Stromboli

Stromboli vs Calzone

Although the flavors of the stromboli and the calzone are similar, the presentation are quite different. You’ll notice the stromboli is distinctly rectangular in shape before you cut it. When you are making this dish, you will have the dough in a rectangle, place your fillings, and then roll it lengthwise, kind of like a cinnamon roll. The calzone starts as a circle of dough. Fillings are placed on one half of the circle, the dough is folded in half, and the edges are crimped. This makes almost an empanada shape. So, truly, the main difference comes down to shape. The other thing that makes these two foods different are their origin. The stromboli was an Italian-American creation that was invented in South Philadelphia, while the calzone was born in Naples, Italy.

How to Make Stromboli

Making stromboli is super easy. All you need is some dough, sauce, cheese, and toppings, basically all the same stuff you would need to make a pizza. For more detailed instructions, see the recipe card below. Here’s what to do:

1. Roll out the dough – Begin by rolling your pizza dough out into the rough shape of a rectangle.
2. Add toppings – Next, add cheese, sauce, and toppings over the dough.
3. Roll it up – Roll the dough, being sure to tuck the ends as you roll to make a log shape like a cinnamon roll.
4. Prep for Baking – Place the roll on a sheet pan seam side down and brush wish egg. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
5. Bake and Serve – Bake for 25 minutes at 400℉ until it’s golden brown. Cool and slice.

The Best Dough

The pizza dough you use is up to you! Store bought works perfectly. You can also make your own. We have a recipe for pizza dough that makes two dough balls, so you can get two stromboli out of one pizza dough recipe. If you’ve never made pizza dough before, it’s an easy recipe to make. It comes together with just warm water, sugar, active dry yeast, flour, salt, and olive oil. Our recipe also has an option to freeze part of the raw dough, so you can make and use a dough ball, and freeze the other for a later recipe!

Filling Options

My favorite stromboli to make has cold cuts, meat, and cheese. It’s fairly simple, a carnivore’s stromboli. However, you can customize your stromboli into anything you want! Some ideas: bacon, ham, spinach, bell pepper, broccoli, pesto, pineapple, caramelized onion, blue cheese, BBQ sauce, chicken breast. The list is endless and so are the options. If you make something interesting, be sure to let us know!

Try it with a Dip

As a certified Sauce Girl, I’m qualified and obligated to tell you about your options. Many people like their stromboli with sauce only on the inside, others, no sauce inside, only dip, some, both! And the sauces vary! This is where it gets fun. The traditional stromboli contains pizza sauce. You could go a little non traditional and use marinara, still red, of course it’s delicious, it’s classic! A fun way to mix up your stromboli is to nix the red sauce altogether and go for Alfredo sauce. This gives a creamy, decadent element. Finally, if you’re like me or anyone else in my little family, you like to dip your pizza in ranch dressing. Stromboli is no exception. Try it!

Storing and Reheating Tips

If you are storing your stromboli in the fridge, be sure to allow it to completely cool before putting it in the appropriate Tupperware. When you reheat it, the best place to do so is in the air fryer rather than the microwave to avoid the crust becoming soggy. To do this, preheat your air fryer to 400, place your stromboli slice in the air fryer, and cook for about 8 minutes or until it is cooked, warm, and crisp.

If you are wanting to freeze your stromboli, you can! First you need to allow the log to completely cool. Next, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, covering the whole thing. You can keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to enjoy it again, place it in the oven at 350 for about 25 minutes or until it is completely hot all the way through.

More Italian Breads and Recipes:

Calzones
French Bread Pizza
Easy Garlic Bread
Cheesy Garlic Bread
Focaccia Bread