Marjani Moore, MS, RD
- Oct 31, 2023
- 2 min read

BEST VEGAN RICOTTA CALZONE

Updated: Mar 8

Marjani Moore, MS, RD (That Dairy Free Dietitian).

Happy National Calzone Day! If you love pizza, I am sure you love calzones. I like to describe calzones as delicious pizza pockets that fit perfectly in the palm of your hand. Calzones are typically stuffed with multiple cheeses, vegetables, and meat. My delectable vegan calzone rendition is packed with a savory, cheesy, mixture of vegan ricotta and vegan mozzarella cheeses, garlicky spinach, and sautéed mushrooms.

Here is my vegan ricotta calzone recipe: vegan, dairy-free, and even milk lovers will ENJOY!

Please let me know what you think and send pictures of your creations in the comments!

Step 1: PREP - Start with prepping the onion, spinach, and mushrooms. First, finely chop the onion. Next, wash and roughly chop the fresh spinach. Then, wash and slice the mushrooms.

Step 2: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil; once hot and shimmery, add in the chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes (or until it begins to soften).

Step 3: Add in sliced mushrooms, chopped spinach, garlic powder, onion powder, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper; sauté together with the onion for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms and spinach are cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add in the 1 tsp of minced garlic and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Spoon this mixture into a large clean bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Step 4: Next, add dairy-free ricotta and dairy-free mozzarella into a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.

Step 5: Preheat oven to 450°F and prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add a generous sprinkle of cornmeal to the parchment paper (this helps the calzones not stick).

Step 6: While the oven is preheating, divide the pizza dough into 4 (you will have 4 small rectangles). Spoon a small amount of marinara sauce (about 2 tbsp) onto the right side of each small dough rectangle. Add about 1/2 c of the cheese mixture and 1/2 c of the vegetable mixture over the marinara, pressing gently to flatten slightly. Fold the dough over the top of the filling, pressing to seal and crimping the edges with your fingers or a fork (if needed, use a small amount of water along the edge to help seal the calzone).

Step 7: Place the filled calzones onto the parchment-lined and cornmeal-sprinkled baking sheet, and brush each with a touch of olive oil. Cut three small slits into the tops of each calzone with a small knife or kitchen scissors to allow steam to escape during baking.

Step 8: Place into the preheated oven (middle rack) to bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and baked through.

Step 9: While the calzones bake, combine the remaining 1 tsp of minced garlic with the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil; once the calzones are baked, brush each liberally with this aromatic and delicious garlic oil and sprinkle with a touch of grated dairy-free parmesan cheese as a garnish; allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.