Meatball Calzone Recipe (2024)

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!

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!

Let me start by saying you can absolutely use frozen meatballs for this recipe.

However, 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

Instructions

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 ½-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!

🧂 Ingredients

This recipe starts with premade 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.

• Pizza Dough
• mozzarella and Colby Jack cheeses
• tomato sauce
• dried basil and dried parsley
• granulated garlic
• grated Parmesan cheese
• Italian meatballs (I use leftovers from my Authentic Italian Meatball Recipe 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.

🔪Instructions

This is meant to be a brief overview of the meatball calzone recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below.

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 ¼ cup of sauce.
3. Unroll the 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 ½-inch around the edge.
5. Next, sprinkle the granulated garlic over the tomato sauce.
6. Sprinkle ¼ 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 ½ 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 ⅛ 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.

Equipment

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• Large Mixing Bowl
• Baking Sheet
• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Round pizza tray

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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.

🍴 Serving Suggestions

For a well-rounded meal, serve this yummy calzone with a simple side dish like one of these:

• Honey Lime Fruit Salad - this is the perfect fresh side for meatballs.
• Caprese Antipasto Sticks - both meatballs and my caprese antipasto sticks are perfect for entertaining.
• Simple Italian Salad - sides just don't get easier than my simple salad recipe.

Find more game day recipes, check these out:

📖 Variations

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

• For extra flavor, add ½ cup finely diced green peppers or onions inside the calzone.
• Use ½ cup of ricotta cheese in the calzone for a creamier filling.
• Add pepperoni for a meat lover's version.

⏲️ Storage

Store any leftover calzone in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

😋 Similar Recipes

Want to try a new meatball recipe to switch things up with your dinner routine? Here are some of our faves:

• Italian Chicken Meatballs - a scrumptious alternative to meatballs made with ground beef. They're freezer-friendly and kid-friendly.
• Keto Chicken Meatballs - all the flavor with none of the guilt. You'll love having this meatball recipe on hand for game day and holiday get togethers.

👉 Find more recipes using meatballs.

📋 Meatball Calzone

This easy meatball calzone starts with store-bought pizza dough. It's an easy recipe the whole family will love any night of the week!

Not ready to make it yet? Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later! When you do make it, please be sure to tag me on Instagram@jugglingactmamaor #jugglingactmama – I’d love to see your pictures! And finally, if you get a chance, please comment and leave me a⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!

More Recipes You'll Love

• chicken meatball subs
• cheesy meatball casserole
• meatball cupcakes
• easy meatball sliders

Meal Planning

Want to add this sheet pan recipe to your meal plan? Download our free printable meal plan here.

This recipe is included in Meal Plan 36 along with:

• homemade Italian meatballsandtomato sauce
• magic bars
• crispy roasted sweet potatoes
• 40 clove garlic chicken
• apple danishes
• Italian pot roast

... and more!

Be sure to check out all our meal plan ideas here.

This recipe is also a part of Weekly Meal Plan 9 along with American Goulash, Chicken Spaghetti, and Chicken Pot Pie Casserole.