The Vegan Calzone

Last Updated on March 27, 2022

The Vegan Calzone is filled with all the same ingredients of a pizza, folded in half and baked in the oven.

These pizza pockets are so easy to make and take less time to whip up than a regular homemade pizza.

The dough for the calzone is the exact same dough that is used for a pizza.

Just make up the dough, stretch into a little oval, spread on the sauce, add your favorite toppings and close by pinching the sides before baking.

What are the advantages to making calzones over a pizza.

They can be personalize for each individual.

Less mess than a regular pizza.

So easy to make.

Use simple ingredients.

They are a no fuss meal for the next day at school, work, or even on the go.

And there is no need to reheat the calzone, it is perfect even cold!

What is the best way to enjoy your calzone?

Add a little dish of marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Slice up a fresh avocado to add to the pocket.

And add a dollop of your favorite sour cream or aioli on the side as a dip.

Ingredients for The Vegan Calzone filling

• Tomato Sauce – This can be your favorite pasta sauce, marinara sauce, pizza sauce, or a plain tomato sauce.
• Onions and Garlic – These can be raw or sauteed before adding to the calzone.
• Peppers – I saute the bell peppers before adding to the calzone, any pepper hot or mild can be added for the filling.
• Olives – My family loves both the black and green olives in our calzone.
• Mushrooms – Fresh mushrooms of your choice, sauteed with the onion and garlic are a wonderful stuffing for a calzone, or give my recipe for Vegan Pepperoni Mushrooms a try.
• Cheese – A good shredded vegan cheese.
• Oil – Olive oil is used inside the calzone and on the outside before baking.
• Spices – A little extra seasoning is added to the inside and outside of the calzone, onion, garlic, and a Italian seasoning.

These ingredients are optional, switch out for your favorites.

Prepping the calzone filling

Clean and chop the onion, garlic, peppers, and mushrooms.

In a medium size pan, saute the onion, garlic, peppers, and mushrooms for about 5 to 10 minutes and set aside. Or Try the Vegan Pepperoni Mushrooms.

Slice up the olives and set aside.

Ingredients for the calzone dough

• Water – Water with the temperature between 105° and 115°F is best for proofing active dry yeast.
• Active Dry Yeast – The yeast is the leavening agent, it makes the dough rise. Use a active dry yeast for the dough, this is a yeast that needs to be dissolved and rehydrated in a warm water to active.
• Sugar – The sugar is the food for the yeast. This will increase the yeast’s activity.
• Oil – In this recipe I used a olive oil. The oil adds flavor and makes the dough easier to stretch.
• Salt – The salt is in the dough to help with fermentation and gluten.
• Flour – A all purpose white flour is used in this recipe. Try a wheat flour for a different texture and taste.

How to make the dough for the calzone

In a large mixing bowl add 1/4 cup of warm water between the temperatures of 105° and 115°F. sprinkle yeast and sugar over the water.

Slightly stir and set aside for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, add in the remaining warm water, oil, and salt.

Next slowly add the flour, mixing until a ball is formed.

Knead the dough in the large bowl for 8 to 10 minutes, sprinkling flour on the dough if it becomes to sticky.

The dough should not be sticky after it has been kneaded , it should be a nice smooth and soft ball when done.

Drizzle a little oil over the dough before cutting.

Do not let the dough rise, divide the ball into 4 equal pieces.

Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Slowly stretch each piece of dough out to about 1/4 inch thick oval shape and place onto the baking sheets, set aside.

Filling The Vegan Calzone

Preheat your oven at 350°F.

In a small bowl, mix together about 1/4 Cup oil and 1/4 tsp of each, Italian seasoning, garlic and onion powder. Or add your favorite seasonings.

Lightly brush the dough with the mixture, saving any left over for the tops.

Spread the 1 Tbsp of sauce on one half of the oval shaped dough.

On top of the sauce, add the sauteed vegetables or what ever filling you would like in your calzone.

After placing all the filling on the sauce, lift the side without the sauce and pull it over the filling and pinching the edges with your fingers all the way around the edge to keep the filling in while baking.

With the remaining oil mixture ( if you don’t have any left, just make more up), brush the tops of each calzone.

Place into the oven and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until they have a golden brown top.

Remove from the oven when done, and let cool on the baking sheet 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

How to serve The Vegan Calzone

Add a dish of your favorite warmed sauce for dipping, along side your calzone.

Place a dollop of your favorite vegan sour cream or aioli along side your calzone as a dip.

Slice up a avocado and add as you enjoy this personal pizza pocket.

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