If you are looking for something different for pizza night, try these Vegan Calzones! They are portable and filling just like pizza, but a bit less messy.
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These Vegan Calzones have all the flavors of pizza, but in a portable package.
They are not only fun to eat, but fun to make as well. You can use your favorite pizza dough from your local pizza restaurant or use a pizza mix like I did.
And if you find yourself with extra pizza dough, you can make it into Vegan Stuffed Breadsticks.
Other recipes to try are my Vegan Pizza Grilled Cheese recipe and Pizza Popcorn recipe.
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❤️ Why You'll Love Them
- They taste like pizza but in a fun package.
- They are warm and comforting.
- They're a great alternative for pizza night.
What Are Calzones?
If you have never had a calzone before, it is basically like pizza, but in a different form. Calzones are basically folded-over pizza.
Normally the filling includes ingredients you would put on a pizza. The dough is stuffed with your favorite ingredients and sealed in a nice portable package.
Calzones are sometimes served with marinara sauce. Depending upon the ingredients you use, they can be less messy than pizza.
Here, I used mushrooms, spinach, green pepper, and tofu ricotta for the filling.
🧾 Ingredients
- Pizza dough: I used Pamela's gluten-free pizza mix when I first published this recipe to make pizza dough, but it hasn't been available for awhile. When I republished this recipe I use Bob's Red Mill pizza mix. Use your favorite pizza dough.
- Basil and oregano: To add some flavor to the dough. You could also use Italian seasoning.
- Olive oil: For cooking the veggies.
- Onion: Adds a sweet pungent flavor.
- Garlic: Adds a pungent flavor.
- Green pepper: You could also use red bell pepper or orange bell pepper.
- Mushrooms: I used baby Bella mushrooms. Use whatever mushrooms you like.
- Spinach: I like spinach because it doesn't have a very strong flavor. I used it in my Spinach and Tofu Ricotta Calzones.You could also use kale or other greens.
- Salt: Enhances flavors. I like to use sea salt.
- Tofu ricotta: I used my Homemade Tofu Ricotta recipe. You could also use store-bought vegan ricotta.
- Marinara sauce: For dipping. You could also use pizza sauce.
To see the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
📖 Variations / Additions
- Red bell pepper
- Black olives or green olives
- Tomatoes
- Tofu Feta
- Vegan mozzarella or provolone
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Basil
- Vegan pesto
- Pineapple and onion
- Nutritional yeast
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Here's the tofu ricotta you'll be using for this recipe:
🔪 Instructions
Step 1: Prepare pizza dough according to directions. Mix basil and oregano into the dough. Set aside to rise.
Heat olive oil in a pan. Cook on medium until translucent. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
Step 2: Add garlic and green pepper. Cook until the green pepper is slightly tender.
Step 3: Add mushrooms and spinach.
Step 4: Cook until spinach is wilted. Add salt. Stir to combine.
Step 5: Spread plastic wrap onto cutting board (gluten free dough is very sticky). Sprinkle cornmeal or flour onto the plastic wrap. Then place pizza dough on cutting board. Place more plastic wrap on top of dough. Roll out pizza dough. Using a bowl, cut out a circle.
Step 6: Lift off the plastic wrap.
Step 7: Spread tofu ricotta on half the dough.
Step 8: Spread mushroom mixture on half of the pizza dough.
Step 9: With the plastic, fold over the dough.
Step 10: With a fork, seal the edges.
Step 11: Place calzone on an oiled parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Step 12: Bake until golden brown.
💭 Tips
- Divide dough into ¼s or in ½, depending upon how large you want calzones.
- Use parchment paper or plastic wrap for rolling and to fold dough over. It's very sticky.
- Sprinkle cornmeal or flour on the cutting board to add flavor and crunch.
- Seal the edges with floured or slightly wet fingers. The filling will come out otherwise.
- Brush with olive oil for a shiny crust.
- Let sit after baking. They're extremely hot!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
Calzones have ricotta (alongside mozzarella or parmesan) and stromboli has mozzarella so that there is less moisture. This vegan calzone has homemade tofu ricotta.
Usually, calzones do not have sauce inside. The sauce is served on the side for dipping.
Vegan Pizzas
If you tried this Vegan Calzones Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and let me know how you like it in the 💬 comments below. I love hearing from you!
I originally posted this recipe on July 2, 2016. I added new photos and text when I republished it.
📋 Recipe
Vegan Calzones
Ingredients
- Pizza dough - I used Pamela's 11.29 oz. pizza mix
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ cup chopped green pepper
- ½ cup chopped mushrooms
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- Pinch salt
- ½ cup Tofu Ricotta
- Marinara sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Prepare pizza dough according to directions. Mix oregano and basil into the dough.
- Heat olive oil in a pan. Add chopped onion and cook on medium heat until translucent.
- Add garlic and green pepper. Cook until green pepper is slightly tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add mushrooms and spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Add salt.
- Sprinkle cornmeal or flour on cutting board. Roll or press out dough to your preferred size. If using Pamela’s pizza dough, use parchment paper or plastic wrap on top of dough to spread it out thinly (it is very sticky). Divide dough into ¼s or in ½. By dividing mine into ¼s, they came out to be approx. 6×6″ each.
- Spread tofu ricotta and mushroom mixture on half of the dough, leaving the edges bare.
- Fold over the dough. If using a sticky dough (like Pamela’s), use parchment paper or plastic wrap to fold dough over. Press with floured or slightly wet fingers to seal the edge. Repeat with the rest of dough.
- At this point you can sprinkle more flour and / or cornmeal on top. You can also brush with olive oil for a shiny crust.
- With the parchment or plastic wrap, lift to an oiled pan, parchment paper, or pizza stone, and bake at 450°F for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
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Nutrition
*Note: Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only. Different nutrition calculators give you different results.
Fran says
I made these for the hubs and kids last weekend. They all loved them. I love Pamela's pizza mix. I will be buying that again and using it for this recipe!
Willow Moon says
Great, I'm so glad that everyone enjoyed them!
Gretta says
I love the combination of flavors! I am going to try these this weekend!
Willow Moon says
Thanks Gretta, let me know what you think!
Monica says
These sound amazing! I love calzones!
Willow Moon says
Thanks Monica!