Italian Stromboli

Italian Stromboli is a stuffed pizza roll with various fillings from meats to vegetables and loaded with melted cheese.


Many folks mix stromboli up with calzones which are totally different.


Stromboli is an Italian-American pizza roll that originated in Philadelphia we only use our own pizza dough recipe but you can use store-bought.


Calzones originated in Naples and are 100% Italian.


Calzones use ricotta cheese and cheeses, and stromboli does not have ricotta cheese in it and has meats and other cheeses in it.


There are two reasons they are not the same, the way they're stuffed and what they are stuffed with!


Stromboli is rolled pizza dough and stuffed, the calzone is a pizza dough with a crimped edge but they are both a pizza stuffed and cousins!


This is a stromboli roll that is absolutely delicious and a complete meal sealed into a homemade or store-bought pizza dough.


You can really put whatever you like in your fillings, below you will find many options and make it exactly with what you love!


Adapt away, there really isn't a wrong way to make these, just get creative and enjoy your stuffed pizza dough and also try a favorite Panzerotti which is stuffed fried pizza dough!


By the way, both are great dipped in homemade marinara sauce for dipping and any kind of dipping sauce you prefer even Alfredo!


Scroll down and a glimpse of what your next stromboli can be stuffed within the printable recipe card below.

Stromboli and Calzones: What's the Difference?

If you love Italian food, homemade pizza dough, and plenty of melted cheese, Stromboli and calzones are two delicious recipes you will want to try! Both are made with pizza dough and can be filled with your favorite meats, cheeses, and vegetables, but they are prepared a little differently. They are perfect for an easy family dinner, game-day gatherings, parties, or whenever you're craving a homemade Italian meal.

What is the difference between Stromboli and a calzone? Stromboli is made by layering meats, cheeses, and vegetables over pizza dough, then rolling it into a log and baking it until golden brown. When sliced, you get beautiful layers of savory filling in every piece.

A calzone, on the other hand, is folded over into a half-moon shape, sealing the filling inside like a stuffed pizza pocket. Calzones traditionally feature ricotta and mozzarella cheese, while Stromboli is often made with sliced or shredded cheeses and a variety of Italian meats.

Both are delicious, customizable, and easy to make with homemade or store-bought pizza dough. My Stromboli is filled with sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, and cheese, while my calzone combines creamy ricotta, mozzarella, spinach, and Italian meats.

You can follow these recipes as written or use the alternative filling ideas to make them your own!

Our family is not only a fan of stromboli and calzones we are also huge pizza fans here and make our own Homemade Pizza Dough, along with Italian Stromboli, Panzerotti which is fried dough stuffed and Italian Fried Pizza Dough aka Pizza Fritta and, of course, Mom's Sausage Roll.

In Italy, a calzone is filled pretty much the same but often fried, not baked, and called Panzerotti fritti.

Regardless of the shapes, fillings or cooking methods both the Stromboli and Calzones are insanely delicious.