Vegan Calzones

My vegan calzones are cheesy, easy, and so delicious! Seriously, you’ll be amazed at how simple they are to assemble, and they taste like they came from your favorite pizza shop. Perfect for parties, game-day, or when you’re just craving a delicious comfort food dinner.

I love a good vegan pizza, as you may have noticed by the plethora of pizza recipes on this site. I’ve got all the classics like vegan margherita pizza, vegan taco pizza, vegan Greek pizza, and even vegan deep dish pizza. But on days when I really need some hearty comfort food, I make these vegan calzones!

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Have you had a calzone before? It’s kind of like an inside out pizza. Calzones are stuffed with lots of the same ingredients you’d normally top a pizza with, but instead of pilling them on top of a crust, you fold over the crust and tuck them away inside. This makes a nice convenient package that’s perfect for dipping.

These vegan calzones are stuffed with a mix of roasted veggies, vegan ricotta, and vegan mozzarella, with marinara sauce on the side.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Green bell pepper. You can use a bell pepper or another color if you’d like, such as orange, yellow or red.
Red onion.
Button mushrooms. Cremini (also known as baby portobello mushrooms) would also work well.
Olive oil.
Salt and pepper.
Raw cashews. These are going to make the base for our vegan ricotta. It’s important to use raw (not roasted) cashews, in order to get a nice dairy-like flavor and creamy texture.
Non-dairy milk. You can use any non-dairy milk that you normally like to drink, such as almond milk, soy milk, or cashew milk. Just make sure it’s unflavored and unsweetened. My guide to dairy-free milks can provide guidance if you’re unfamiliar with them.
Garlic.
Lemon juice.
Tofu. Extra-firm tofu is your best bet for getting the perfect texture in your vegan ricotta. Firm tofu will work in a pinch, though. I don’t recommend using any other variety. If you’re new to working with tofu, you can read about the differences in my guide to tofu.
Dried oregano.
Red pepper flakes.
Vegan mozzarella. This is totally optional! I’m not normally a fan of store-bought mozzarella, but I like it’s gooeyness in this recipe. If you want to try homemade vegan mozzarella, go for it, although it won’t melt as well as store-bought.
Pizza dough. Store-bought or homemade pizza dough can be used. If you’d like to go with homemade, consider giving my whole wheat pizza dough a try.
Cornmeal.

How They’re Made

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F before getting started.

Chopped peppers, red onions, and sliced mushrooms on a baking sheet.

Step 2: Arrange your veggies on a large baking sheet (or a couple smaller ones), then rub them with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.

Roasted peppers, mushrooms, and red onion on a parchment paper lined sheet pan.

Step 3: Roast the veggies until they’ve softened up quite a bit and have browned in spots. Turn up the oven to 475° when you remove them from the oven. We’ll be baking the calzones at this temperature.

Cashew cream mixture in a food processor bowl.

Step 4: To make the ricotta, first blend the cashews, non-dairy milk, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor. Get it somewhat smooth, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.

Homemade vegan ricotta cheese in a food processor.

Step 5: Add the tofu, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to the food processor, then pulse the machine until the mixture looks like ricotta cheese.

Tip: If you like the ricotta mixture, give my vegan ricotta recipe a try. It’s made using the same method and similar ingredients, and is great for dips, pasta, sandwiches, and more!

Dough circle on a floured surface with a rolling pin.

Step 6: Split your dough into four equal parts, then, on a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll each one into a twelve inch circle.

Partially assembled Vegan Calzone on a baking sheet.

Step 7: Brush your baking sheets with olive oil and sprinkle them with cornmeal. One at a time, transfer the dough rounds to the baking sheets, then spread the ricotta, mozzarella, and veggies over half of each round.

Two unbaked Vegan Calzones on a baking sheet.

Step 8: Fold the dough over the toppings, then pinch the edges to seal them in. Brush each calzone with olive oil and cut some slits in the top, to allow vapor to escape.

Step 9: Pop the baking sheets into the oven. Bake your calzones until the crust has puffed up a bit and taken on a beautiful golden brown color.

Table set with a baking sheet and plate of Vegan Calzones with marinara sauce.

Step 10: Your vegan calzones are ready to serve! Let them cool for a few minutes, then enjoy them with some marinara sauce for dipping.

Variations

Switch up the veggies. Replace the veggies with your favorites, such as broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, zucchini, or eggplant.
Put sauce in the calzone. Some people prefer their calzones with sauce in them, as opposed to on the side. I find this can make the dough a bit soggy, but if it’s your thing, then go for it.
Pepperoni calzones. Add some sliced vegan pepperoni to your fillings.
Sausage calzones. Slice up and brown a few of your favorite Italian-style vegan sausage links in a skillet, then add them to the fillings.

Leftover, Storage & Reheating

Store leftover vegan calzones in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for about three days, or in the freezer for about three months.

If you store them in the freezer, thaw your calzones on the counter or in the microwave before reheating. Place them on a baking sheet and pop it in a 400°F oven for about ten minutes, until hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the tofu need to be pressed for this recipe?

Nope! Just draining it is fine.

Can I use store-bought vegan ricotta instead of making my own?

Absolutely! You’ll need about two cups.

Can the ricotta cheese be made in advance?

It can! It will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about three days.

What to Serve with Calzones

Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!

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Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Ingredients

For the Roasted Vegetables

1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
½ medium red onion, roughly chopped
9 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Ricotta

1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 4 to 8 hours, drained and rinsed
¼ cup unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon lemon juice
7 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
Pinch red pepper flakes, plus more to taste

For Assembling the Calzones

1 ½ cups shredded vegan mozzarella cheese (optional)
2 pounds pizza dough
Cornmeal, about ½ cup, or as needed
4 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Spread the pepper, onion, and mushrooms evenly on one large or two medium baking sheets. Drizzle the veggies with the olive oil, then use your hands to rub the oil evenly over the veggies. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
Roast the vegetables until they’re tender and lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Turn the temperature up to 475°F when you remove them from the oven.
Make the ricotta while the vegetables roast. First, place the cashews, milk, garlic and lemon juice into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade. Blend until smooth.
Break the tofu into a few pieces and add them to the food processor bowl. Add the oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Pulse the machine until the mixture is blended but still slightly chunky, like ricotta cheese.
Divide the pizza dough into four equal parts. One at a time, roll each portion into a ball, then place it on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a circle of about 10 to 12 inches in diameter.
Lightly brush a couple of baking sheets with olive oil, then sprinkle them with the cornmeal. One at a time, place the dough rounds onto the baking sheets. Layer about a quarter of the ricotta over half of the round, leaving a small border. Top the ricotta with a quarter of the mozzarella, then a quarter of the vegetables. Repeat for all of the dough rounds, placing two calzones on each baking sheet.
Fold each dough round in half to enclose the fillings, then pinch the edges to seal them in. Brush each calzone with some olive oil, then cut a few slits in the top.
Bake the calzones until they’re golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Let the calzones cool for a a few minutes, then serve them with marinara sauce for dipping.

Notes

Nutrition information does not include sauce.

Nutrition

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