Stromboli vs. Calzone: What's the Difference?

It's just one little key ingredient.

Italians have mastered the art of pizza—and then making it easy to carry it around with you, with delicious portable versions like stromboli and calzones.

But sometimes it can be a little hard to figure out what's the difference between a stromboli vs. calzone (let alone choosing between the two pizza-like treats).

Related: 7 Tips for Cooking Pizzeria-Worthy Calzones

We've solved the mystery of what exactly sets strombolis and calzones apart—we'll leave it to you to pick your favorite.

What Is a Stromboli?

Strombolis start out with a rectangle of pizza dough, and it's topped with your choice of fillings (mozzarella cheese is a definite, and veggies, meat, and sauces are all optional). The fillings are rolled up into the dough and sealed shut to create a cylinder of dough stuffed with delicious goodies.

Related: Veggie Stromboli

Often, the stromboli is a shared dish, large enough to share a piece (or two) with people. And you can serve it with just sauce and cheese, with veggies, or with an array of antipasto ingredients stuffed inside.

What Is a Calzone?

Think of a calzone as a sealed pizza. A round of pizza dough is stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese, and your choice of toppings. It's crimped shut and baked, and usually served with sauce on the side.

Related: Three-Cheese Calzones

(We have some great calzone recipes, whether you'd like yours stuffed with roasted veggies or squash, but you can also opt to turn any favorite pizza recipes into a calzone.)

Calzones can be shared with someone else—or a hearty appetite can manage the whole thing.

What's the Difference Between a Stromboli Vs. Calzone?

Obviously, the shape and size are big differentiators here, but there are a few other ways you can tell these two delicacies apart.

The cheeses used

Ricotta is commonly used in calzones, while strombolis don't usually include it. Mozzarella is typically the only cheese used in a stromboli.

Where they came from

Fun fact: While calzones hail from Italy (they were invented in 18th-century Naples to be exact), stromboli is an American invention, created in Philadelphia in the 1950s. So don't be surprised if you don't find it on the menus if you're heading to Italy.

How big they are

Think of a stromboli as a party food—it's meant to serve several people. Calzones, though, are more of a just-the-two-of us meal.

Where the sauce is

The sauce is usually rolled into the stromboli, while most calzones are served with pizza sauce for dipping on the side.

Their shape

The stromboli is like a giant tube of gooey, pizza goodness, and retains a bit of its squared off shape even after baking. The calzone is a half moon, and is a close cousin in look to empanadas, pierogis, and other delicious treats.

Smart Strategies for Making the Best (and Easiest) Strombolis and Calzones

Want to settle that calzone vs. stromboli debate at home? Here's how you can easily make both strombolis and calzones for a battle for handheld pizza supremacy. Just make sure you follow these tips to ensure perfect strombolis and calzones every time.

Use store-bought pizza dough

Homemade pizza dough is always great, but you can get the same results with store-bought bread or pizza dough. (But if you do want to DIY your pizza dough, here's the recipe!)

Be sure it's sealed up tightly

Moisten the edge of the dough and crimp and seal carefully to ensure the ingredients stay put. (Leaks will make it harder to take your calzones or strombolis on the go.)

Make sure you cut into dough before you bake

Once your calzone or stromboli is sealed, cut a few thin slits into the dough to allow heat and steam to escape and avoid messy leaks (or a calzone explosion).

Slather it with egg wash or olive oil

To give it that professional, shiny look, brush egg wash or olive oil onto the dough before you bake it.

Don't skimp on the ingredients

You can really stuff calzones and strombolis with lots of cheese, meats, and veggies. (And it might just be an easy way to slip a little extra veggies in for picky eaters.)

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