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These sausage and ricotta calzones are filled with Italian sausage, spinach, and plenty of creamy, melted cheese, all tucked inside a golden pizza crust. Serve them with warm marinara or pizza sauce on the side for dipping.
The recipe makes two generously sized calzones. Split them in half for sharing or serve them whole for an easy pizza night at home.
Calzones Made for Pizza Night
Creamy, cheesy filling: Ricotta gives the filling that soft, creamy texture, with mozzarella for plenty of melted cheese and Parmesan for a little extra flavor.
Sausage makes them hearty: Italian sausage turns these into a substantial dinner, while spinach adds something fresh without taking over the filling.
Homemade or shortcut-friendly: Use my quick pizza dough recipe when you have the time or start with a pound of store-bought dough for an easier dinner.
Made for dipping: Warm marinara or pizza sauce on the side gives you as much sauce as you want with every bite.
Ingredient Notes
Italian sausage: Mild or hot Italian sausage both work. If you use hot sausage, you may want to reduce or skip the red pepper flakes.
Ricotta cheese: Whole-milk ricotta will give you the creamiest filling. If yours is particularly wet, let it drain in a fine-mesh strainer before using it. You can also make homemade ricotta cheese.
Mozzarella and Parmesan: Mozzarella gives you the stretchy, melted cheese you expect in a calzone, while Parmesan brings a sharper, saltier flavor.
Fresh baby spinach: Baby spinach is easiest here because the leaves are tender and wilt quickly. Regular spinach also works, but remove any tough stems. You can also use frozen spinach if you thaw it and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Nutmeg: A small amount works especially well with ricotta and spinach. You shouldn’t really taste the nutmeg; it just rounds out the filling.
Pizza dough: Homemade or store-bought dough both work. Bring refrigerated dough to room temperature before shaping so it stretches easily without shrinking back.
Sauce for dipping: The sauce is served alongside these calzones rather than added to the filling. Try garlic herb marinara or fresh tomato pizza sauce.
Recipe Tips
Keep the filling on the dry side: Drain the grease after browning the sausage and cook off any liquid released by the spinach. If your ricotta is especially wet, drain that too.
Leave a clean border: Keep about ½ inch of bare dough around the filling. Brush away any stray bits of cheese or sausage so the dough can stick to itself.
Roll and crimp the edge: Fold the dough over the filling, then roll the edge up and over before crimping it closed. This gives you a more secure seal than simply pinching the two edges together.
Give the dough time to rest: The short rest before shaping makes the dough easier to stretch. The second rest after filling gives the dough a chance to relax again before baking.
Vent the tops: Cut two or three small slits in each calzone so steam can escape instead of building up inside.
Rest before cutting: Let the baked calzones sit for 5 to 10 minutes. The filling will be extremely hot, and the short rest gives the cheese a chance to settle before you cut into them.
Calzone vs Stromboli
A calzone is made by placing the filling on one half of the pizza dough, then folding the other half over and sealing the edges. Stromboli starts with the filling spread over the dough before it is rolled into a log.
Both are made with pizza dough and can hold similar fillings. The main difference is how they are shaped and assembled.
What to Serve with Calzones
These calzones are hearty enough that they don’t need much on the side. Warm marinara or pizza sauce is a must for dipping, and a crisp Italian chopped salad makes an easy addition to the meal.
You could also add garlic knots or pizza dough breadsticks on the side.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but this recipe keeps the sauce on the side. The ricotta filling is already creamy, and leaving out the sauce also helps keep excess moisture out of the calzone.
Yes. Assemble and cover the calzones, then refrigerate them for up to several hours. Take them out while the oven preheats, then bake as directed.
Yes. Let the baked calzones cool completely, then wrap them well and freeze. Reheat them in a 350°F oven or air fryer until heated through and the crust is crisp again.
Calzones Made for Sharing
These are big, hearty calzones with a crisp golden crust and plenty of sausage, spinach, and creamy ricotta inside. Cut them in half or into wedges, set out some warm marinara, and let everyone dig in.
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Sausage Ricotta Calzones
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Ingredients
For the filling
- 8 ounces ground Italian sausage
- 3 ounces baby spinach
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ¼ cups ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
For assembling
- 1 pound Pizza dough
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash
- grated parmesan cheese, for topping
- marinara sauce, or pizza sauce, warmed, for serving
Instructions
- Add the Italian sausage to a skillet over medium heat. Cook, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add the spinach and cook until wilted, then add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
- Add the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, black pepper, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes to a bowl and stir to combine. Taste and add salt if needed. The cheeses may provide enough salt already.
- Divide the pizza dough into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Cut two pieces of parchment paper, one for each calzone. Place each portion of dough on a piece of parchment and gently stretch or roll each piece into an approximately 8- to 9-inch circle.
- Divide the cheese mixture evenly between the two dough circles, spreading it over one half of each and leaving about a ½-inch border around the edge.
- Divide the sausage and spinach mixture evenly over the cheese. Keep the filling away from the edges so the calzones are easier to seal.
- Fold the unfilled half of the dough over the filling to form a half-moon. If the edges don't stick easily, lightly dampen them with water. Roll the edge up and over, then crimp firmly to seal.
- Cover the calzones loosely and let them rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°F. If using a pizza stone or steel, place it in the oven while it preheats.
- Cut 2 or 3 small slits in the top of each calzone to allow steam to escape. Brush the tops lightly with the egg wash and sprinkle with Parmesan.
- Transfer the calzones, still on the parchment paper, to a baking sheet or preheated pizza stone or steel. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and the filling is hot.
- Let the calzones rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with warm marinara or pizza sauce for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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