Easy Broccoli Calzones

If you love the broccoli and cheese combination, this recipe for broccoli calzone is always a winner for dinner!

Use refrigerated pizza dough from a can or ball to make this recipe for a mid-week family favorite.

Healthy Homemade Calzones

Calzones can be a healthy meal when stuffed with a nutritious ingredient like broccoli and served with a simple side salad.

Homemade pizza dough and refrigerated dough balls (sometimes found in the freezer aisle) have fewer calories and fat than the refrigerated dough sold inside a can (like Pillsbury). 

Calzones can be a great vessel to get kids to eat more vegetables they would otherwise not want to eat served on a plate -make sure to chop them into smaller pieces for younger pickier kids.

Ingredients

You can make this broccoli calzone recipe as simple as broccoli and cheese or stuff them with a few other ingredients. For starters, you’ll need:

• Pizza dough: refrigerated in a can, ball of refrigerated dough, homemade pizza dough, or sometimes found frozen. Any of these options will work to make this recipe.
• Cheese: this recipe combines cheddar and mozzarella cheese, but you can swap it for your favorite cheese on pizzas.
• Broccoli: make sure to steam it first and chop the florets small. Nobody wants to take a bite of their delicious, freshly baked calzone and have to bite through a stalk.
• Olive oil: for brushing the dough and the tops of the calzone.
• Italian seasoning: for seasoning the insides and tops of the calzone.
• Pizza sauce: perfect for dipping the warm calzones after baking!

Below you’ll find a printable recipe card with all the ingredient measurements and directions.

Using Pillsbury Refrigerated Pizza Dough

To make calzones using refrigerated pizza dough from a can, you’ll roll it out on a floured surface and cut the rectangularly shaped dough into 4 pieces. Fill them and fold them over the same as traditional calzones but follow the baking times and temperature settings according to the directions printed in the dough can.

How to Make Broccoli Calzone

Once you have your pizza dough ready, making these broccoli calzones at home is easy. 

1. Prep
   Preheat the oven to 375F with the oven racks positioned in the middle sections of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Make the calzone bases
   Divide a 16oz dough ball into four. Roll each piece into a ball in your hands, and then place it on a lightly floured surface. Gently roll it out into a circle and transfer two calzone bases to each sheet pan. 
3. Prep the base
   Using a brush or clean hands, spread olive oil over the tops of the dough. 
4. Fill the calzones
   Mix mozzarella, cheddar cheese, and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl. Distribute the cheese mixture over half of each calzone base. Top the cheese with chopped broccoli.
5. Seal the calzones
   Fold the topping-free half over the dough, covering all the toppings, matching the dough’s edge. Press down using a fork to seal the edges. Poke a few holes over the tops of the dough to let the steam escape. Brush the calzones with a little olive oil and sprinkle a little Italian seasoning over the top.
6. Bake
   Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, swapping the baking sheets halfway through until the crusts are golden brown. 

Make sure to print out the step-by-step recipe below, and watch this quick video to see how it comes together!

Make these Homemade Pepperoni Pizza Calzones next!

How to Store Leftovers

Wrap leftover calzones in foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm up in a 350F preheated oven for 15 minutes, wrapped in foil. You can also reheat leftover calzones in an air fryer at 360F for 6 minutes.

What to Serve with Homemade Calzones

Like pizza, these calzones pair well with everything! You’ll want to serve these broccoli calzones with warmed marinara sauce or my veggie tomato sauce for dipping, a simple side salad, a bowl of veggie tomato soup, or fruit salad.

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