Stromboli!

 

Our friends Kendra and Mike are what Abby would call “good cookers.” Mike’s a legit restaurant guy, and Kendra is an all-around enthusiast, with excellent taste, who happens to know her way around a kitchen. In other words, they can be trusted. A couple of weeks ago, Kendra poked her head into my office and said, “You know what you gotta make for the girls?”

“Laser-cut paper doll dioramas of unicorns frolicking in shimmering fields of goldenrod?” I said.

“No, dude. Stromboli. Mike and I made one this weekend, and it was insane.”

Stromboli? Here’s what I knew about Stromboli: Nothing. Or, that’s not quite true. I had a vague sense it was something I shoveled into my mouth a few times in college, at 2am, after several bottles of Golden Anniversary beer. I think. The point is, it was not what you would call a “mindful” eating experience. (I think I also remember tipping my head back and drinking the cup of marinara dipping sauce it came with; hey, I was hungry!) But last week, Stromboli and I got to know each other a little more deeply. I made one to eat — at halftime; that’s how quick and easy it is — while we sat on the couch and watched the NFL playoffs. The kids could not have cared less about the game, but the Stromboli won in a rout. After cleaning her plate, Abby declared: “That’s the best thing you’ve ever made all year.” If I were a betting man, I’d put a lot of money on this happening again for the Super Bowl. — Andy

Step One: Spread 16-ounce dough (leave it out on the counter for an hour, to make it easier to  work with; you can also, obviously, use homemade) on cookie sheet rubbed with olive oil; get it as far into the corners as possible.

Step Two: Sauce it up, almost to the edges. If you have homemade pizza sauce, awesome (homemade: mix together 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, one pressed garlic clove and let flavors meld for as long as you’ve got). But honestly, a good storebought, like Don Pepino, is fine, too.

Step Three: Sprinkle on some fresh basil and dried oregano…

Step Four: Add your meat (skip if you’re going veg), and onions. At this point, I threatened to add roasted red peppers, but Jenny shot that down.

Step Five: Add spinach (thawed, squeezed, no trace of liquid) or kale or whatever vegetable you want and shredded mozz.

Step Six: Add a few dollops of fresh ricotta (optional, this is about 8-10 ounces, but you decide what’s right for you!) and some grated parm (about 1/3 cup) if you want and red pepper flakes.

Step Seven: Very carefully (so as not to tear the dough), roll the dough up like a giant joint. Brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Step Eight: Put into 350°F oven for 45 minutes to an hour, or until golden brown. Brush again with oil in the last five min. Slice into 1 1/2 inch thick pieces and serve.

Photo updated: November 2022

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70 Comments

barb

Thank you for making me lol on a day when I really needed it …

“Step Seven: Very carefully (so as not to tear the dough), roll the dough up like a giant joint.”

Looking forward to trying the recipe.

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The Lazy Fair

We love to make pizzas, but are sorta in a rut. This looks great! (Also, “the joint” comment made me lol. Never thought I’d see that in a recipe!)

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Britt

My mom is the queen of these. For some reason mine never ever come out as good as hers, but I’m going to give it another shot – I think we’ve got all the necessary ingredients waiting at home!

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Leah

Aww yeah. This is officially now the *first* thing I am going to bake in our new oven when it finally gets here. Thank you, Andy, for making me snort water all over my keyboard with the joint instruction!

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Julie (#2)

My favorite part of this post is that you correctly wrote “could not have cared less” instead of writing “could have cared less”, which would have left me yelling at the computer screen, “If they COULD have cared less, then why didn’t they?!” Which is what I do every other time someone misuses this saying.

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Christian

Ka-Pow! Can’t wait to try this one out. I’m learning to cook from your site. Chili was a hit now I’m moving down the road to Stomboli. Looking forward and thanks!

signed,
The westchester man/family that “stalked” you outside getting coffee in Tarrytown and again at dinner in Hastings!

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Sarah

Not only does this fall in the perfect place between calzone and pizza (two of my boys’ top food loves) but the fact that you referred to the rolling of this “like a giant joint” has made this recipe a frontrunner for the weekend. Thanks heaps!

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Lynn

My mom is famous for these. She goes all the way Italian style with provolone, sweet peppers, ham, salami, and pepperoni. Seriously, what’s not to love. Thanks for your rendition!

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Heather

Ok, husband is gluten free but I am making the Stromboli!!!! Sounds/looks delicious. And like the others, I snort-laughed when I read, “…like a giant joint.” Hilarious.

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Jenny

That looks great & so easy. And you can make so many varieties. I can only assume that is pizza dough, right?

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anna

“shot my sh*t down” and “like a giant joint”. 2 more reasons why this i my favorite food blog of all time. this will be dinner tomorrow.

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Allison

Oh yes! DP Dough in Amherst? That brought me back and I am definitely making Stromboli this weekend.

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Gwen

Ok, one that looks delicious. And two…the fact that you told us to roll it like a giant joint is just the icing on the cake. Thanks for that. 🙂

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Bennett

OH!! so THAT’s what Stromboli is! Since I was a kid I thought it was some esoteric Italian impossibility with meat balls and such a complex sauce no one but authentic Sicilian grandmothers would dare brave it’s assembly. This, however, is perfect bachelor food! Thank You!

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DeeDee V.

This looks like a homerun for our house. And I can hide…ahem… ADD veggies? Bonus points.

Als0 – roll it like a giant joint? you win.

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Heather

Reminds me of making homemade calzones which I make on a weekly basis and customize for everyone 🙂

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Kelly

Did you really just say “like a joint?” Ha! This post is awesome and wonderful in so many ways. Thank you!

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Carrie

Bahaha! “Like a giant joint”

And this is why I love DALS: I come for the recipes and heartwarming stories and end up laughing out loud at the “realness” of you two. Now I’m wondering how you would explain the rolling to your little girls 😉

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Wendy

I have to echo everyone else the “shot my sh*t down” & “like a joint” comments had me cracking up. Sounded very much like the college guy you describe in the beginning of your post, I can even see the beer sitting next to you as you wrote it.
LOVE THIS BLOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to say though that I hate that the security question comes after the submit button because I miss it every time.

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Jude

Definitely adding that to my list! Anything pizza-esque is an absolute guaranteed winner here. Just wanted to let you know I made the no-knead bread (Jim Lahey) and I cannot believe how good it was. Incredible! It got me all worked up and I borrowed a copy of ‘Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day.’ I may give up my day job and make bread for a living – that’s how good it is!!!!! Thanks for the post on it!

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Steph

I made this tonight (x2), every short cut you included. It was fantastic! Rave reviews! But Andy, it was not near a quick meal for me. Between twin 4 year olds running circles around me in the kitchen and 3 teenage girls telling me about their day (I skipped telling them I was was rolling it “like a big giant joint” ) it took a bit to get it all done. Mine only baked for 45 min and were ready. Thanks – this will be a redo at our home and I will plan accordingly for time!

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wendygoldner

This is a staple at our house, we use the fresh premade dough from Whole Foods. It’s about $2.99 and the whole wheat is fabulous.

But we do 450 for only 20 minutes and it’s perfectly golden brown and delicious. Makes it the fastest most amazing meal of the week. I’d highly recommend upping the temp and shortening the bake time.

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Bonnie

Thanks! I made this tonight with Italian sausage, kale, and fresh mozzarella. 50 minutes was plenty in my oven. I loved it, my husband loved it, the 10 year old loved it, and the 8 and 6 year olds at least tried it. I swear I only used a pinch of red pepper flakes, but they said it was too spicy. Fridays are pizza and movie night at our house, and stromboli will be a fun way to mix it up. Oh, and I’m anxiously awaiting your version of taco pizza…

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Halie

I read a million food/lifestyle blogs a week. They are often overly precious. Using the phrase “shot my sh*t down” and likening your Stromboli to a joint makes me want to buy you a beer. Or five. Keep it up.

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Rachel

This looks yummy! I make pizza at home frequently but have never tackled the stromboli. I think if I surprised my husband with one of these, he’d ask me to marry him all over again! 😉

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Nancy

Loved this sentence: Laser-cut paper doll dioramas of unicorns frolicking in shimmering fields of goldenrod.

Stromboli in oven now. Used carmelized onions and sausage. Left ends free of ingredients offensive to picky child

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Hannah

Kyle keeps quoting this one to me, and is making the Stromboli today, to eat alongside football, perhaps while reminiscing about the football-accompanying giant joints of yesteryear (which I guess I should add, he did not inhale). Can I also say, this is I think the only food blog that we both read and enjoy equally? You guys are the best.

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Wylie

This was absolutely delicious. We had it for supper on Saturday evening, and I had it again today for lunch. My husband put pepperoni on half, and mine was vegetarian. Yum!

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Bea

Great post! So funny and inspiring. We made this at my house this weekend and it was so delicious. Definitely a keeper! Thanks for the idea.

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chrissta

Made this last night and it was DELICIOUS! Even my picky two year old loved it. Thank you so much for the recipe. Your family is inspring me to make cooking dinner a priority.

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Natasha

I made a variation of this over the weekend with my son, and it was enthusiastically received. I assume that it held up well in his lunch today, and if so, I expect more of these will be in our future.

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Jenny C

Made this tonight, almost identical to yours except slight variation in dried herbs and forgot the ricotta (which we had purchased on yesterday’s holiday grocery run!). May I just say, it’s the BOMB. The nine year old rated it an 11 on a 10 point scale. We spent the rest of the evening talking about other filling combos. Cannot believe how delish this was, and different (in a good way), even though similar to the pizza/calzone oeuvre.

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Rebecca

We made this on the weekend and it was delicious! Even my two-year old ate it. It will definitely make an appearance again….quite possibly for the superbowl.

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M

This was fabulous. I did 400 degrees for around 25 minutes, maybe a smidgen more, and it came out perfectly. Definitely a keeper!

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Susan

Jenny and Andy– what’s your secret with rolling up the dough? I have never had good look with Trader Joe’s premade dough. I (tried) made this stomboli the other day and it ended up as a “flat bread pizza” with a doughy center and burnt edges. I left the dough out for about one hour, used a baking sheet about the size of yours, and spread out the dough to the edges. I wanted to make sure it was thin enough to spread out but not to thin that it wouldn’t hold on the toppings when I rolled it up. I got that baby loaded up (not too loaded) and tried to roll and no bueno. The dough was too soft and was tearing immediately, would have ended up just a glob of sauce, cheese, and dough. Hence the “flat bread pizza” that came. Can you offer any tips? Thanks, love the blog:)

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Kay Lynn

We made this last night with Smitten Kitchen’s Rushed Pizza Dough. We used whole wheat, which (I think) made it easier to roll. We will definitely make again….thanks!

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Kara

I made this last night and it was perfect: easy, delicious, and used up ingredients I had on hand (fresh spinach, salami, and Artisan Bread in 5 dough in the fridge; pizza sauce and shredded mozzarella in the freezer). Winning combo!

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mary

Love this post. Inspired! I buy TJs dough all the time, I never thought to kich it up a notch simply by rolling up the dough! Thanks.

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Sherry

Looking forward to making this for book club tomorrow night! Love the joint reference. Hilarious!!

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Carrie

I make a meat and cheese stromboli that was my mom’s recipe. You add the sauce on the side to dip it in. It is made up with salami, hot capicola ham, sweet sausage, mozzarella, and provolone! I have to say I have been wanting to try a Stromboli with veggies so I can’t wait to make this!

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Molly

Loved this recipe! Will be a regular at our weekly family movie night. I am a newsletter subscriber. Do I win the Lodge cast iron skillet?

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jen

“I am a newsletter subscriber. Do I win the Lodge cast iron skillet?”

We had the Stromboli last night. Everyone enjoyed it. I’m glad to read that others tried a high heat for shorter time. I was wondering if that works. Any reason you do the lower and longer version? I’m looking forward to trying different variations, like the sausage suggestion. I definitely would have liked more ricotta and mozzarella to make ours more oozy!

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Cay

We make pizza all the time, at least once a week, using dough from the pizza place around the corner. Decided to try this variation. Wow.

Totally putting the Stromboli into rotation. Best part: we can still do the half & half split: half plain tomato & cheese, half (ok, 5/8) kale, mushroom, caramelized onion. Oh baby.

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katy

I am making this tomorrow. I knew you would have what I need. You guys are fantastic. And:

“I am a newsletter subscriber. Do I win the Lodge cast iron skillet?”

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Lindsay

Three things.

1) I am making this tonight. When my darling husband asked me how you make stromboli I told him you “roll the dough up like a giant joint”. He stared blankly at me. Apparently my younger years were a bit more adventurous than his….

2) You guys rock. I love this little corner of the internet. You never fail to inspire and entertain.

3) I am a newsletter subscriber. Do I win the Lodge cast iron skillet?

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Kendra

Thanks for the recipe! Looking forward to throwing this in the rotation in place of pizza 🙂

Oh, and “I am a newsletter subscriber. Do I win the Lodge cast iron skillet?”

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Jenny C

Second time with this recipe tonight – bacon/broccoli instead of pepperoni/spinach. We can’t decide which is more delicious!

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Hillary

LOVED the Stromboli! It sooo made our Superbowl dinner and has earned a place in the “new favorites” book!

BTW – I am a newsletter subscriber. Do I win the Lodge cast iron skillet?

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Mandy

Used “artisan pizza in five minutes a day” dough, made two medium ones, baked 450 for 25 minutes… Amazing….

Nice way to change up our friday night homemade pizza routine.

Love your stuff…

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A Life From Scratch

Ok, did anyone else’s house smell INSANELY delicious with this in the oven? It’s like pizza, on steroids over here. Haven’t tried it yet but with a smell like this it can’t be bad. Period.

Andy, I totally admire you for being so creative to think of something like this! I realized this as I was rocking my baby to sleep tonight. I can get pretty creative with recipes – but there has to be a starting point for me. I’d never think of something like this. It’s a very cool trait to have!

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Constance

What I noticed, and loved, about this post was the fact that your baking sheets look like mine – not dirty but well-used, particularly in the corners. Bridget Lancaster’s TV baking sheets look brand spanking new but I bet her home sheets look just like ours.

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nina

I have all your books, which I love; but when I’m at the grocery store trying to confirm I have everything for a recipe your blog makes it impossible. Just list the ingredients!

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Libby

These posts are a highlight of my day – can’t tell you how comforting they are! Thank you for doing this!

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