A calzone is a delightful Italian dish that combines the best of pizza and a savory pastry. It's perfect for a quick dinner or a fun meal with friends. This vegan version is packed with flavor, featuring a crispy crust and a delicious filling of tomato sauce, vegan cheese, and fresh vegetables.
If you don't usually cook vegan dishes, you might not have vegan cheese on hand. This ingredient can be found in the dairy-free section of most supermarkets. Additionally, make sure to get fresh vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms to ensure the best flavor and texture for your calzones.
Ingredients For Vegan Calzone Recipe
All-purpose flour: The base for the dough, providing structure and texture.
Olive oil: Adds richness and helps to create a tender dough.
Salt: Enhances the flavor of the dough.
Warm water: Activates the gluten in the flour, making the dough pliable.
Tomato sauce: Provides a tangy and savory base for the filling.
Vegan cheese: A dairy-free alternative that melts and adds creaminess to the filling.
Vegetables: Fresh bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms add flavor, texture, and nutrition to the calzone.
Technique Tip for This Recipe
When sealing the edges of your calzone, use a fork to crimp the dough. This not only ensures a tight seal to prevent the filling from leaking out but also gives the calzone a decorative edge. Additionally, you can brush a little olive oil on the top of the calzone before baking to achieve a beautiful golden brown crust.
Suggested Side Dishes
Alternative Ingredients
all-purpose flour - Substitute with whole wheat flour: Whole wheat flour adds more fiber and nutrients, making the dough healthier.
olive oil - Substitute with avocado oil: Avocado oil has a higher smoke point and a neutral flavor, making it a good alternative for baking.
salt - Substitute with sea salt: Sea salt contains trace minerals and has a more complex flavor profile.
warm water - Substitute with warm almond milk: Almond milk can add a slight nutty flavor and additional nutrients to the dough.
tomato sauce - Substitute with pesto sauce: Pesto sauce offers a different flavor profile with fresh basil, garlic, and nuts, providing a unique twist to the calzone.
vegan cheese - Substitute with nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast provides a cheesy flavor and is rich in B-vitamins, making it a healthy alternative.
chopped vegetables - Substitute with spinach and artichokes: Spinach and artichokes add a different texture and flavor, while also being nutrient-dense.
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How to Store or Freeze This Recipe
Allow the calzones to cool completely before storing. This prevents condensation, which can make the dough soggy.
Wrap each calzone individually in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. This helps maintain their shape and prevents freezer burn.
Place the wrapped calzones in an airtight container or a resealable freezer bag. Label the container with the date to keep track of freshness.
Store the calzones in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, place them in the freezer where they can last up to 3 months.
To reheat refrigerated calzones, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the calzones on a baking sheet and heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
For frozen calzones, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove any plastic wrap and place the calzones on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until heated thoroughly and the crust is crispy.
If you prefer, you can also reheat calzones in a microwave. Place the calzone on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, checking halfway through to ensure even heating.
For a crispier crust after microwaving, you can finish reheating the calzones in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Avoid reheating calzones multiple times as this can affect the texture and flavor of the dough and filling.
How to Reheat Leftovers
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the leftover calzones on a baking sheet. Cover them with aluminum foil to prevent drying out. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
For a quicker method, use a microwave. Place the calzone on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a damp paper towel to retain moisture. Heat on medium power for 1-2 minutes, checking halfway through to ensure even heating.
If you have an air fryer, preheat it to 350°F (175°C). Place the calzone in the basket and heat for about 5-7 minutes. This method will help maintain the crispiness of the crust.
For stovetop reheating, use a skillet over medium-low heat. Add a small amount of olive oil to the pan. Place the calzone in the skillet and cover with a lid. Heat for about 5 minutes on each side, ensuring the filling is warmed through.
Best Tools for This Recipe
Mixing bowl: A large bowl used to combine the flour, olive oil, salt, and warm water to form the dough.
Measuring cups: Essential for accurately measuring the flour, water, and tomato sauce.
Measuring spoons: Used to measure the olive oil and salt precisely.
Rolling pin: Helps to roll out the dough into circles.
Knife: Used to chop the vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms.
Cutting board: Provides a safe surface for chopping vegetables.
Baking sheet: A flat sheet used to place the calzones on for baking.
Oven: Preheated to 450°F (230°C) to bake the calzones until golden brown.
Pastry brush: Optional, but can be used to brush olive oil on the calzones for a golden finish.
Spatula: Useful for spreading the tomato sauce evenly on the dough.
Fork: Can be used to crimp and seal the edges of the calzones.
How to Save Time on Making This Recipe
Prepare the filling: Chop all vegetables and grate vegan cheese in advance to save time during assembly.
Use pre-made dough: Purchase pre-made pizza dough from the store to skip the dough-making process.
Batch cooking: Make multiple calzones at once and freeze them for quick meals later.
Efficient rolling: Roll out all dough circles at once before adding the tomato sauce and fillings.
Preheat the oven: Ensure the oven is preheated to the correct temperature before starting to assemble the calzones.
Calzone Recipe
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup Warm water
Filling
- 1 cup Tomato sauce
- 1 cup Vegan cheese
- 1 cup Chopped vegetables (bell peppers, onions, mushrooms)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
- 2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, olive oil, salt, and warm water. Knead until a smooth dough forms.
- 3. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and roll each into a circle.
- 4. Spread tomato sauce on one half of each dough circle, leaving a border.
- 5. Add vegan cheese and chopped vegetables on top of the sauce.
- 6. Fold the dough over the filling and seal the edges.
- 7. Place the calzones on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Nutritional Value
Keywords
Suggested Appetizers and Desserts for This Recipe
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