Need an easy weeknight dinner? These meatball calzones are ready in less than 30 minutes and a fun way to use pizza dough!
Do you ever use only part of a bag of frozen meatballs and don’t know what to do with the rest?
Honestly, sometimes I leave the half-bag in the freezer and forget it’s there. But if I know I’m only planning to use half the bag, I’ll plan another meal that same week to use up the rest. It helps me save money AND reduce food waste!
Meatballs are very versatile. You can use them as appetizers with BBQ sauce, or turn them into main meals like this.
These easy Meatball Calzones are made with pizza dough and have that classic pizza flavor with gooey cheese and a delicious tomato sauce. You can do so many things with this!
Scroll to the bottom of the post to get to the recipe card. Or keep reading for more tips and tricks!
Want to see this recipe in video form? Check out my video on Youtube!
Can you use homemade meatballs?
If you choose to make your own meatballs, make sure you cook them first. The cooking time for the calzones won’t allow the meatballs to fully cook.
This is my favorite homemade meatball recipe– it’s freezer friendly, too!
Ingredients
Pizza dough
Frozen meatballs
Marinara sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Additions/Substitutions
Dough: Use a store-bought pizza dough or even make your own!
Cheese: Add some grated Parmesan cheese for extra flavor, or other favorite cheese blends.
Sauce: I used a jar of sauce, but feel free to make your own or even use pizza sauce.
Seasonings: Add extra seasonings or spices like red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, etc.
How to make
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Using a rolling pin, roll out the pizza dough onto a large cutting board. Cut into 6 pieces.
On one side of each piece of dough, place meatballs (2-3), a tablespoon of sauce, and 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella.
Fold dough over the meatballs and press edges together to seal. Place calzones on a baking sheet that’s been greased with cooking spray. Optional: Use a pastry brush to add melted garlic butter to the top of the calzone!
Bake for 10-12 minutes until the tops of the dough are golden brown and the meatballs are fully heated.
How to store
Once these calzones have come to room temperature, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Use up within 3-5 days.
What to serve with this
Steamed or roasted vegetables would help balance out this main dish. A salad would go great, too. I like using the pre-made salad kits!
More Meatball Recipes
Want some more ways to use up leftover meatballs? Check out my roundup post of meatball recipes!
These calzones are easy enough to make any night of the week. Print the recipe below:
Meatball Calzones
Need an easy weeknight dinner? These meatball calzones are ready in less than 30 minutes and a fun way to use pizza dough!
Ingredients
- 1 can refrigerated pizza dough
- 18 frozen meatballs
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the pizza dough onto a large cutting board. Cut into 6 pieces.
- On one side of each one, place 2-3 meatballs, a tablespoon of sauce, and 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella.
- Fold dough over the meatballs and pinch the edges together to seal. Place each one on a greased baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the tops of the dough are golden brown and the meatballs are fully heated.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 400Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 849mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 17g
Jaime is a Nutrition Coach through the ISSA and professional writer. She has 4 years experience coaching and 9 years experience in writing. She enjoys cooking easy meals, running, and learning more about food.
Jaime specializes in helping women with ADHD learn to meal plan and cook healthier meals without getting overwhelmed.