Meatball Calzone Recipe

Meatball Calzone – with savory tomato sauce, gooey mozzarella, colby jack cheeses and Italian meatballs, this is pretty much guaranteed to be the best meatball calzone you’ve ever tasted!

This post has been sponsored by Wewalka, however, as always, all opinions are my own. #ad #wewalka #bakeitbetter

We eat a lot of Italian (or Italian-American) meals in our house. Mr. Juggling Act comes from a long line of great Italian cooks and so we’re always making Homemade Tomato Sauce. My favorite though is when we also have extra Homemade Italian Meatballs. This meatball calzone is a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Plus, it is a great way to use leftover sauce and meatballs.

What is in a calzone?

Calzones are usually stuffed with cheese and may have vegetables or meat. Mozzarella, ricotta and Parmesan cheese are all popular. Salami, ground beef and pepperoni are also common in calzones. Today I am showing you how I made Meatball Calzones. They’re SO good!

Homemade Meatballs

Making your own meatballs is easy! We like making a big batch (about 2lbs of beef and pork) and freezing some for later. It’s a great once a month cooking recipe.

To make your own meatballs from our family recipe, you will need dried basil, granulated garlic, and dried parsley as well as salt and pepper from your pantry. In addition, you will also need:

• ground beef
• ground pork
• bread crumbs
• grated Parmesan cheese

How to Make Homemade Italian Meatballs

If you are short on time and want to use frozen meatballs, that’s totally fine! Be sure your meatballs are thawed before you use them for the calzones. Here is how we make our meatballs:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well, but don’t overmix. (Mr. Juggling Act uses his hands to mix.)
2. The mixture will feel a little like bread dough that needs more flour.  If the mixture feels too thick and dense, you can add a splash of water.
3. Roll the meat mixture into 2″ balls. 
4. After that, roll them gently between your palms until they just come together. (Do not overwork the meatballs.)
5. Arrange the meatballs on a large rimmed baking tray.
6. Add about 1/2-inch of water to the tray to prevent the meatballs from sticking or burning.
7. Bake in a 350°F oven for about 35-40 minutes, or until meatballs are browned. (You do not need to turn the meatballs while baking).

If you are short on time, you can absolutely use store-bought meatballs and tomato sauce!

Meatball Calzone Shopping List

This recipe starts with Wewalka Bistro Pizza Dough which is part of what makes it SO super easy! You’ll find it in the refrigerator section of your grocery store near pie crust.

• Wewalka Bistro Pizza Dough
• mozzarella and Colby Jack cheeses
• tomato sauce
• dried basil and dried parsley
• granulated garlic
• grated Parmesan cheese
• Italian meatballs (I use the homemade ones above when I have them, but store bought will work also)

You will also need 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 teaspoon fresh garlic and dried basil and dried parsley to brush onto the top of the calzone.

Why I use Wewalka Dough

I love using the Wewalka dough for pizza and calzones because they’re super easy to work with and taste amazing! The Bistro Pizza Dough is thin and crispy. For a more traditional crust, use Classic Pizza Dough, which is a little thicker.

Tips for Using Wewalka Dough

Wewalka Dough comes rolled with parchment paper to which makes it super simple to handle. Here are some other tips:

• Don’t let the dough sit on the countertop for too long; handling it is much easier right out of the refrigerator.
• Unroll and keep the dough on the parchment paper while baking. I trim the edges parchment so it doesn’t hang off the baking sheet.
• Note: this paper is oven safe up to 500°F.

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For a list of some of my favorite items to use when cooking and why I chose them, please visit my Kitchen Resource page.

How to Make a Meatball Calzone

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Whether you’re using homemade meatballs or store bought, they need to be thawed. Cut each meatball into quarters and toss with about 1/4 cup of sauce.
3. Unroll the Wewalka Bistro Pizza dough onto a baking sheet – keep the parchment under the dough – it’s oven safe.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce on half of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch around the edge.
5. Next, sprinkle the granulated garlic over the tomato sauce.
6. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese on top of the sauce and then place the quartered meatballs on top.
7. Add an additional tablespoon of tomato sauce onto the meatballs and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
8. Use the parchment paper to help fold the dough on top and then crimp the edges tightly with your fingers or a fork, similar to pie dough.
9. In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic. Melt the butter in the microwave.
10. Add 1/8 teaspoon each of dried basil and dried parsley to the melted butter and mix.
11. After that, use a pastry brush to spread the butter mixture over the entire top of the calzone.
12. Sprinkle the top with grated Parmesan cheese.
13. Bake the calzone for 12-15 minutes at 425°F until the top is golden brown. You’ll know it’s done if you lightly rap on the top of the calzone with a spoon and it sounds hollow.
14. Remove from the oven and let the calzone rest for 3-4 minute before slicing.
15. Serve with warm tomato sauce for dipping.

How to Freeze a Calzone

If you love once a week or once a month cooking, calzones are a great way to go! You can make several very quickly for those busy nights when you don’t have time to prep and cook. When I plan ahead and can just pull a dinner out of the freezer after soccer practice or a PTA meeting, life is so much more simple.

1. Follow the instructions for making the calzone but do not brush with the butter mixture.
2. Place the calzone with the parchment paper on top a large sheet of plastic wrap. Tightly wrap the entire calzone.
3. After that, put the wrapped calzone into a freezer bag (if you are making several, they can be frozen together in the same bag, but be sure to wrap each individually.)
4. TIP: Be sure to remove as much air as possible.
5. Meatball calzones will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months – be sure to label it and add the baking instructions.
6. To bake from frozen, preheat the oven to 400°F , carefully unwrap and place on the baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes until heated through.

I always have a couple frozen meals on hand for friends and family that might have a new baby or are not feeling well. These are perfect! Everyone appreciates a home-cooked meal they don’t have to cook.

(Check out my busy Moms Survival Guide for more tips!)

What to serve with Meatball Calzones

• Honey Lime Fruit Salad
• Caprese Antipasto Sticks
• Simple Italian Salad

Recipe Variations

There are so many ways to make these calzones your own. Here are a couple of ideas:

• For extra flavor, add 1/2 cup finely diced green peppers or onions inside the calzone.
• Use 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese in the calzone for a creamier filling.

Homemade Meatball Calzone Recipe

This easy meatball calzone starts with Wewalka Bistro Pizza Dough. It’s an easy recipe the whole family will love any night of the week!

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