Cheesy meatball calzone for a NewTraDish recipe. I was invited to be a brand representative for Ragú® and have been compensated for this post for SocialStars. All opinions are my own.
I’ve been gushing about my love for fall, and then in what felt like an instant, winter arrived with a punch. Cities everywhere are shivering under record-low temperatures and gray skies. With days dipping into the twenties and sunshine scarce, the plan has been simple: stay cozy by the fire and cook comforting food.
Cold weather has a silver lining—I can get a lot of cooking and food photography done without leaving the warmth of home. Most mornings I stay in pajamas until lunchtime; there’s always a long to-do list calling my name.
I had some Ragú® sauce left from a recent delivery, and decided it was the perfect time to make calzones. We’d skipped calzones on a recent pizza night out because we knew our toddler might not enjoy our choices—so I wanted to keep these simple and kid-friendly.
These calzones are straightforward: pizza dough, Ragú® sauce, pre-made meatballs (available at most grocery stores), and shredded mozzarella. Think of it as a mashup between a meatball sub and a pizza—easy, cheesy, and satisfying. You can customize fillings however you like, but I kept ours minimal because of the little one in the house. She asked for extra cheese, and I happily added it.
We’ll be traveling to the Texas Hill Country for Thanksgiving in a few weeks, and this calzone recipe is ideal for a quick, comforting meal after holiday travel. If you don’t have meatballs on hand, shredded turkey or other leftover meats make a great substitute.
Enjoy these warm, cheesy calzones with a side salad or extra sauce for dipping. They’re quick to assemble and bake, and they reheat well for leftovers—perfect for busy holiday days.
ENJOY ~ Meagan
Cheesy meatball calzone
5 calzones
10 minutes
13 minutes
23 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 large pizza dough, cut into 5 sections
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 8 pre-made meatballs, cut in half
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 egg white
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut dough into 5 equal portions and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook for 8–10 minutes, until browned. Transfer meatballs to a paper towel to drain excess grease.
Flatten each dough section into a disk about 4–5 inches in diameter. Spoon Ragú® sauce into the center, add 3–4 meatball halves, and top with shredded mozzarella. Fold the dough over to seal, pressing edges together with a fork. Pierce the top several times with a knife to allow steam to escape, and brush with egg white.
Place calzones on a baking sheet and bake for 13 minutes, until golden. Let cool slightly before serving. Repeat with remaining dough and fillings.
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