This Stromboli Recipe is sponsored by Fleischmann’s®. All opinions are my own.
This Easy Stromboli Recipe (AKA rolled up pizza) is made with NO WAIT, NOT RISE Stromboli dough so now you can satisfy your pizza cravings in 35 minutes! Readers call it, “Amazingly delicious and simple,” “sooo good,” “family’s favorite,” and “always a hit!” This recipe includes a simple yet spectacularly flavorful pizza sauce, how to customize your toppings, and how to freeze for make-ahead instant Stromboli.
What is stromboli?
Do you LOVE Stromboli?! Is it too scandalous to admit I like Stromboli even better than pizza? After all, it’s basically a rolled up pizza so you have LAYERS of pizza in each cheesy, meaty, saucy, garlic, Parmesan crust mouthful. They long cylinder is baked to golden perfection then sliced into individual rolls.
Patrick and I make Stromboli at least once a month (super fun to make with couples too!) – stuffing our Stromboli with whatever toppings we have on hand. Be careful, its s slippery slope; first its pepperoni, next its pickles (cheeseburger pizza anyone?).
Why you’ll love this Stromboli Recipe
Homemade Stromboli Ingredients
Traditional Stromboli is filled with mozzarella, cold cuts such as pepperoni, salami, capocollo and/or vegetables such as bell peppers and mushrooms. Everything is layered on homemade pizza dough, followed by pizza sauce and then rolled up tightly then baked. That being said, you can use whatever your heart desires for Stromboli.
For this Stromboli recipe, I’ve used:
- pizza sauce
- mozzarella
- hot Italian sausage
- pepperoni
- deli honey ham
- chopped green bell peppers
- sliced onions
- mushrooms
For different variations, you can get creative and use Alfredo Sauce, BBQ Sauce, etc. and different toppings such as chicken, broccoli, etc.
Stromboli Filling Ideas
Stromboli is extremely versatile, get creative and make it your own! Here are some suggestions to inspire your Stromboli creations:
- Classic Italian: Pepperoni, mozzarella, and marinara sauce for a traditional pizza-inspired Stromboli recipe.
- Vegetarian: Spinach, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, olives, and feta cheese for a flavorful veggie option.
- Meat Lover’s: Ham, salami, pepperoni, and Italian sausage with a blend of cheeses for a hearty meat-filled Stromboli recipe.
- Caprese: Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze for a light and summery Stromboli.
- Buffalo Chicken: Shredded cooked chicken tossed in buffalo sauce, blue cheese, and celery for a spicy kick.
- Chicken Alfredo: Alfredo sauce, grilled or blackened chicken, mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Pesto Chicken: Pesto sauce, sliced chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella for a vibrant and flavorful filling.
- BBQ Pork: Pulled pork with barbecue sauce, red onions, and cheddar cheese for a tangy and savory option.
- Mediterranean: Kalamata olives, feta cheese, roasted cherry tomatoes, and artichoke hearts for a Mediterranean twist.
- Breakfast Stromboli: Scrambled eggs, cooked breakfast sausage or bacon, cheddar cheese, and sautéed veggies for a delicious breakfast-inspired Stromboli recipe.
Secret Ingredient in Making Quick and Easy Stromboli Dough
When Stromboli is on the mind, you don’t want to wait around for rising and more rising. Never fear. No waiting for rising dough is here. This might be the discovery of the year.
Dr. Suessing aside, Fleischmann’s® Pizza Yeast is almost too good to be true. Almost. Because it is true. Fleischmann’s® Pizza Yeast allows you to almost instantly satisfy your Stromboli pizza cravings – you don’t even have to proof your yeast! All you do is mix all the dough ingredients together at once, knead the dough for a couple minutes then roll the dough out which takes all but 5 minutes – and you are ready to top the dough and bake!
While I adore this shortcut, the dough is slightly thinner than traditional pizza dough but still fabulous. You are also welcome to use my homemade pizza dough recipe, just be aware the recipe is for 2 pizzas, so you will want to half the recipe or make 2 Stromboli!
How to Make Stromboli Pizza
This Stromboli recipe is as easy as:
- Make dough
- Roll dough into a rectangle
- Top dough with desired toppings
- Roll dough up
- Bake
- Cool and slice
Now, let’s break down the steps into greater detail:
Step 1 – Make Stromboli Dough:
- Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add water and oil and mix together until well blended (you can do this by hand or with your mixer). Gradually add flour, mixing in ½ cup at a time, until dough forms a ball. Add additional flour, if needed to handle but dough should be slightly sticky. Spoon dough out of bowl onto floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic; about 4 minutes.
Step 2 – Roll Stromboli:
- To make the Best Stromboli Recipe, you don’t need a pizza stone, just a large baking sheet that you line with parchment paper. The parchment paper keeps the dough from sticking and from needing extra flour which will make for tougher dough. Roll Stromboli dough out into a large rectangle, about 10 by 14 inches on the parchment paper – it does not have to be perfect.
Step 3 – Top Dough With Toppings:
- Lightly spread sauce over the dough, leaving a 2 inch plain dough border along the edges.
- Top sauce with half the grated cheeses:
- After the cheese, add your meats – I added cooked Hot Italian Sausage followed by pepperoni…
- And then honey ham. Because I can. I went a little crazy on my toppings so I could show you how to incorporate them all – or because I wanted to eat them all – but you can customize your Stromboli recipe with as many or as little toppings as you like.
- Next, add your vegetables. I added thinly sliced green peppers and thinly sliced onions that I sautéed together for 3 minutes and finished with thinly sliced uncooked mushrooms. It is important to slice your mushrooms super thin so they don’t “sweat” and leave you with a soggy Stromboli pizza. Finally, the mountain of toppings is sprinkled with the remaining cheese.
Step 4 – Roll Up Stromboli:
- Brush the plain border of dough with the egg wash (which is just a fancy name for beaten egg) – this will help the dough seal.
- Roll up your Stromboli lengthwise like a jelly roll, pinching in the sides, then brush the entire Stromboli with the egg wash so it looks like an ugly, glistening, thinly veiled roll with protruding bulges. Honestly, the first time I made Stromboli pizza, I was worried at this point, so I thought the questionable appearance was worth mentioning. Also, the smoothness of your roll will depend on your toppings – and I always load mine with toppings.
Step 5 -MAke Vents in Dough:
- Sprinkle Stromboli with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garlic salt, cut some slats to let steam escape. Don’t worry at this point that your dough seems super thin, it will rise and beautify into soft pizza crust in the oven.
Step 6 – Bake Stromboli
- Bake Stromboli recipe at 425 degrees F until golden, and witness the ugly duckling transformation take place before your eyes.
step 7 – Cool and Slice:
- When your beautifully golden Stromboli pizza emerges from the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes or so, then cut down the slats to create slices of rolled pizza perfection. Then melty, meaty, cheesy homemade Stromboli is served!
How long do I bake Stromboli?
Baking time can vary widely depending on the amount of toppings and content moisture of toppings/vegetables. The more toppings, the longer the baking time. I baked my very stuffed Stromboli for a total of 25 minutes but when I just use sauce, cheese and pepperoni, my Stromboli is done in 15 minutes
.
Easy Stromboli Recipe Tips
- Don’t stress to much about the measurements: We roll our dough into a rectangle, but you don’t have to stress about exact measurements or it being perfectly rectangle because making Stromboli pizza should be fun!
- Leave a clean border around the dough: When we spread the Pizza Sauce, we want to take care to leave a 2″ border all around the dough so there is enough dough to seal once rolled up. The toppings will naturally push forward as you roll the dough up, so this also helps you fit all your toppings in with a little extra leeway.
- Roll tightly: Starting from the long side closest towards you, tightly roll up the dough, pinching in any toppings that try to escape. It takes a little patience to go from left to right rolling up the dough, but I promise, it is easy and it doesn’t have to be pretty!
- Adjust toppings: Adjust the amounts of toppings to meet your personal taste except for the marinara. Using more than ½ cup could mean soggy Stromboli.
- Cut your dough with a serrated knife. A serrated knife works the best in cutting through all the layers.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH STROMBOLI?
If servings homemade Stromboli for a meal, you can keep it super simple and serve with a big green salad and a side of fruit, or I love serving it with wedge salad or roasted broccoli and perfect fruit salad.
If you are serving Stromboli for Game Day, then its fabulous with Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball, Buffalo Chicken Wings, Queso Fundido, Jalapeno Popper Dip, Chipotle Chicken Empanadas and Spinach Artichoke Dip.
How to store Homemade Stromboli
Cool Stromboli and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
HOW DO YOU REHEAT A STROMBOLI?
You can reheat sliced Stromboli pizza in the microwave at 30 second intervals but the crust will lose its crunch. I prefer to reheat slices in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 10-15 minutes.
You can also reheat cooked, not sliced Stromboli in oven at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until fully warmed through.
Can I Freeze Stromboli Pizza?
Yes, this Stromboli freezes beautifully either sliced or whole. To freeze:
1. Bake Stromboli according to directions
2. Let cool completely to room temperature.
3. Either add individual slices to separate plastic bags and seal OR wrap entire Stromboli several times in plastic wrap to seal.
4. Freeze for up to 3 months.
35 Minute No Wait – No Rise Stromboli. Layers of pizza in your mouth in less than 35 minutes. It doesn’t get much better than that!
How to Make Stromboli FAQs
I want to thank whoever invented the glorious Stromboli. Romano’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria claims to have invented the Stromboli in 1950 in town just outside of Philadelphia but others claim the Stromboli was invented by Mike Aquino, Sr., of Spokane, Wash., who named it after the 1954 movie Stromboli. I guess we’ll never know the true source, but I’m grateful all the same!
Both calzones and Stromboli are pizza derivatives, using different methods to create a sealed, portable pizza but they are NOT the same thing. There is debate about the exact differences between a Stromboli and calzone, but essentially:
Stromboli is rolled up (like a burrito) vs calzones are a folded turnover in a crescent shape (like a taco)
Stromboli typically uses only mozzarella cheese due to its low moisture content needed for its structure vs. calzones use a variety of Italian cheeses, including ricotta
Stromboli contains sauce, meat and mozzarella and may or may not also be served with sauce vs calzones are usually sauceless, stuffed will meat, cheese and vegetables and served with sauce on the side (many restaurants now serve calzones with sauce inside, adding to the confusion).
Stromboli has Italian meats on the inside vs calzones have cheese, meats and/or vegetables on the inside
Stromboli are sliced to create multiple servings vs calzones are generally single serving
Stromboli originated in America by Italian Americans vs calzones originated in Naples, Italy
To make a super quick and easy Pizza Sauce, I use the same trick I use in my Pizza Pinwheels recipe – simply add seasonings to store-bought marinara. By adding a symphony of seasonings such as onion powder, dried basil, dried parsley, oregano garlic power and crushed red pepper to already prepared marinara, you get crazy good pizza sauce. It is important that the pizza sauce be super flavorful because that is all the seasoning these Stromboli is going to get. I will caution to not add crushed red pepper flakes if you are using Hot Italian Sausage or your Stromboli could be too spicy.
Mozzarella and Parmesan are often considered best for Stromboli because they melt beautifully, have complementary flavors. Mozzarella adds a buttery, creamy, gooey, stretchy texture and Parmesan adds a savory, nutty depth of flavor to the filling.
Yes, Stromboli should be refrigerated if it’s not consumed immediately. As a general food safety practice, perishable items containing ingredients like cheese, meat, or other fillings should be stored in the refrigerator within 2 hours of preparation. This helps prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Once cooled, you can store Stromboli in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. If you want to keep it longer, consider freezing it, but keep in mind that the texture may be slightly different upon thawing.
Rolling Stromboli involves a simple yet crucial process to ensure the fillings are enclosed in the dough properly. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Prepare Dough: Roll out your Stromboli dough out onto parchment paper into a large rectangle, about 10 by 14 inches.
Add Fillings: Layer your chosen fillings evenly over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a small border along the edges to facilitate sealing.
Add Egg Wash: Brush the plain border of dough with the egg wash.
Rolling: Starting from one of the longer sides, tightly roll the dough and fillings into a log shape. Use both hands to guide the roll and keep it compact.
Seal Edges: Once rolled, pinch the edges of the dough to seal them.
Brush with Egg Wash: Brush the entire Stromboli with egg wash.
Add slits: Gently cut slits in the top of the dough every 1-2 inches with a knife. This helps the steam escape during baking and adds a decorative touch.
Add Parmesan: Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and lightly sprinkle with garlic salt.
Place on Baking Sheet: Carefully transfer the rolled Stromboli pizza onto a baking sheet with the seam side facing down.
More like this Stromboli Recipe:
- Southwest Chicken Eggrolls
- Potstickers
- Buffalo Chicken Pull Apart Bread
- Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls
- Easy Corn Dogs with Honey Mustard Sauce
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Easy Stromboli Recipe
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Ingredients
Stromboli Dough
Toppings (all or a combo of the following)*
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce (I like garlic and onion marinara)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- crushed red pepper flakes to taste**
- 3/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 pound cooked Hot Italian sausage
- 9-12 slices pepperoni
- 6 slices deli honey ham
- 1/2 small green bell pepper, very thinly sliced, sauteed 3 minutes
- 1/2 small onion, very thinly sliced, sauteed 3 minutes
- 1 cup very thinly sliced uncooked mushrooms
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
Garnish
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Garlic salt
- extra pizza sauce for dipping (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make Dough: Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add water and oil and mix together until well blended (you can do this by hand or with your mixer). Gradually add flour, mixing in ½ cup at a time, until dough forms a ball. Add additional flour, if needed to handle but dough should be slightly sticky.
- Knead Dough: Spoon dough out of bowl onto floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic; about 4 minutes.
- Make a rectangle: Roll Stromboli dough out into a large rectangle, about 10 by 14 inches on the parchment paper.
- Make sauce: Stir parsley, basil, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes to taste (do not use red pepper if you are using Hot Italian Sausage) into ½ cup marinara sauce.
- Add toppings: Lightly spread sauce over the dough, leaving a 2 inch plain dough border along the edges. Top sauce with half the grated cheeses, followed by meats, then vegetables followed by remaining cheese.
- Roll Stromboli: Brush the plain border of dough with the egg wash. Roll up the Stromboli lengthwise like a jelly roll and pinch the edges to seal. Brush the entire Stromboli with egg wash and gently cut slats in the top of the dough every 1-2 inches. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and lightly sprinkle with garlic salt.
- Bake: Bake at 425 degrees F until golden, 15-25 minutes depending on ingredients (see notes)*** covering with foil at the end of baking if necessary to prevent excess cheese browning.
- Serve: Let cool 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with extra marinara sauce if desired.
Notes
- *Adjust the amounts of toppings to meet your personal taste except for the marinara. Using more than ½ cup could mean soggy Stromboli.
- **Add to marinara sauce only if you aren’t using Hot Italian Sausage or it could be too spicy.
- ***Baking time can vary widely depending on the amount of toppings and content moisture of toppings/vegetables. The more toppings, the longer the baking time. I baked my very stuffed Stromboli for a total of 25 minutes but when I just use sauce, cheese and pepperoni, my stromboli is done in 15 minutes.
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Andrea says
Made this recipe today and it was delicious!! I used pesto and roasted vegetables along with some cheddar cheese… will be making again.
Jen says
Thank you, Andrea! I am so happy it’s a new repeat! Thanks for taking the time to comment!