Vegetarian Calzones
These vegetarian calzones are filled with fresh veggies like kale, onions, mushrooms and bell peppers plus ooey gooey cheese. Don’t forget the tasty pizza sauce for dipping!
PinWe have deemed nearly every Friday in our house to be “Pizza Friday”! It’s a fun way to get the family to spend some time together in the kitchen, and everyone has a blast getting to build their own pie. Lately we’ve been switching it up a bit from our normal rotation of Deep Dish Cast Iron Pizza, Green Machine Pizza and Sheet Pan Pizza with No Yeast Crust and making these Vegetarian Calzones instead. They’re super tasty and a fun new way to enjoy pizza!
What is a Calzone?
A calzone is an Italian oven baked folded pizza. Essentially, a homemade pizza pocket! And who didn’t love a good pizza pocket growing up? You can add anything you want to a calzone the same way you would a slice of pizza. Just fold the pizza dough over your favorite toppings and cheese, seal it up, and bake. Then, dip it in a delicious pizza sauce. Get ready to say “yum” after your first bite!
PinHow to Make Vegetarian Calzones
- First, decide which chopped vegetables you want to include in your calzone and sauté them all together with some minced garlic and Italian herbs.
- Add mozzarella and parmesan cheese to your cooked vegetable mixture and allow to cool slightly. This step is a great one for kids to get involved! Let them add the cheese and mix it all up.
- Divide the 2 pounds of dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll them out to 6 inch rounds, scoop the mixture on top of the individual pizza rounds.
- Fold over the dough and form into half moons by crimping the edges. This is another step that is really fun for kids! It’s like edible art.
- Lastly, bake until golden and then dip in your favorite pizza sauce.
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PinThe Best Fillings for Vegetarian Calzones
The best part of a vegetarian calzone is that there’s no wrong way to fill them up. Any vegetables you love or have on hand will do. It’s a great way to use up those vegetables in your refrigerator that are on their last leg! Feel free to experiment and see what you like best.
For this version we used:
- Yellow Onion
- Red Bell Pepper
- Mushrooms
- Kale
Some other filling ideas for your calzone:
- Black Olives
- Baby Spinach
- Broccoli Florets
- Artichoke Hearts
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PinStorage Tips
Storage: Allow to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.
Freezing: I love freezing calzones to have on hand for a quick weeknight dinner when you’re low on time. You can freeze calzones before you bake them or after you baked them. To freeze them unbaked, flash freeze them on the baking sheet for an hour or so until they become more solid, then transfer to freezer bags.
Reheating: No need to thaw or bring to room temperature. Just add about 5 minutes to the suggested cooking time and enjoy!
I love having leftovers of this recipe because they’re so good to have on hand for a quick weeknight dinner, and you can bake them straight out of the freezer!
PinRecipes To Serve with Calzones
While these vegetarian calzones are filled with veggies, I sometimes like to add a salad or something extra on the side to go along with them. Here are some recipes I think go great with calzones!
- Fall Farmers Market Salad
- Winter Farmers Market Salad
- Fruit Salad
- Mediterranean Chopped Salad
- Broccoli Salad
- Caesar Salad
PinNext time you’re looking for a quick and easy recipe the whole family will enjoy, try out these calzones. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below or tagging me on Instagram if you make them!
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Vegetarian Calzones
Perfect for the vegetarians in your life, these calzones are filled with healthy veggies but don’t skimp on flavor! Meat eaters will love them too!
from votesSave RecipeSaved Recipe!Rate RecipePrint RecipeCourse: DinnerCuisine: ItalianServings: 8Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Total Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup chopped kale, stems removed (about 1 large leaf)
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 2 cups pizza sauce (for dipping)
- 2 pounds pizza dough, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bell pepper, mushrooms, Italian herbs and salt. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until veggies are soft.
- Add kale and sauté for an additional minute.
- Place the veggie mixture in a mixing bowl, add the cheese and stir to combine. Allow to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, divide the pizza dough into 8 equal pieces (4 pieces per pound). Roll out each piece to a 6 inch circle.
- Place about a 1/4 cup of filling onto center of the dough circles, fold them over to form half moons, and crimp the edges to seal.
- Place the calzones on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 16-18 minutes, until golden brown.
- Serve with pizza sauce on the side for dipping.
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