Savory Italian Sausage and Veggie Calzones Recipe
Delicious homemade calzones filled with Italian sausage, pepperoni, vegetables, and melted mozzarella cheese, wrapped in a golden, crispy pizza dough crust. Perfect for a hearty and satisfying meal, these calzones are baked to perfection with a shiny egg wash finish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 calzones 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 8 oz. Italian sausage, cooked into crumbles
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- ½ cup pepperoni, sliced
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Dough
- 2 lbs. pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp water
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure it’s hot enough to bake the calzones properly.
- Divide dough: Divide the pizza dough into 4 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball for easy handling.
- Roll dough: On a floured surface, roll out each dough ball into a circular shape, large enough to hold the fillings.
- Add sauce and fillings: Spoon pizza sauce onto half of each rolled dough circle. Layer the cooked sausage crumbles, pepperoni, chopped onion, green bell pepper, sliced mushrooms, and shredded mozzarella over the sauce.
- Moisten dough edges: Dip your pointer finger in water and run it along the unfilled edges of the dough to help seal the calzones securely.
- Fold dough: Fold the dough over the fillings to form a half-moon shape. Pinch the edges together tightly to seal all the fillings inside.
- Cut vents: Use a sharp knife to make two small slits on the top of each calzone to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Prepare egg wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water until combined. Brush this mixture over the top of each calzone to give them a golden, shiny finish.
- Bake calzones: Place the calzones on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the dough is cooked through.
Notes
- You can customize the fillings to your preference by adding other vegetables or meats.
- Make sure the dough edges are moistened well to prevent the calzones from opening during baking.
- Let the cooked sausage cool slightly before placing it on the dough to avoid soggy crust.
- The egg wash gives the calzones a nice color and sheen but can be skipped for a more rustic look.
Keywords: calzones, Italian sausage calzone, baked calzones, pizza dough recipe, homemade calzones
