Easy Spinach Calzone Recipe
These easy Spinach Calzones come together in no time thanks to store-bought refrigerated pizza dough. Filled with a blend of Italian cheeses, mushrooms, and fresh spinach, this recipe is ideal for a fun weeknight meal the whole family will love!
Getting kids excited about spinach isn’t easy, but this Italian spinach calzone recipe has quickly become a favorite in our house. Something about gooey melted cheese tucked inside golden pizza dough makes the spinach practically disappear. My kids love them, and they almost always ask for seconds!
I mean, what’s not to love about baked pizza pockets stuffed with a creamy, flavorful filling of ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, perfectly seasoned spinach, mushrooms, and onions? Even better, they’re super simple to make thanks to ready-made refrigerated pizza dough. The edges bake up crisp and golden while the inside gets hot and melty.
Served warm with marinara sauce, these veggie-loaded calzones are the epitome of comfort food in handheld form. Pair them with a simple side salad for a wholesome, satisfying meatless meal. My daughter says that they’re even better with homemade meatballs. 😉
Why you’ll love it
- Quick and easy. With ready-made dough, these calzones come together fast with minimal prep work.
- Kid-friendly. Even picky eaters love these cheesy calzones with spinach. It’s one of the easiest (and tastiest) ways to sneak in greens.
- Customizable. You can swap in your favorite veggies, add protein, mix up the cheese blend, and so on to make them your own.
- Make-ahead. They can be prepped ahead, refrigerated, or frozen, making them practical for meal prep.
Ingredient notes
- Spinach. Our starring leafy green! For the best texture, use packed fresh spinach, and be sure to drain it well after cooking. Baby spinach or a mix of spinach and kale also works well.
- Aromatics. Sautéed mushrooms, sweet onion, and minced garlic cloves form the savory base of the filling. If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, add a pinch of garlic powder to the filling as a substitute.
- Ricotta. I went with low-fat ricotta cheese for a lighter version, but full-fat ricotta would make it even creamier.
- Mozzarella. Freshly shredded mozzarella gives the calzones that gooey, cheesy pull in the center everyone loves. Avoid pre-shredded cheese with anti-caking agents, as it can make the filling less smooth. Fontina is a great alternative. Sometimes I do a mix of the two.
- Parmesan. Adds a salty, nutty depth to the filling. For a slightly tangier flavor, feta pairs wonderfully with the spinach and gives the calzones a Mediterranean twist.
- Egg. Acts as a binder for the filling, helping hold the filling mixture together so it doesn’t spill out during baking.
- Italian seasoning. Brings herbal depth to the filling. If you’re out of Italian seasoning, a simple mix of dried oregano, basil, and thyme will do the trick. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes here if you like a little heat.
- Pizza dough. Make sure you grab sheet-style pizza dough from the refrigerator section, as dough balls and canned dough can be too difficult to shape. I like Just Rol and Wewalka European bakery-style refrigerated pizza crust. The pre-formed sheet is easy to unroll and slice into squares, making assembly a breeze.
- Olive oil & Butter: You’ll use it to sauté the vegetables and to brush on the calzones before baking to help give the crust a beautiful, shiny finish. The optional melted butter gets mixed with garlic salt to brush the tops when they come out of the oven.
- Marinara: I love dipping these vegetarian calzones in my homemade marinara sauce, or I’ll just heat a jar of organic marinara for convenience.
- Grated Parmesan cheese: optional for sprinkling on top of the buttered crust before serving.
How to make a spinach calzone
Step 1: Preheat. Set your oven to 400°F so it’s fully heated by the time your calzones are assembled and ready to bake.
Step 2: Sauté veggies. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms, and sauté until they are soft. Then, stir in the garlic and spinach, and cook just until the spinach is wilted. Drain any excess liquid from the pan, and set it aside.
Step 3: Prepare filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Once the sautéed spinach mixture has cooled, fold it into the filling.
Step 4: Roll out dough. Lightly flour a large cutting board, then unroll your pizza dough into a large rectangle. Use a rolling pin to smooth out the dough if needed, then slice it into 6 equal squares.
Step 5: Assemble calzones. Spoon the filling into the center of each dough square. Fold the dough over, roll the edges, and seal with a fork. Space them evenly on a lightly greased cookie sheet or pizza pan. Cut a few small slits on the top, and brush them lightly with olive oil.
Step 6: Bake and serve. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the calzones are evenly browned on top and bottom and the dough is cooked through. As soon as they come out of the oven, brush the tops with the salted garlic butter and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Let cool slightly, then serve warm with your favorite marinara sauce for dipping. Enjoy!
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Drain off the liquid and let the filling cool slightly. If the mixture is too watery or hot when added to the dough, the steam released can cause the calzones to become soggy. A little patience makes all the difference here.
- To prevent leaks during baking, spoon the spinach and cheese mixture into the center of each dough square. Fold the dough over carefully in a rectangle or triangle shape, then press the edges firmly with a fork to seal each calzone snugly.
- Don’t forget to cut a few small slits in the top before baking! This lets steam escape, preventing the dough from becoming soggy and ensuring a golden, crispy crust.
Variations
Don’t be afraid to make these spinach calzones your own. Here are some tasty ways to mix things up:
- Veggies – In addition to or instead of mushrooms and onions, try bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, broccoli, zucchini, or sliced black olives. One reader swapped the mushrooms for chopped artichoke hearts, and that sounds SO good here.
- Cheeses – Try using a blend of freshly shredded cheeses for extra richness. Besides mozzarella and parmesan, you could do provolone, fontina, gouda, or even a sprinkle of feta for melty goodness.
- Meats – To boost the protein content and make a more filling pizza pocket, fold cooked and cooled meats into the filling, like chicken, Italian sausage, sliced meatballs, or crispy bacon.
- Gluten-free – This recipe is easily adaptable if you need a gluten-free version. Just use a reliable gluten-free sheet-style pizza dough and follow the same filling and baking instructions.
Frozen spinach works, just make sure to thaw it completely and squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible before mixing it with the cheese filling. Otherwise, the extra liquid can make your calzones soggy.
Nope! They’re the same dough. The difference is all in the shape and filling. Calzones are basically folded pizzas.
Yes! You can assemble them up to a day in advance, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. When ready to bake, let them sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, then bake as directed. I’ve also just made the spinach and cheese filling in advance, so it’s ready to go for filling and baking.
Storing and freezing
Storing: Leftover spinach calzones keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, skip the microwave and warm them in a 325°F oven for about 10-15 minutes, or heat them in the air fryer (my preferred method) at 300°F for about 5 minutes, or until heated through.
Freezing: Let the baked calzones cool completely, then wrap them individually in foil and place them in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes, or until warmed through.
More spinach recipes
- Ham Spinach Quiche with Hashbrown Crust
- Spinach and Artichoke Pinwheels
- Ham Spinach Gruyere Gluten-Free Quiche
- Potato and Spinach Sauté
- Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Chicken
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Easy Spinach Calzones
Ingredients
- 8 oz low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese or fontina, shredded fresh from the block
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese finely shredded from the block
- 1 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 5 oz fresh baby spinach
- ½ cup chopped fresh mushrooms
- ⅓ sweet onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 14.1 oz package refrigerated pizza dough *in the refrigerated section of the grocery store (I've used Wewalka European bakery and Just Rol brands)
For basting on top *optional but recommended
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook until soft. Add spinach and garlic and cook until all spinach is wilted. Drain, cool and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. Add cooled spinach mixture to cheese mixture and blend.
- Flour a large cutting board and unroll the pizza dough to form a large rectangle. Use a rolling pin to smooth it out, if necessary. Cut into 6 even slices with a pizza cutter. Divide the filling into each square. Fold over, stretching the dough out a bit as you bring the edges together. Roll the edges, and press down with a fork to seal.
- Place calzones onto a greased cookie sheet or pizza pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cut a few small slits in each calzone to vent, and brush with a little olive oil.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until nicely browned on tops and bottoms.
- Stir the melted butter and garlic salt until combined and brush on top of each calzone. Sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan cheese.
- Serve with your favorite marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Drain off the liquid and let the filling cool slightly. If the mixture is too watery or hot when added to the dough, the steam released can cause the calzones to become soggy. A little patience makes all the difference here.
- To prevent leaks during baking, spoon the spinach and cheese mixture into the center of each dough square and spread it out a bit, leaving room around the edges. Fold the dough over carefully in a rectangle or triangle shape, then press the edges firmly with a fork to seal each calzone snugly.
- Don’t forget to cut a few small slits in the top before baking! This lets steam escape, preventing the dough from becoming soggy and ensuring a golden, crispy crust.
Nutrition
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I made the calzones and thought they were great! I did sub the artichokes for mushrooms and that worked really well. I also froze them individually to take to work for lunch and you wouldn’t even know I had reheated it, it was so good.
so glad you liked them!! I will have to try freezing them, too. They got eaten too fast in my house! I love artichokes. I bet that was yummy:)
I soooo need one of those salad shooters. It takes me forever to grate a cup of parmesan cheese.
This looks so good, especially for Lent. I don’t like mushrooms, do you think I could sub artichoke hearts? I have some in my pantry I need to use up.
I am not even sure that they still sell Salad Shooters, but it is awesome! My mother-in-law gave it to me because she never used it. Funny, because it is one of my favorite gadgets!! I am glad she didn’t want it. Artichokes would be yummy in these calzones…
They still make the salad shooters and yes they are nice. Margie dela torre
Good to know!