This easy recipe for Stromboli is a fun and different way to enjoy pizza. Your favourite pizza toppings are rolled up in pizza dough and baked in a long cylindrical log. Slice and serve warm with marinara sauce.
What is a stromboli?
A stromboli is an American-Italian savoury filled dough that is rolled in a cylindrical shape or folded up and baked, originating from Pennsylvania.
Typically, bread dough or pizza dough is used and the fillings are similar to pizza toppings: meat, vegetables, cheese, and tomato sauce.
Stromboli vs. calzone
Calzones are a type of "pizza pocket."
It also uses pizza dough, and are stuffed with similar ingredients, however it is crescent-shaped.
One particular difference is that calzones are not baked with sauce inside, where as stromboli is.
Why you'll love this recipe
This Stromboli recipe is really easy to make. (I think it's even easier than making calzones).
Similar to making cinnamon buns, the filling is rolled up into the dough.
It's a light dough that perfectly soaks up the sauce from the filling, and is baked up to produce a crisp exterior.
They're great as a filling appetizer, snack, or as a lunch for the kids.
Ingredients you'll need
- 1 batch pizza dough: or you can use store-bought dough
- fillings of your choice: pepperoni, mushrooms, cheese
- tomato sauce: you can use marinara or pizza sauce
- egg: beaten, for egg wash
How to make stromboli
Make the pizza dough according to the recipe instructions.
Once the dough has risen, deflate the dough and divide it into 2 equal portions.
Roll out one portion of dough into a long rectangle, about 12" by 16".
Layer the sauce and fillings over the surface of the entire dough, leaving a little gap at the edges.
Starting from the long end, carefully roll up the dough, with the seam-side down, and gently pinch the sides to seal.
Tip: try to not get any sauce on the ends as it will make the dough more difficult to seal. If you do, don't worry, grab a piece of paper towel and blot away the sauce.
Carefully transfer the cylindrical dough log onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Repeat with the second portion of dough.
Lightly cover and place in a warm location until slightly puffy, about 20-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Make a few slits on the surface of the stromboli.
Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the surface of the dough with egg wash.
Bake at 400F for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown in colour.
Remove from oven, cool for 15 minutes before slicing with a sharp, serrated knife.
Serve with additional marinara sauce.
Other filling ideas
You can customize the stromboli with various fillings. Try:
- Italian sausage
- ham/salami/bacon
- pepperoni
- veggies: olives, peppers, caramelized onions, spinach (if using, cook it down first before adding)
- cooked/rotisserie chicken
- meatballs
Or anything that you like!
How to serve stromboli
Serve the stromboli warm with marinara or pizza sauce.
Try pairing stromboli with wild rice mushroom soup, breadsticks, cheese bread sticks, garlic bread, linguine aglio olio, salad, pasta salad, or fries.
How to store & reheat
Store the stromboli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can freeze baked (unsliced) stromboli, stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Thaw the frozen stromboli in the fridge the night before.
Reheat the stromboli by baking it in the oven at 350F for 30-35 minutes, or until completely heated through.
Expert tips & FAQs
Tip: When working with the dough, try to not get any sauce on the edges as it will make the dough more difficult to seal. If you do, don't worry, grab a piece of paper towel and blot away the sauce.
Does a stromboli contain tomato sauce in it?
Yes, it contains sauce inside.
What's the purpose of making slits on the dough?
Making slits helps the steam to escape while baking and prevent a burst stromboli.
How to prevent a leaky stromboli?
Due to the nature of the sauce and cheese heating up and melting, there may be a little ooze (and that's OK).
This will also depend on what type of filling you're using -- for example, uncooked veggies that will weep when heated -- not recommended.
You can reduce the amount of sauce in the stromboli to prevent too much leakage.
Also, waiting until the stromboli cools down for 15 minutes will help the sauce thicken up and not be as runny.
Alternatively, you can make calzones, which don't contain sauce inside -- rather, the sauce is served on the side.
Other pizza recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these recipes:
Peking Duck Pizza with Caramelized Onions & Hoisin Sauce
Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Stromboli
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
- 1 batch pizza dough
- 250 g sliced pepperoni
- 8-10 mushrooms sliced
- 250 g mozzarella cheese shredded
- 2 C marinara sauce or pizza sauce
Instructions
For key visual process steps, refer to the body of the blog post.
Make the dough:
- Combine yeast and sugar into a bowl with ½ C (125ml) lukewarm water.
- Give it a stir and set aside until yeast is bubbly and active.
- Add flour and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.
- While the mixer is running, add the activated yeast mixture, remaining water (you may not need all of it) and olive oil and mix until the dough forms smoothly into a ball.
- Note: If the dough appears too sticky, add additional flour, and if it's too dry, add a little water, 1 tablespoon at a time. This dough can be quite moist, so add a little water at a time.
- Knead until dough is smooth and shiny, about 7-8 minutes in the mixer.
- Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel and place in a warm place to double in size, about 1 hour, depending on how warm your kitchen is.
- Once the dough has risen, deflate the dough and divide it into 2 equal portions.
- Roll out one portion of dough into a long rectangle, about 12" by 16".
- Layer the sauce and fillings over the surface of the entire dough, leaving a little gap at the edges.
- Starting from the long end, carefully roll up the dough, with the seam-side down, and gently pinch the sides to seal.
- Carefully transfer the cylindrical dough log onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Repeat with the second portion of dough.
- Lightly cover and place in a warm location until slightly puffy, about 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F/204°F.
- Make a few slits on the surface of the stromboli.
- Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the surface of the dough with egg wash.
- Bake at 400°F/204°F for 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown in colour.
- Remove from oven, cool for 15 minutes before slicing with a sharp, serrated knife.
- Serve with additional marinara sauce.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
So tasty and comforting! Somehow, I've neglected Stromboli, so I need to catch up on some 🙂
Dawn
I've been craving pizza lately, so this is just another delicious way to enjoy those flavours! And pepperoni and mushrooms is such a great combination. Love the presentation too. 🙂
David @ Spiced
Oh you landed on one of my all-time favorites here, Michelle! A good stromboli is hard to beat. Then again, I'd say the same thing about pizza and calzones, too. 🙂 I need to add this to our weekend menu for sure. Add in a cold beer, and I'll be a happy camper!