When you’re looking over the menu of your favorite local pizza joint, it’s likely that you’ll come across two classic entrées: the calzone and stromboli. Although these dishes are similar in appearance and contain many of the same ingredients, they are not the same thing.
What Is A Calzone?
![calzone](https://i0.wp.com/upload.oola.com/rola/uploads/2021/12/calzonee5f630-2.jpg?resize=725%2C545&ssl=1)
Made from one layer of pizza dough, a calzone is filled with various types of cheese, vegetables, meat, and sauce. The pizza dough is tightly folded over the filling, and the final product resembles a turnover.
The calzone’s classic half-moon shape makes the meal conveniently portable. The dish was born in the city of Naples, Italy, and it was originally called the calzoni, or “pant legs,” a name which suggests that the calzone was meant to be enjoyed en route.
What Is Stromboli?
![stromboli](https://i0.wp.com/upload.oola.com/rola/uploads/2021/12/stromboli7f977b-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C680&ssl=1)
Unlike the calzone, stromboli does not have Italian roots; it was born in Philadelphia in the 1950s. A calzone consists of only one layer, while stromboli consists of several layers — a result of the pizza dough being rolled into a pinwheel. While a calzone resembles a turnover, stromboli resembles a loaf of bread. Like the calzone, however, stromboli is stuffed with cheese, vegetables, meat, and sauce.
Calzone And Stromboli Fillings
![calzone filling](https://i0.wp.com/upload.oola.com/rola/uploads/2021/12/calzone-filling7c1e74-2.jpg?resize=725%2C545&ssl=1)
Although these two dishes differ in appearance and origin, they contain similar ingredients. You’ll find both of them on pizza-shop menus with many of these delicious filling options:
Cheese
- ricotta
- mozzarella
- Parmesan
- provolone
- fontina
Meat
- ground beef
- salami
- prosciutto
- pepperoni
- sausage
- bacon
- Canadian bacon
Vegetables
- baby spinach
- broccoli
- shredded onions
- mushrooms
- roasted red peppers
- kale
Order Up!
![brick oven](https://i0.wp.com/upload.oola.com/rola/uploads/2021/12/brick-ovenf1edaf-2.jpg?resize=725%2C545&ssl=1)
These delicious dishes are perfect for quiet weeknight family dinners or for celebrations when you need to feed a crowd. Make a point to try these two similar but different classic Italian-style dishes the next time you have the opportunity.