Using pre-made pizza dough makes these Shortcut Spinach Calzones quick and easy.
⏲️ Time needed
Put the frozen spinach in a bowl in the refrigerator 24-48 hours ahead of time so it can thaw. While your oven is preheating, you can mix the ingredients, roll out the dough, and assemble the calzones. That’ll take about 15 minutes, then you’ll need another 10-15 minutes for cooking.
🥘 Ingredients
- frozen spinach
- softened cream cheese
- shredded parmesan cheese
- pepper
- salt
- refrigerated pizza dough
- milk
- spaghetti sauce for dipping, optional
🍲 Adaptations for dietary restrictions
The only way to make this gluten-free is to make your own gluten-free pizza dough (although that’s not a shortcut, sorry).
This recipe is already vegetarian-friendly.
📋 Instructions
Thaw and drain the spinach.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, mix together spinach, cream cheese, Parmesan, pepper, and salt. Unroll the pizza dough and roll out on a floured surface until it is thin enough to make 8 – 5-inch squares. Cut the dough into 8 – 5-inch squares and put about 2-3 tbsp of spinach mixture on one side of each dough square. Fold the dough over and pinch all sides together.
Place each calzone on a baking sheet and lightly brush milk over top of each calzone. Bake for about 10 -15 minutes or until calzones are lightly browned. Serve with spaghetti sauce if desired (I served with vodka sauce and it was delicious).
💭 Tips
If you have a strainer or colander that fits inside another bowl, you can thaw and drain your spinach at the same time so it’s ready to go at dinner time.
Leave the pizza dough in the refrigerator until you’re ready to roll it out. As it warms, it gets harder to work with.
❄️ Freezer instructions
Although I have not tried freezing these, they should be able to be frozen either cooked or uncooked. When you are ready to use them, defrost them overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed. you could also freeze just the filling, then thaw in the refrigerator, fill, and bake.
📖 Recipe
Shortcut Spinach Calzones
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- dash pepper
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
- 2 tsp. milk
- spaghetti sauce for dipping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, mix together spinach, cream cheese, Parmesan, pepper, and salt.
- Unroll pizza dough and roll out on a floured surface until it is desired thickness, thin enough to make 8 - 5-inch squares.
- Cut dough into 8 5-inch squares and put about 2-3 tbsp of spinach mixture on one side of each dough square.
- Fold dough over and pinch all sides together.
- Place each calzone on a baking sheet and lightly brush milk over top of each calzone.
- Bake for about 10 -15 minutes or until calzones are lightly browned. Serve with spaghetti sauce if desired (I served with vodka sauce and it was delicious).
Notes
Nutrition
🥗 Side dishes
Calzones are perfect with a salad. They also work well with Italian seasoned green beans, which can be prepared on the stovetop in under 10 minutes while the calzones bake.
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