Stromboli
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Looking for a quick and easy dinner recipe that is kid-friendly? This Stromboli is your answer! Pizza dough rolled up with ham, pepperoni and cheese and then baked. Slice it and dunk it in marinara sauce. It’s a recipe the entire family will love and request again and again.

Do you have pizza night at your house? I have to admit it’s a frequent event at our house and I’ve been trying out ways to switch it up! Not that my family ever gets tired of it, but sometimes I get tired of it so I am so excited to share with you this Stromboli recipe!
What is Stromboli?
It’s like a giant pizza roll stuffed with all of your favorite toppings and it’s so easy to make with store-bought dough. Of course, you can make your own homemade pizza dough, but for an easy weeknight dinner I’m all about the short-cuts, but you probably already knew that!
This is a kid-friendly easy dinner that is always a hit at my house, so if you’re ready to switch up pizza night you have to try this easy Stromboli. I think you’re going to love it.
What’s The Difference Between A Calzone And A Stromboli?
If you’re thinking a Stromboli sounds a lot like a calzone you’d be right about that! There’s not much a difference, but they are two different things! They are both made with dough and stuffed with fillings, but a Stromboli is rolled up like a cake roll while a calzone is folded in half with fillings inside.
I actually like a Stromboli better because it’s easier to eat and you can serve it as a main course with a side dish like roasted cauliflower or Parmesan broccoli or as an appetizer with some breadsticks to go with it.
Stromboli Ingredients
- Pizza dough – Make your own or buy 1 pound of premade dough at the grocery store.
- Butter – For the crust on the inside and the top to get it golden brown.
- Garlic – Mince your own for the best flavor.
- Mozzarella – Grab a block and shred it yourself for the best result. It gets perfectly melty.
- Meat – We did a mixture of Ham, Salami and pepperoni.
- Egg – You’ll use the egg wash for sealing the stromboli edges.
- Garlic powder, Parmesan cheese and Parsley – Adds flavor to the butter mixture brushed on top of the dough.
How to Make Stromboli
For a Stromboli, you first roll the dough out into a rectangle so you can roll it up easily after you layer on the topping. I like to brush my dough with melted butter and garlic, but you can also brush it with olive oil or a light amount of pizza sauce, too.

Stromboli Filling Ideas
Once you know how to make it, a Stromboli is so versatile and you can use pretty much whatever fillings you want. I love recipes that you can customize and switch up so you never get tired of them!
You can let your imagination run wild with filling ideas, but Stromboli is usually made with Italian cold cuts, mozzarella cheese, and/or vegetables. All you do is layer the fillings on top of the dough! For my recipe we’re using:
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Ham
- Salami
- Pepperoni
When you layer the fillings be sure to leave a couple of inches of dough exposed on the two short sides and one of the long edges. You will brush each of those sides with egg wash so that it’s easy to seal the edges together once you roll up the dough with the fillings.

How To Roll The Stromboli
Once you’ve brushed the exposed edges with egg wash you’re ready to roll up your Stromboli!
- Start with the long end that doesn’t have any egg wash.
- Roll it up like you would a jelly roll or cake roll. You want to roll it into itself so when you sliced the baked roll the inside looks like a pinwheel. Be sure to roll it tightly so it stays together.
- Wet your fingers and seal the seams by pressing the edge into the roll.
- Carefully turn it seam-side down and tuck the ends under the roll to seal them.

Once you’ve rolled it up and sealed it closed you can transfer it to your baking sheet! I like to line my baking sheet with parchment paper – it makes clean-up a breeze! Before you pop you Stromboli in the oven there are just a couple more things to do:
- First, I like to brush the top of the roll with a mixture of melted butter, garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. The butter will help the crust brown and the seasonings add so much flavor!
- You will also need to cut vents in the top of the roll. This will allow steam to escape as the Stromboli bakes and it just looks pretty, too! Use a serrated knife to cut slits every two inches.

Bake your Stromboli for 25 to 30 minutes at 375 degrees F. You know it’s ready when the crust is golden brown. If your Stromboli is browning to quickly simply cover with foil and continue to bake. Also, place your pan in the bottom half of oven away from the heat source.
I like to let mine rest and cool for a few minutes before slicing it. Serve the slices warm with lots of marinara sauce on the side for dipping.
Can I make Stromboli Ahead of Time?
- If you want to make this ahead of time you can! Once the dough is rolled up, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Before baking brush with butter mixture and place in the preheated oven. Since it is cold you might have to add 5-10 minutes of cooking time.
How To Freeze Stromboli
- From Fresh – After making the it you can freeze it raw. You will need to simply wrap it up in plastic wrap then foil and place it in the freezer. When you are ready to use it, place it in the fridge to thaw before baking. Then bake according to directions. It will be cold at this time so you might have to add 5-10 minutes of baking time.
- Par-Baked – Another option is to par-bake the Stromboli before placing it in the freezer. After prepping it bake it for 5-7 minutes then cool, wrap in plastic wrap and then foil. Place it in the freezer. When you are ready to use simply place it in the oven and bake.
Do you eat stromboli hot or cold?
We enjoy our stromboli hot like pizza. If you have leftovers, it can be eaten cold or reheated.
Does stromboli have sauce in it?
Stromboli rarely contains tomato sauce. It is usually a combination of meat and cheese. The sauce is served on the side to dip it into.
How do you make a stromboli not soggy?
To prevent stromboli from becoming soggy you need to make sure to cut the slits in the top of the stromboli. This will let the steam escape while it bakes.
If you use a meat with a lot of moisture like ham or canadian bacon, drying it off with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before adding it to the stromboli will help.
Another trick is to cook it on a preheat pizza stone so the bottom becomes nice and tricky.
Is pizza dough the same as stromboli dough?
Yes, stromboli is made with pizza dough. We love our homemade pizza dough recipe for this easy stromboli!
Serving Suggestions
Here are some great ideas to serve with this easy stromboli recipe. Of course, you can serve it solo and it’s a meal in itself, too!
- Soup
- Breadsticks
- Garlic Bread
- Roasted Vegetables
- Caesar Salad
- Side Salad
- Zucchini Fries
- Pasta Salad
- Chicken Wings
- Greek salad

More Pizza-Inspired Dinner Ideas
If your family is pizza crazy like mine is you have to give some of these other recipes a try, too!
- My Crockpot Pizza Casserole is an easy way to get all of those great pizza flavors without a lot of work!
- French Bread Pizza is a quick and easy way to satisfy a craving without the hassle of making dough or calling out for pizza!
- My Pizza Pasta is an easy one-pot dinner that the whole family will love.
- If you want a really easy recipe try my Pizza Ring made with store-bought crescent dough and stuffed with all the toppings!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

Easy Stromboli
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough
- 3 Tablespoons butter melted, divided
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella divided
- 12 thin slices ham
- 15 slices salami
- 15-17 slices pepperoni
- 1 egg beaten
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
- Marinara sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Lightly flour your workplace. Roll pizza dough into a rectangle about 12 x 14 inches. You can also roll it out onto a piece of parchment paper so you can put the paper straight into the oven without transferring the dough to a pan.
- In a small bowl combine melted 1 Tbsp melted butter and minced garlic. Brush over the top of dough.
- Sprinkle ½ c. mozzarella cheese on top of dough, leaving a 1-2 inches around one of the long edges and the two short ends.
- Top the cheese with ham. Sprinkle with the another ½ c. Mozzarella cheese on top of ham. Next, add the pieces of salami and pepperoni. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of the pepperoni.
- In a small bowl beat the egg with a fork. Use a brush to coat the 3 exposed edges of the dough (where you left the cheese off, think short, short, long).
- Next, carefully roll up the long edge of your stromboli jelly roll style. Start with the long edge that DOES NOT have the egg wash. Roll it tightly so it stays together. Seal the seam with wet fingertips. Then roll the stromboli so the seam is facing down. You may need to tuck the sides of the dough under so it’s sealed.
- Transfer to baking sheet or pizza stone.
- In a small bowl combine the remaining 2 Tbsp melted butter, garlic powder, parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Brush the top of the stromboli with butter mixture. Using a sharp serrated knife make shallow diagonal cuts on top of stromboli every 2 inches.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let set 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife cut into 8 slices.
- Serve with warm marinara sauce.
Tips
- This Pizza Dough (linked in ingredients) makes two pizza doughs, so if you use that recipe only use half of it for this recipe. Freeze the other half for later or make two Stromboli and freeze one.
- If your Stromboli is browning to quickly place in bottom half of oven away from heat source or cover with tinfoil.
- If you want to make this ahead of time you can! Once the dough is rolled up, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Before baking brush with butter mixture and place in the preheated oven. Since it is cold you might have to add 5-10 minutes of cooking time.
- From fresh – After making the it you can freeze it raw. You will need to simply wrap it up in plastic wrap then foil and place it in the freezer. When you are ready to use it, place it in the fridge to thaw before baking. Then bake according to directions. It will be cold at this time so you might have to add 5-10 minutes of baking time.
- Par-Baked – Another option is to par-bake the Stromboli before placing it in the freezer. After prepping it bake it for 5-7 minutes then cool, wrap in plastic wrap and then foil. Place it in the freezer. When you are ready to use simply place it in the oven and bake.
Clara K says
My roll fell apart in the oven. Did I roll it too thin? Not sure what I did wrong. It was delicious, regardless of how it looked.
Courtney says
Did you seal the edges and roll tight? Glad it still tasted good. Practice makes perfect!
Patrice says
Made the Stromboli for Friday dinner. Family loved it. Easy and very filling. With a little homemade marinara, it’s going into the family dinner rotation.
Michele says
Making this again for dinner. Husband and I really enjoyed it. Very simple to make
Courtney says
Awesome! Thank you for letting us know you enjoy this recipe and for rating it!
Annette Kreamer says
Please send your Recipe that look so Good.
Karen R says
This is the best stromboli I’ve ever made. The garlic butter elevates it to a whole new level.
Courtney says
Thank you so much for the wonderful comment! 😊 The garlic butter is definitely a favorite for me too!
Helen T. says
It just so happens I had frozen dough and was looking for something simple to make on a Saturday.. I ran to the Amish market in our area to get my variety of meats and cheeses…voila IT WAS AMAZING
Courtney says
Yum! That does sound amazing!
Tammy O. says
I’ve made this twice already and am going to make it again tonight. I’ve shared the recipe with several family members. Originally saw this on the YouTube channel “Mandy in the Making”. It was in a top 5 list so I had to try it. I’d never made a Stromboli before. It’s so tasty and easy! My husband prefers it to pizza.
Ken says
This is the first time I ever made Stromboli. It will definitely not be the last! Very simple and quick to assemble. The finished product was amazing! I did add a very thin layer of some leftover pasta sauce. I also added some mild banana pepper rings and roasted red peppers from a jar. Dried them with paper towel before adding. Deli ham and pepperoni, 8 of freshly grated block mozzarella, and a light sprinkling of an Italian herb blend and it was good to roll! Thank you so much for sharing!
Anna says
We love it and it’s so easy.
Courtney says
Awesome to hear you found this simple and delicious meal to add to your meals! 🙂
Patti says
Your house will smell incredible. This was so good and very easy to make. Family all loved it!
Julie Evink says
Awesome to hear Patti! Thanks so much for commenting and rating!
Sue Fowler says
This was easy to make and delicious!!
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it Sue! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Lynn says
Hi, can I use Pillsbury pizza dough?
Shannon says
I sure hope so! That’s I’m using tonight for a quick meal!
Shannon says
My husband said, “Keep this in the top 10!” I did cheat and use Pilsbury pizza dough by the way to save time. It was awesome! I can only imagine that the homemade dough is even better. I also used Rao marinara sauce for dipping…. very good!
Lynda says
Loved this, it was SO delicious! Served it Christmas morning. I’m just wondering about the extra dough. I froze it. How do I use it when I want to make another one? Do I thaw dough in fridge first? If so, the. What?
Cathy says
I love this Stromboli! It’s easy, impressive looking, and delicious! I’ve made it a few times now, and everyone always loves it. The leftovers are yummy, too! I like to serve it alongside homemade minestrone. In fact, that’s what I’m making for my soon-to-be 97 year old Dad’s birthday dinner this week. I’m sure you could use this same technique and switch up the ingredients, but I love it as is. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Julie Evink says
I’m so glad you are enjoying this recipe!! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Melissa Flores says
When par-baking to put in the freezer do you need to remove the plastic wrap prior to putting in the oven?