Homemade Italian Stromboli

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Last Updated on December 4, 2024 by Kiersten

This homemade Italian stromboli uses from scratch dough, fresh red sauce, and is filled with a variety of meats and cheeses. Loved by all, this is a great addition to your holiday recipe box.

Pillowy dough, slowly simmered red sauce, and overstuffed with high quality meats and cheeses, I can’t think of a better crowd pleaser. It’s the ultimate comfort food, especially if you love pizza.

I generally prepare homemade Italian stromboli for big holidays like Christmas and birthdays, but also will roll one up if my husband has had an especially stressful week.

Stromboli vs Calzones

Stromboli is sometimes improperly referred to as a calzone. A calzone is a circle of dough that has fillings placed on one half. The dough is then folded over the top and sealed along the edges similar to an empanada. Depending on the region, calzones can then be baked or fried. They are also served alongside a bowl of red sauce for dipping.

Stromboli, on the other hand, is basically a rolled up pizza. It starts with a rectangular piece of dough which is then layered with red sauce, cheeses and meats. The sauce is contained within the rollup and it is not typical to dip the stromboli into red sauce.

We break all the rules. In our house, everyone scoops out some extra sauce from the pot for dipping before covering the stromboli slices in freshly grated Romano cheese.

Homemade Italian Stromboli Timeline

While it could appear intimidating, getting a fully homemade stromboli (minus the purchase of deli meats/cheese) on the table for an early dinner isn’t a big deal.

Here’s how I usually handle it:

• 8am – Start the homemade Italian red sauce
• 1pm – Start the stromboli dough
• 3pm – Layer and roll up the stromboli
• 3:30pm – Bake for 30 min
• 4:00pm – Serve after a short rest period before slicing

I will sometimes make homemade stromboli or arancini when I have lots of sauce leftover from a previous day which removes that step entirely. You can also use your favorite Italian pasta sauce in a jar if that’s more convenient.

While this is a from scratch recipe, if you are short on time, you can absolutely buy jarred Italian sauce and pizza dough at your local grocery store.

Homemade Red Sauce

This red sauce is a simpler version of my meat-heavy Sunday gravy recipe and works very well for pizzas and stromboli since it’s a bit sweeter.

Ingredients:

• 4 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
• 3 dried bay leaves
• Ground pepper to taste
• Olive oil

Instructions:

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add some olive oil for cooking, about 2 tablespoons. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until they begin to turn clear. Stir often to prevent browning.
2. Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute, stir often.
3. Add the tomatoes and seasonings to the pot. Bring to a low boil, stir often.
4. Reduce to a simmer that is warm enough to produce a steady stream of steam from the pot. Cook all day, around 8 hours. Stir every now and then.

Stromboli Dough

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all purpose flour, unbleached
• 1.5 cups warm filtered water
• 1.5 teaspoons active yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions:

1. Activate the yeast by combining the warm water, active yeast, and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Stir and let sit in a glass or mason jar for a few minutes until it becomes frothy.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, and salt.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour. Add the oil and the yeast mixture.
4. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the edges of the bowl and clumps around the spoon.
5. Rub a small amount of oil on the inside of a second large bowl and set aside.
6. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until very soft. You can do all of this in a stand mixer with a dough hook if you prefer and use the #2 speed.
7. Form a ball and roll the ball of dough in the oiled bowl until the dough is well greased. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel and set aside for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.

Assembling Homemade Italian Stromboli

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Flour your counter, punch down the center of the dough, and roll it out into a large rectangle. It helps to flour your rolling pin to prevent sticking.

Spread about one cup of sauce over the dough leaving 2″ of a clean border. Add a layer of provolone slices, then a layer of genoa salami, then a layer of pepperoni.

Starting from a long end of the dough, roll the stromboli towards you like you would a cinnamon roll. This is done slowly and carefully to prevent the filling contents from being pushed out. Pinch the ends of the dough closed on all sides.

Place a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper next to the stromboli. Roll the stromboli over onto the baking sheet so the dough seams are facing down and adjust placement so that it is centered on the sheet. Mine are generally very large so I place it on a diagonal to allow room for expansion during baking.

With a very sharp knife, make 4 slits that are evenly spaced across the stromboli to allow steam to escape.

Brush the dough with an egg wash (one yolk with a tablespoon of water) and sprinkle heavily with sesame seeds, if desired.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove and allow the stromboli to rest for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Storing and Reheating Leftover Stromboli

Slice off a few slices leaving the rest of the loaf intact if you suspect you won’t eat the entire thing in one sitting. Wrap the remaining portion in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

To reheat, remove the plastic and wrap the loaf in foil. Bake at 350F until the center is warm.

If you are reheating individual slices, don’t use foil and place the slices on their side on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. 15 minutes at 350 usually does the trick.

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