Fill this homemade stromboli with your favorite meats and/or cheeses like pepperoni, ham, prosciutto, provolone, mozzarella, and so much more. I make it from my homemade pizza dough, a simple 6-ingredient dough that stays soft on the inside and develops a wonderfully crisp crust. There’s only 1 rise needed, which gives you enough time to prep any fillings. Stromboli makes a wonderful meal, but also works as an appetizer or game day snack.
Tell Me About This Homemade Stromboli
- Flavor: This recipe is more like a guideline because you can customize it with your favorite various fillings. Stromboli is a pizzeria menu staple where I grew up in Philly and I usually make it with Genoa salami, deli pepperoni, provolone, and mozzarella cheese. I love brushing the dough with melted butter, garlic, and fresh parsley for added flavor. Garlic powder, dried herbs, or even an Italian seasoning work wonderfully on the dough too. Or spread your favorite pizza sauce on top– see recipe note below. Flavoring/filling options are endless.
- Ease: Looking at the recipe below, you may be intimidated by its length. Don’t be nervous– I wrote the recipe in extreme detail in case you have questions along the way. I work well with visuals, so I include step-by-step photos and a video tutorial too. Overall, I’d say this is an intermediate recipe. The dough is pretty straightforward. Shaping/filling/rolling is easy, but take the time to review this post and directions before you start. No matter how your baked stromboli looks, you’re eating crust/cheese/meats/garlic/and maybe some sauce. It’ll be delicious, I promise.
- Time: There’s no arguing that homemade dough takes time, but the results are always worth the effort. Luckily this dough only requires 1 rise and you can prep your fillings as you wait. It will take you a little less than 3 hours to complete the full recipe.
Stromboli from Pizza Dough
You can make 1 stromboli with 1 pound of store-bought or homemade pizza dough. Even though store-bought dough is convenient, I encourage you to try this homemade dough. It requires just 6 basic ingredients and about 60-90 minutes of rise time.
2 Important Notes on my Pizza Dough:
- My pizza dough yields about 2 lbs of dough, which is enough for 2 strombolis or 1 stromboli + a batch of cheesy breadsticks, 1 pizza, or even 8 garlic knots.
- I don’t recommend halving this dough recipe. You can try, but for absolute best results, make the full recipe. If you only need 1 stromboli, freeze the other half of dough for another time. I promise you’ll want to make stromboli again.
It’s really handy to have 1 all-purpose dough that works in many different ways; you’ll appreciate its ease and versatility. I use this exact dough for ham & cheese pockets and pepperoni pizza rolls, too.
Stromboli Fillings
Options are endless. If it works as a pizza topping, it will probably work as a stromboli filling. You can’t really go wrong because if you’ve used too much filling, you won’t be able to roll the dough up.
- Base: Butter + garlic + parsley is a great spread for the dough before adding other fillings. Feel free to use more garlic and parsley or swap parsley for another herb or Italian seasoning. You can also use pizza sauce. See below.
- Meats & Cheeses: Make sure any meat you use is cooked. You can use 1/2 pound of various sliced meats per stromboli, this could be about 20 slices per stromboli but that depends on the thickness of the meat. Some meat suggestions are capicola, salami, soppressata, prosciutto, deli ham/turkey/roast beef, and/or pepperoni. Avoid using small pizza pepperoni slices. For best results (and flavor), use large pepperoni slices from the deli counter. You want about 1/2 pound of cheese per stromboli as well. If using shredded cheese, I recommend 1 and 1/2 cups per stromboli. If using sliced deli cheese, I recommend 10-12 slices per stromboli. You can also mix– I usually use 6-8 large slices provolone and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Only Cheese: If you want a meat-free stromboli, still use the recommended amount of cheese. If you add more, it may spill out the sides or be difficult to roll and slice. Feel free to add vegetables. See next.
- Veggies/Herbs: Other filling ideas, instead of or in addition to meats/cheeses, are a layer of cooked mushrooms, cooked chopped broccoli, or cooked sliced peppers (blot excess moisture if you can), spinach, or basil leaves (chopped or whole). For a meatless stromboli, 2 cups of vegetables per stromboli (plus your cheese) works well.
Want to add pizza sauce? You can add pizza/marinara/tomato sauce to the filling. Feel free to skip the melted butter and garlic (or leave it on, doesn’t matter) and spread 1/2 cup of sauce onto each rolled out dough before layering on the meats and cheeses in step 6.
Step-by-Step Photos
After you punch down the dough, divide it in half to make 2 strombolis. You can freeze half for another time if desired.
Roll each out into a (roughly) 10×16 inch rectangle and spread with garlic butter.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley or desired herbs, then layer on meats and cheeses, leaving a 3 inch gap on top and 1 inch gap around the edges. Brush edges with egg wash, which helps keep everything sealed.
Roll up, tucking in the ends. Do this slowly and make sure the roll is tight.
Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with coarse salt, pepper, more herbs, or a little cheese. (Toppings are optional.) Cut 3-4 slits on top for air to escape.
Bake until golden brown, then cool for 5 minutes before slicing. It’s flaky and crisp when it’s warm– totally irresistible. Pizza or marinara sauce is great for dipping! If you ever need a homemade sauce to try, we really like Beth’s homemade pizza sauce.
Stromboli Vs. Calzone
And, finally, here’s a quick explanation if you’re interested. Stromboli and calzone are not the same, though they can be prepped with the same ingredients. The difference is their shape. Stromboli originated in Philadelphia by restaurant owner Nazzereno Romano and is rolled like a cinnamon roll, baked as 1 long log, then sliced. Italian calzones originated in Naples, are folded in half like a semi-circle or half moon, then baked and served individually. Both can be filled with the same ingredients, though a calzone usually includes ricotta (something a little too wet for stromboli) and both are usually brushed with an egg wash to help seal the edges and provide a golden crisp crust. Lots of love for both!
See Your Homemade Stromboli
Many readers tried this recipe as part of a baking challenge!
Homemade Stromboli (Yields 2)
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: two 16 inch strombolis (about 10-12 slices each)
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Use this dough recipe and the filling/toppings below to create 2 Homemade Strombolis. See all recipe notes before beginning because you can save half of the dough for another time or make other dishes with it (such as pizza or breadsticks). More filling suggestions, helpful step-by-step photos, and a video tutorial are included in the post.
Ingredients
Homemade Dough for 2
- 1 and 1/3 cups (320ml) warm water (between 100-110°F, 38-43°C)
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active-dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 Tablespoon (13g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 and 1/2 cups (about 450g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for hands and work surface
Fillings for 2
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 pound thinly sliced meats such as Italian cold cuts, deli ham, or large pepperoni slices*
- 3/4 – 1 pound cheese (about 3 cups shredded or about 16-20 slices deli cheese)*
Egg Wash & Topping for 2
- egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon water
- optional: sprinkle of chopped fresh or dried parsley, sea salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and/or parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Whisk the warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes. *If you don’t have a stand mixer, simply use a large mixing bowl and mix the dough with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula in the next step.
- Add the olive oil, salt, and flour. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead the dough for 5 minutes (for a visual, watch me do it in the video below). The dough can be a little too heavy for a mixer to knead it, but you can certainly use the mixer on low speed instead. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger – if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading.
- Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray– just use the same bowl you used for the dough. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes or until double in size. If using instant yeast, this takes about 1 hour. (Tip: For the warm environment on a particularly cold day, heat your oven to 150°F (66°C). Turn the oven off, place the dough inside, and keep the door slightly ajar. This will be a warm environment for your dough to rise. After about 30 minutes, close the oven door to trap the air inside with the rising dough. When it’s doubled in size, remove from the oven.)
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Shape the dough: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Divide in half. (If you aren’t making 2 strombolis, freeze the other half of dough. See freezing instructions below.) On a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each half of dough into a 10×16 inch rectangle. I like to use my hands to square off the edges, as shown in the video below. If the dough keeps shrinking as you try to shape it, cover it lightly and let the dough rest for 10 minutes before trying again. (The gluten just needs to settle.)
- Add fillings: Mix melted butter and garlic together. Spread all over each rectangle. Sprinkle each with parsley. When you start layering on meats and cheeses, leave a 1 inch border on the bottom and sides and a 3 inch border on top. (Basically you’ll have an empty 3×16 inch gap on top that only has butter/garlic on it. This is because when rolling, the fillings will be pushed forward. See photos and video below if you need a visual.) Arrange a layer sliced meats onto each dough, usually about 8-10 slices on each depending on size and thickness of slices. Add a layer of cheese. Repeat with more meat and cheese until all is used– about 1/2 pound meat and 1/2 pound cheese per stromboli. Brush all edges with egg wash, including 3 inch gap at the top. This helps the stromboli hold its rolled shape. Slowly roll each into a tight 16 inch log, folding in the two ends as you roll. See me do this in the video below. Dust your hands or the dough with flour if things become too sticky. Carefully transfer each to lined baking sheets. Pinch or tuck in ends to seal if they became unfolded.
- Brush each stromboli with egg wash and, if desired, optional toppings. Using a very sharp knife, cut 3-4 slits into the tops of each, which helps steam escape. At this point, you can cover shaped stromboli tightly and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
- Bake for about 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown– if you have an instant read thermometer, the center of the stromboli should be at least 200ºF (93ºC). If meats are particularly greasy (like pepperoni), some grease will spill out the sides. Cheese may bubble out the sides or top slits, too. If baking both at the same time, rotate pans halfway through baking and extend bake time (if needed) by 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a cutting board and slicing.
- Serve plain or with pizza/marinara sauce for dipping.
- Cover and store leftover stromboli (slices or whole) in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Dough: This dough recipe is the same as my pizza dough recipe. It yields 2 strombolis. After the dough rises and you divide the dough in half (step 5), you can freeze half of the dough. (If you want to freeze all of this dough, I recommend you still divide it in half and freeze separately.) Shape half or halves into a ball(s). Lightly coat all sides of the dough ball(s) with nonstick spray or olive oil. Place the dough ball(s) in a zipped-top bag and seal tightly, squeezing out all the air. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place the frozen pizza dough in the refrigerator for about 8 hours or overnight. When ready to make stromboli, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to rest for 30 minutes on the counter. Continue with step 5, punching down the dough to release air if needed.
- Overnight Dough Instructions: To prevent these notes from getting too crowded, see pizza dough post for overnight dough instructions.
- Refrigerate Shaped Stromboli Ahead of Time: See end of step 7.
- Freezing Shaped Stromboli Before Baking: Instead of freezing the dough as a whole, you can freeze the shaped stromboli before baking. Fill and roll stromboli as directed in step 6. Do not cut slits or add egg wash (step 7). Carefully place filled/rolled stromboli on a piece of plastic wrap. Sprinkle with flour to help prevent sticking. Wrap up tightly. To preserve freshness, I recommend a layer of aluminum foil over the plastic wrap as well. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw, still wrapped, in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Brush with egg wash, add optional toppings, and cut steam slits. Place stromboli on a lined baking sheet and bake as directed. Since stromboli is pretty cold going into the oven, it will take a couple extra minutes to bake.
- Freezing Baked Stromboli: Allow baked stromboli to cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil (or a layer of both), and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw, still wrapped, for just 1 hour at room temperature. Bake, lightly covered with aluminum foil, in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 30 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): KitchenAid Stand Mixer | Dough Scraper | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Pastry Brush
- Amount of Dough/1 Stromboli: My homemade pizza dough, written in this recipe above, yields about 2 lbs of dough, which is enough for 2 strombolis. If you only want 1 stromboli, freeze half of the dough as noted in step 5 or make a pizza such as extra cheese pizza, margherita pizza, or BBQ chicken pizza or a batch of cheesy breadsticks. If you’re only making 1 stromboli, make sure you halve the filling ingredients. For the egg wash/topping ingredients, it’s difficult to halve the egg, so whisk 1 egg with 1 Tbsp water, use as directed, then discard any leftover. (You’ll have leftover egg wash even if you’re making 2 strombolis.)
- Fillings & Vegetable Stromboli: Butter + garlic + parsley is a great spread for the dough before adding the meats/cheeses. Feel free to use more garlic and parsley or swap parsley for another herb or Italian seasoning. You can also use pizza sauce. See next note. Use 1/2 pound of various sliced deli meats per stromboli, this could be about 20 slices per stromboli but that depends on the thickness of your meat. Avoid using small pizza pepperoni slices. For best results (and flavor), use large pepperoni slices from the deli counter. You want about 1/2 pound of cheese per stromboli as well. If using shredded cheese, I recommend 1 and 1/2 cups per stromboli. If using sliced deli cheese, I recommend 10-12 slices per stromboli. You can also mix– I usually use 6-8 large slices provolone and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. For a meatless option, you can add cooked mushrooms, cooked chopped broccoli, or cooked sliced peppers (blot excess moisture if you can), spinach, or basil leaves (chopped or whole)– 2 cups of vegetables per stromboli (plus your cheese) works well. Options are endless here. You can’t really go wrong because if you’ve used too much filling, you won’t be able to roll it up.
- Want to add pizza sauce? You can add pizza/marinara/tomato sauce to the filling. Feel free to skip the melted butter and garlic (or leave it on, doesn’t matter) and spread 1/2 cup of sauce onto each rolled out dough before layering on the meats and cheeses in step 6. If you ever need a homemade sauce to try, we really like this homemade pizza sauce.
- Egg Free: Skip the egg wash if needed. You can brush each shaped stromboli with 1 Tablespoon melted butter instead.
Keywords: stromboli
This is the best stromboli my husband and I have ever had!! Super delicious and the perfect dinner for a night of comfort food!! I made this with the pizza sauce you linked. I think I need to have a batch of dough in the freezer at all times now! Thank you so much for sharing this and all of the recipes you have!! I look forward to your recipes so much!! 🙂
★★★★★
What temp for baking. I can not seem to get the crust crisp and golden without burning the bottom. Thanks Dave
Amazing dough recipe! Only recipe I will ever use. My entire family loved it!
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Amazing recipe! I made one stromboli with pepperoni, provolone, mozzarella, and prosciutto. I topped it with oregano and parmesan. Incredible! I served Rao’s marinara on the side. SO GOOD! I love your recipes and this website. Every recipe is a winner. I am so excited to make this again since I have the other half of the dough in the freezer. Thank you!
★★★★★
Have you made the dough recipe without a stand mixer? I’m worried the dough won’t come out as nice, and I won’t want to go & buy a mixer.
Hi Davishay, if you don’t have a stand mixer, simply use a large mixing bowl and mix the dough with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula in the next step. It should come out just as nicely, will just take some arm muscle to mix the flour in. Hope you enjoy the stromboli!
Thank you so much! I’m so excited to try the recipe. 🙂
I followed the recipe and it came out perfectly. I made both. The 1st w/ salami, pepperoni, peppers, and cheese. The 2nd with mushrooms, olives, onions, and cheese. I liked the note to not halve the dough (I do with most recipes). The dough was amazing. So good that I followed the directions again to use in a different recipe.
★★★★★
Amazing! Thank you for sharing.
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This recipe is awesome! I made two today and we only ate one, so one will go into the freezer. The meats I used (Genoa salami, honey ham & a sopressata) were all sliced extremely thin. Also added the mozzarella recommended. This made it easy to roll. Can’t wait to see how well the frozen one, pre – baked turns out. Thanks, Sally!
★★★★★
Hello. We made this tonight. It was so good!! I had a problem with them opening up, do you know why that happened? I used the egg around the edges too.
Hi Stephany! A few tips for you…it’s possible the dough was rolled a bit too thin, which caused it to open up. For next time, try rolling it a bit thicker, even if that means the rectangle is slightly smaller. Always be sure to bake the stromboli with the seam on the bottom, and avoid overstuffing it with cheese, meats, and other toppings. Finally, if you are using especially greasy meats, it helps to blot them dry with a paper towel — the excess grease can sometimes cause them to make the crust soggy and open up. Hope all of these are helpful for next time!
Delicious! I made these with a broccoli cheese filling which worked wonderfully.
★★★★★
Can you bring this to a potluck without the ability to reheat it??
Hi Valerie! This stromboli tastes delicious at room temperate, just be careful with letting it sit out for too long as it’s filled with the perishable meats and cheeses.
Hey Sally, you’ve made a cook out of me throughout lockdown! Followed the recipe exactly as instructed, it was nicely cooked on the outside but the center most fold of dough was still uncooked. Temperature of oven was exact and it was very well browned on the outside, so couldn’t leave it past 25 minutes, any ideas how I can get that center cooked next time? Were my cuts maybe too superficial and not deep enough? (I just cut slits on the outermost layer of dough and didn’t cut past it) I still ate a whole stromboli by myself! Was greaaatttt
★★★★★
Hi Ali! We’re so glad you made and enjoyed this homemade stromboli. Most homemade breads/doughs should be at least 200ºF (93ºF) in the thickest part to be considered done. Do you have an instant read thermometer? You can use it next time. If it’s browning too early you can try covering the Stromboli with aluminum foil while the inside finishes cooking. Hope this helps!
Very good. I filled mine with prosciutto, Genoa salami, pepperoni, boiled ham, sweet peppers, jalapeno and serrano peppers (no hot peppers on my wife’s), red onion, mozzarella, lots of garlic, Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and sauce. And served more sauce on the side.
★★★★★
This is one of the best things I ever made! Thank you for a fantastic recipe! I used a mix of ham, salami, and pepperoni, and a mix of asiago and cheddar.
★★★★★
Will stromboli get soggy if refrigerated for several hours before baking ?
Hi Elena, it shouldn’t get soggy — you can cover the shaped stromboli and refrigerate it for up to 8 hours before baking.
Love love love this recipe! We’ve made it several times now and it’s always a hit. Thank you for sharing!!
I had a question about freezing the assembled stromboli before baking. We’re moving soon and I’m trying to put together some frozen meals that just need to be thawed and baked and I think this would be great! Normally we add fresh whole basil leaves to our stomboli, but I’m worried they’ll get weird. Do you think they’ll still taste ok (if maybe discoloured), or should we maybe use something like pesto for the frozen ones?
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Hi Ellie, The basil leave should be just fine if you are freezing them before baking!
Made this last night and it was a huge hit. Reminded me of visiting my Italian family on the east coast when I was little. Someone in the family would make stromboli very similar to this recipe. Thanks for the easy to follow directions!
★★★★★
Mmmm, this was so good, and pretty versatile. I used some sautéed Swiss chard and some fresh basil, salami and cheese and it was great! Will not be last time I do this.
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Hi Sally! I have done this recipe so many times with cold cuts and cheese. Do you think cream cheese will work to replace some of the regular cheese?
Love this recipe
★★★★★
Great recipe!! Spot on!! I made my 1st one today.
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Do you have any suggestions for reheating left overs?
Hi Sandy, a minute or so in the microwave will work, or if you’re reheating quite a few pieces, you can also stick them back in the oven. Same temperature until they are heated to your liking. Enjoy!
This recipe was SO GOOD! I always go to Sally’s for any recipe I need. I made a pepperoni and cheese, and a ham and cheese, and they went fast! Can’t wait to make again. I also love how easy her recipes make the process!
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Well this was a huge success. I made it with sourdough starter, which means that I could make it with only ingredients I already had in my house! Wow! I made the dough last night, and may have woken up at 4:30am to finish it… not with an alarm or anything. It was just Stromboli time. And you know what? It was worth it.
It was shockingly easy, rolled surprisingly well (didn’t get stuck to my counter at all!), and didn’t take nearly as much time as I thought it would. I used spinach and broccoli with mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan. I will absolutely be making this again.
★★★★★
I want to try doing this but I ran out of all-purpose flour, can I use bread flour instead? Thank you so much!
Hi Cherry, absolutely. Same amount!
For European cooks it’s worth noting that the metric conversion of the US ‘cups’ in the dough recipe is way off beam. You’ll need a lot more flour than it suggests…
This is SO good that I’ve made it twice and kept one for the freezer. The instructions are great and mine “looks like the picture” (a household joke) until it is baked. Although it is rolled tight, used the egg wash, and put the stromboli seam down it always busts the seam and oozes out. Still quite tasty but a mess. It could be the dough (using a King Arthur Sourdough Pizza Crust recipe to keep my starter size in check) but I wouldn’t think so. Any suggestions or should I just try sticking with the recipe as written? Thanks and thank you for such a delicious creation!
★★★★★
Hi Sheila, We’re so glad that you love this recipe so much! We would follow the dough recipe as written if you try it again. See if you can roll the dough thicker (so the rectangle is a little smaller and the stromboli is smaller too). Thicker dough shouldn’t tear or collapse as much. Use extra flour when rolling it out/shaping it too. This should all help for next time.
I had made it with my sourdough starter, but using this recipe. About 3/4 cup of recently fed starter, only 1 cup of water, and 3 cups of flour. No other changes. It worked like a charm. Could always try that next time too!
Thank you, Melody. I’ll keep your suggested proportions in mind the next time I make this. I also thought I’d try sealing the seam with not only egg wash but pressing with a utensil and adding an extra fold. The dough hasn’t been too thin but the seam isn’t sealing well or holding up during baking. I really appreciate the tip !
PS – Your “breakfast” Stromboli sounds yummy!
Love this recipe! I make several batches at a time. I slice them up and take them to my son and his roommates/friends. They love them!
★★★★★
I am giving this 5 stars because I know your recipes are great. I ran into a problem today. This was supposed to be supper but things happen. They are in the fridge ready to bake but it will be more than 8 hours but less than 24. Crossing my fingers. Otherwise they look great.
★★★★★
Just made this. Just ate this. Just checked to see if I have enough ingredients to make it again tomorrow . Biggest mistake-made 1, split it with neighbor. I won’t make that mistake again. Sally, i make all of your recipes, bagels,ham and cheese pockets, etc.. this recipe is fantastic!!
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This was SO GOOD! I had never had this before, but I will definitely make it again! I went ahead, despite the advice to the contrary, and made 1/2 a batch of the dough because I just couldn’t see eating two of these. It was the right decision for my family, and the dough turned out fantastically well. Very happy to add this to my collection!
This recipe was a huge success! Thank you for the video and pictures for shaping, rolling, etc, that so, SO helpful. I filled my stromboli with mozzarella and roasted vegetables and it was so delicious.
★★★★★