoning – You can also top with garlic powder and red pepper flakes!
What is a Calzone?
If you’ve never had a calzone, you’re in for a real treat!! A traditional calzone is made with a yeast dough pressed into a circle, filled with meats and cheeses, folded over, crimped around the edges and baked. Ricotta is the most common cheese, though my kiddos prefer mozzarella so that’s what I went with here!
How to Make Easy Meatball Calzones
Start by opening a tube of pizza dough and dividing it into 4 equal pieces.
Shape each of the four dough pieces into an 7- to 8-inch circle. I find it easiest to do with a rolling pin. If the dough is really sticky, add a little flour to the surface you’re working on.
Next, keeping a 1-inch border spread about 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce over half of the circle. Then, sprinkle on some of the mozzarella cheese.
Next, cut your thawed meatballs into quarters. Divide meatballs and the remaining cheese onto the calzones.
Fold the dough over and press edges together. I find that it works best to fold the bottom layer of dough up over the top layer and pinch them together.
Place calzones on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or coated in cooking spray for easy release. Brush with oil, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
Use a knife to cut three small holes or slits into the calzones.
Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown on the top and on the bottom. If they’re browning too quickly on top, simply cover them with foil until they’re done throughout.
Warm leftover sauce in a small bowl and serve with the warm calzones!
Frequently Asked Questions
Let the calzones cool completely, then place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Warm them in the microwave, oven or in the air fryer.
They’re very similar in that they both use yeast dough and are filled with pizza toppings before being baked to perfection. A calzone is folded to create a half-moon shape whereas a Stromboli is rolled up.
You can customize calzones to make them exactly how you like! Other than meatballs, you could add in cooked Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, pepperoni, onions, olives, peppers, mushrooms, pineapple, a spoonful of ricotta cheese, etc!
Other Easy Recipes You’ll Love
Meatball Calzones
Equipment
- One Sheet Pan
Ingredients
- One 13.8 ounce tube pizza dough
- 1/4 cup pizza sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 12 ounces frozen meatballs* thawed and quartered
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- additional pizza sauce for dipping optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Open the tube of pizza dough and divide it into 4 equal rectangles.One 13.8 ounce tube pizza dough
- Re-shape each piece of dough into a 7-inch circle.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon of the pizza sauce onto half of each of the circles, leaving at least 1/2 inch from the edge.1/4 cup pizza sauce
- Then, top with 1/4 cup of shredded cheese, the quartered meatballs and then the remaining cheese.1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 12 ounces frozen meatballs*
- Fold the other half of the dough over the toppings.
- Fold the edges of the dough and pinch them together; transfer to the baking sheet.
- Brush the oil over the calzone; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Cut three small slits into the tops of the calzones.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve warm with additional pizza sauce, if desired.additional pizza sauce for dipping
Hi. Have you ever tried these in an air fryer? Thanks.
Hi Jen – I haven’t! If you give it a try, I’d recommend setting it on a low temperature so the filling gets nice and hot and the dough cooks through before the outside burns. ~Kelsey