pepperoni stromboli

Now that we’ve talked about making pizza at home, it’s time to roll it up and make a stromboli.

My first experiences with stromboli all happened at a family friend’s house when I was in high school. A typical dinner at their place – for all us youth group kids – was some of Mr. Willwerth’s stromboli and Mrs. Willwerth’s homemade ice cream. Her cinnamon was my all time favorite, but really – stromboli and homemade ice cream? It’s the perfect meal.

pepperoni stromboli

Mr. Willwerth let us help out with the stromboli if we were there in time, so I had a few chances to layer everything and roll up the dough before popping it in the oven.

But it was years before I ever tried making one on my own, as an adult. It took me a while to feel like I had the dough-making down before I wanted to try anything other than just a regular pizza. But I am so glad I finally started making these.

red star platinum yeast

If you love pizza, you’ll love stromboli. And vice versa. It’s the same concept, just folder together and baked instead of having everything on TOP of the dough. Stromboli is also a little easier to eat (smaller pieces) and makes for great party food! It’s easy to prep and doesn’t take long to bake, either, making it perfect for busy weeknights.

I use the same dough recipe that I use for my pizza, which makes it even easier! I don’t have to keep track of fourteen different pizza dough-ish recipes – this one is basically all purpose. And I pretty much only use Red Star Platinum Yeast now. It has taken over my pantry – I don’t want anything else! It’s the most reliable yeast I’ve tried in years, so it’s all I use.

pepperoni stromboli

I’m pretty sure my stromboli isn’t totally traditional because I usually put a little bit of sauce IN the stromboli, but you can make it however you want!

We like ours with a smear of sauce on the entire piece of dough, topped with shredded mozzarella and pepperoni, rolled up, and topped with some egg wash and Italian herbs. Plus more sauce for dipping when it’s done.

pepperoni stromboli

Again – same with the homemade pizza tips – the most important things for an awesome stromboli?

  • Homemade dough
  • Freshly shredded cheese (no pre-shredded!)
  • Higher baking temperature for the first part of baking, to help get the golden crust
  • Patience before slicing it up. It stays hot for a long time – no need to ruin it by slicing it too quickly OR burning your mouth!

pepperoni stromboli

Happy baking!

Pepperoni Stromboli

Scared of baking? Start with this stromboli! The dough does most of the work for you during the day, so all you have to do is roll it out, top it, fold it back up, and bake!

Ingredients:

Dough:

Stromboli:

  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 10 large sandwich slices or 20 small pizza slices of pepperoni
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, mix the water, salt, and yeast. Stir in the flour until everything is incorporated. Knead a few times in the bowl with your hands, to make sure most of the flour is mixed in. Cover the bowl and let the dough sit 1-2 hours (or longer!) until doubled.*I often mix this up before work and let it sit on the counter all day.
  2. Preheat oven to 475 degrees and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Roll out your dough into a large rectangle, about the length of your baking sheet.
  4. In a medium bowl, mix the tomatoes with the tablespoon of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
  5. Spread about 1/4 cup of the sauce on the dough.
  6. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the sauce, then top with the pepperoni.
  7. Fold the edges of the dough over, toward the center. Folding lengthwise, take the top 1/3 of the dough and bring it over to cover the center of the dough. Repeat with the other side, almost like you're folding a letter.
  8. Place the stromboli seam side down on the parchment paper.
  9. Using a sharp knife, slice slits in the dough, about every 1-2 inches. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and then sprinkle with the teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
  10. Bake at 475 for 10 minutes.
  11. Lower the heat to 375 and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the dough is set and golden.
  12. Let the stromboli sit for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

This post is sponsored by Red Star Yeast – all opinions and recipes are my own, as always. Thank you for supporting brands that support us! Follow them on Facebook or Instagram for more great recipes!

7 comments

  1. I love that you put sauce in the stromboli! The more sauce the better IMO! Sounds yummy-totally trying!

  2. This looks SO perfect right now. One of my all-time favorite foods, better than a pizza in my opinion!

  3. I first fell in love with Strombolis when I was in middle school! We love them but I never think to make them at home! Looks so easy though!

  4. Looks yummy, Brandi. I haven’t had stromboli in years and have never made it. I want to, you’re encouraging me to. :) I just printed out the recipe

  5. we used to get the best stromboli from an italian market near my house… I’d love to try to make a homemade version!

  6. Wow, Brandi!!! This Stromboli recipe looks fantastic. It makes my “Y chromosome” dance an Irish jig (this is real man food). I love the picture with the cheese overflowing on the baking sheet. Everyone knows not to get between my fork and fried cheese. I have some Tuscan Salami in the refrigerator, I bet it would be equally as good as pepperoni. I have a printed copy of your recipe stuck to the refrigerator door, so I will enjoy it very soon. Every time I see your beautiful smiling face, I know something delicious is in store. Thank you for sharing your recipes.

  7. Pingback: Pepperoni Stromboli | Red Star Yeast

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