What Is the Difference Between Calzone and Stromboli

If you are like most average pizza eaters you love the taste of a good calzone or stromboli, only you don’t know exactly what the difference is. Both are pizza-inspired dishes that use the same dough, toppings, and sauce, so where does one draw the line between a calzone and stromboli? Well, fear not, not only does Zucca Bar & Pizzeria have an amazing calzone recipe, but we will also help you learn the difference between calzone and stromboli.  

A stromboli is an Italian-American dish that can be traced back to Philadelphia. This pizza-inspired dished is made out of thin rectangle pizza dough topped with the usual pizza toppings: cheese (mozzarella), cured meat, vegetables, and sometimes tomato sauce. The dough is then folded over the toppings to create a long spiral slice of stromboli. Tomato sauce is served on the side for dipping. 

You might wonder, does a stromboli have sauce in it? While it's common to find tomato sauce on the side for dipping, some variations may have the sauce baked inside the dough. The dough is then folded over the toppings to create a long spiral slice of stromboli, offering a delicious mix of flavors with each bite.

Calzones are a true Italian dish, originating from Naples, Italy. This handheld take on pizza takes a round cut of dough and fills it with delicious meats, vegetables, and cheese (usually ricotta but sometimes mozzarella) before the dough is folded in half to create a half-moon shape. Calzones are made to be a single serving and are often served with marinara sauce for dipping. 

So what is the difference between calzone and stromboli? To start with there is a major difference in their appearance, most notably in how they are shaped. Stromboli is longer, larger, and more rectangular than the rounded calzones. 

While both consist of basically the same ingredients, there is one major difference: the cheese. Calzones tend to use ricotta cheese while stromboli sticks with the traditional mozzarella we so often associate with pizza. Another slight difference is that tomato sauce is always put on the side for calzones while stromboli sometimes has tomato sauce cooked in the dough. 

Another difference is their origins. Calzones come straight from Italy dishes while stromboli was made in the United States. The last and probably most distinct difference is the serving size. Stromboli can usually be enough for three to six people while calzones are made to be single-serving. 

This boils down to personal preference and there is only one true way to know how you would answer. We recommend that you head down to Zucca Bar and Pizzeria, one of the best Smyrna Italian restaurants , and order both a calzone and stromboli so you can taste them together side by side. This challenge might be a little hard to do on your own so be sure to invite friends and family that can share in this fun taste test. Maybe there will be a clear winner or maybe your table will get pulled into a fun debate about which is better: calzone or stromboli.