Homemade Sourdough Calzones (Dough Recipe) - A Quaint Life (2024)

I am going to show you how to make the most delicious homemade sourdough calzones with this super simple sourdough dough recipe that you can stuff in any anyway you like!

We are fortunate enough to have a swimming pool and that means that every single summer, we swim. Not because we always want to but because the simple upkeep of that pool is ALOT, to say the least, and I refuse to not use it. Swimming builds up quite an appetite and with the fresh veggies available during the summertime, it seems these calzones are on constant rotation in our home.

A simple dough, some fresh veggies and tomato sauce cooked up from a few summer tomatoes. You can’t go wrong nor could it be more simple. The best part about calzones is that you can fill them anyway you’d like and they are individual meals on their own as they are quite filling.

So if you have any picky eaters or just want to customize your calzone to your tastes, this is the way to do it. Individual hand held pockets of goodness.

With the help of a little sourdough starter, this is the ultimate sourdough calzone recipe.

Homemade Sourdough Calzones Are…

• Customizable to fill with your favorite pizza toppings.
• A pizza pocket that can be made in a home oven or outdoor pizza oven.
• Made with a long fermented sourdough homemade pizza dough.
• A main dish and a total crowdpleaser.
• Made with simple ingredients and wild yeast from a starter.

Ingredients

Flour- I like to use King Arthur unbleached bread flour for the best results but all-purpose flour will also work fine.

Sourdough Starter- Make sure you use an active starter fed several hours before making the calzone dough. The starter should be nice and bubbly.

Olive Oil- I use extra virgin olive oil but pure olive oil will work. Use a good quality oil.

Salt- I like to use sea salt but standard table salt or Kosher salt work fine too.

Cornmeal- To dust the baking sheet. You can use yellow or white cornmeal for this.

Filling- The filling can be anything you like really. We like to sauté eggplant, zucchini, and red bell pepper with olive in a skillet. Add mozzarella cheese and salami, you have a delicious calzone. Other ideas are crumbled sausage, mushrooms, olives pepperoni, or onions. A jarred pizza sauce or even tomato paste works fine for the sauce. We like to cook down fresh diced tomatoes with herbs in a skillet to create a tomato base.

Tools

Baking Sheet

Dough Scraper

Directions

In a large bowl combine the flour, starter, 1 tbsp. of olive oil, salt and water with a fork. Cover the dough with a tea towel and let the shaggy dough rest for 30 minutes.

When ready, uncover the dough and complete the first set of stretch and folds. To stretch and fold the dough, wet your hand and pick up a corner of the dough. Stretch it up and fold it over itself. Turn the bowl slightly and pick up another corner, then complete the same step as before of stretching the dough up and folding it over itself. Continue to turn the bowl slightly and do two more times for a total of four stretch and folds. Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 20 minutes.

Note: We will be doing three sets of stretch and folds with a 20 minutes dough rest between each set. Completing four stretch and folds per set.

When all three sets of stretch and folds are completed, cover the dough and allow it to sit on the countertop at room temperature for 8-12 hours for the bulk rise. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size.

Shape Fill, and Bake

The next morning, turn the dough onto a lightly floured workspace. Shape the dough into a ball and cut the dough ball in half to make two equal pieces. Prep the calzone filling. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle the cornmeal over the parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 425F. Fill a baking dish with water and place it in the oven on the bottom rack underneath where the calzones will bake.

Flour a rolling pin and roll out the two pieces of dough into flat bread-size discs. Add the rolled-out calzone dough to the top of the baking dish.

Note: It is a good idea to pre-cook the veggies with salt, herbs, or any seasoning you’d like before adding them as your filling. Using raw veggies results in excess moisture inside the calzone and sometimes undercooked veggies.

To fill the calzones, place a healthy scoop of your favorite calzone ingredients in the center of each disc. Pull the dough up and fold it over to close. Pinch the dough edges together to make sure they don’t come open. You can wet the dough seams if the dough is not sticking. Brush each calzone with a generous amount of olive oil. Baking for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Baking Notes

• Calzones puff when you bake them so don’t place them too close to another on the baking sheet.
• If you find the dough is really sticky when rolling it out, sprinkle a little extra flour onto the sticky areas of the dough.
• If you find the dough has not doubled in size by 8 hours, just let it sit longer. Sourdough dough rise times can vary greatly.

​Filling Ideas for Calzone

You can fill a calzone with just about anything you can think of. Just think about pizza toppings and how many different ways you can make one! I highly suggest cooking the veggies and seasoning them prior to stuffing the calzones. This way you can ensure the veggies are cooked through and flavorful.

• Black olives
• ​Pepperoni
• Bell peppers
• ​Zucchini
• Red onion
• Caramelized onion
• Sautéed mushrooms
• Salami
• Ground beef
• Egg Plant

FAQ

Can I swap out bread flour for all-purpose flour?

Yes, this recipe has the best results with bread flour but all-purpose is a close second and you might not even be able to tell the difference between the two. So go right ahead and use that all-purpose flour. I have used both with great results, for reference, I use King Arthur unbleached all-purpose.

Can I use sourdough discard for these?

No, this is a long-fermented recipe so it relies on a robust sourdough starter to rise the dough properly. However, if you would still like to use your sourdough discard, I would suggest adding a packet of active dry yeast to the batter when first mixed up.

Knead on a low setting with a dough hook for a couple of minutes. Then allow the dough to sit for an hour to rise. Bake as instructed as there is no need to rise the dough overnight. Keep in mind this method will not have the benefits of long fermentation or the developed sourdough flavor but the calzones will still taste great!

​How much filling should I add to each calzone?

I would say about a cup or so of ingredients to the center along with sauce and a fair amount of cheese if adding. You want to add it to the center slightly more on one side so that when you begin folding the dough over to close, there is enough dough to stretch over and enough room to secure when the dough meets to form a half circle.

How To Store

Store any leftover sourdough calzone in an airtight container, wrapped in foil or plastic wrap. The calzone can be reheated in a toaster oven or microwave. Store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. I would not recommend freezing the dough or the finished calzone, they are best made fresh.

*Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through the links I provide (at no cost to you).

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Baking Sheet

Marble Dough Board

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Other Recipes To Try

• Homemade Sourdough Bread Bowls
• Sourdough Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake
• Decadent Sourdough Chocolate Chip Boule

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love for your to come back and give 5 stars!