Stromboli

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

To make stromboli, roll pizza dough into a rectangle, layer it with salami, ham, pepperoni, provolone, mozzarella, and optional peppers, then roll it tightly, pinch the seam shut, score the top, and bake at 400 degreesF for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing so the cheese does not escape all at once like it has been planning a prison break.

Stromboli has one job before it ever reaches the oven: stay closed. That sounds easy until hot salami, ham, pepperoni, provolone, and mozzarella start producing steam inside a tube of pizza dough and every weak seam suddenly develops ambitions. The trick is not more cheese or a secret sauce. It is leaving a clean one-inch border, rolling firmly without trapping big air pockets, pinching the seam shut, and putting that seam underneath where the baking sheet can help keep everybody honest.

Scoring the top matters for the same reason. Those shallow cuts give steam somewhere civilized to go instead of letting it choose a random wall and blow out the side. An egg wash, Parmesan, oregano, and a little olive oil give the crust its deep golden finish, while a five-minute rest after baking keeps molten cheese from immediately evacuating onto the cutting board. Serve the slices with warm marinara and enjoy the rare stuffed bread that looks as put together on the plate as it did in your head.

Prep20 minutes

Cook25 minutes

Total45 minutes

Serves4 servings

DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

Servings

1 lb store-bought or homemade pizza dough, at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 oz thinly sliced salami
3 oz thinly sliced deli ham
3 oz thinly sliced pepperoni
6 oz provolone cheese, thinly sliced
4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup sliced banana peppers or pepperoncini (optional)
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup marinara sauce, warmed, for serving

Instructions

1Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2Lightly flour a clean work surface. Press and stretch the pizza dough into a rectangle approximately 12x14 inches. If the dough keeps springing back, cover it with a towel and let it rest 5 minutes, then try again — the gluten needs a moment to calm down.
3Brush the dough surface with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, leaving a 1-inch border on all edges. Sprinkle evenly with garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
4Layer the salami slices over the dough first, then the ham, then the pepperoni. Lay the provolone slices over the meat, then scatter the shredded mozzarella on top. Add banana peppers if using. Keep everything within the 1-inch border.
5Starting from one long edge, roll the dough tightly toward the other long edge, like a jelly roll. Roll firmly and evenly — do not leave air pockets. This is the part that matters. Tight is right.
6When you reach the end, pinch the seam firmly shut along the entire length. Pinch the two short ends up and under to seal them. Place the stromboli seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
7Brush the entire surface with the beaten egg. Score the top of the stromboli with a sharp knife 4-5 times at a diagonal, cutting about 1/4 inch deep — this lets steam escape so the dough bakes evenly and doesn't puff and crack unpredictably.
8Drizzle or brush the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan and dried oregano.
9Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If the top is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil after 15 minutes.
10Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. This pause allows the cheese inside to set slightly so it doesn't pour out. Slice into 1-inch rounds and serve with warmed marinara.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

870Calories

45 gProtein

66 gCarbohydrates

47 gTotal Fat

19 gSaturated Fat

4 gFiber

6 gTotal Sugars

2590 mgSodium

145 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Room temperature dough is non-negotiable. Cold dough fights back when you try to stretch it, and you will lose. Pull it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start.
Pat your deli meats dry with a paper towel before layering. Wet meat releases moisture during baking and can make the bottom of the stromboli soggy — and a soggy bottom is the kind of thing you remember.
The diagonal score cuts on top are doing real work: they release steam, prevent random blowouts, and make the finished stromboli look like you know what you're doing, which is most of the battle.

Substitutions

salami → soppressata or capicola Any cured Italian meat works here — use what your deli has or what you like best

provolone → sliced mozzarella or fontina Fontina melts beautifully; sliced mozzarella is milder and works if provolone is too sharp for your crowd

store-bought pizza dough → crescent roll dough or bread dough Crescent dough produces a flakier, lighter result — reduce baking time to 18-20 minutes and watch it closely

pepperoni → roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes Good option for a vegetarian version — add extra cheese to compensate for the missing fat and salt

Storage Instructions

Wrap leftover stromboli tightly in foil or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes until warmed through and the crust crisps back up. The microwave will reheat it but the crust goes soft — your call on how much that bothers you.

Make Ahead

Assemble the stromboli up through the egg wash step, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Pull it out 20 minutes before baking to take the chill off, then add the Parmesan and oregano and bake as directed. You can also freeze the fully assembled, unbaked stromboli for up to 1 month — thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this ahead of time?

Prep the meats, cheeses, seasonings, and optional peppers ahead, but roll and bake the stromboli reasonably close to serving so the pizza dough does not sit against the filling long enough to turn damp.

How do I store the leftovers?

Can I freeze it?

Yes. Bake the stromboli, let it cool completely, then freeze it as a whole loaf or in slices wrapped airtight. Reheat with dry oven heat so the crust can crisp again.

Can I adjust it for what I have on hand?

Yes. Tested adjustments on this recipe include salami → soppressata or capicola; provolone → sliced mozzarella or fontina; and store-bought pizza dough → crescent roll dough or bread dough.

What's the most common mistake to avoid?

Room temperature dough is non-negotiable. Cold dough fights back when you try to stretch it, and you will lose. Pull it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start.

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