We love the combo of roasted, creamy Japanese eggplant, zucchini and bell pepper with Italian vegetarian sausage in this recipe, but you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand to stuff the calzones — broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms and onions come to mind.
RD tip: If you’re looking for a substantial meal, look no further. These calzones have all the elements of a filling meal: protein, fiber and fat, plus a serving of vegetables. The carbohydrate and protein ratio makes it great for a post-workout refuel. Make ahead of time and eat this for lunch or dinner immediately following an hour-long cardio or high-intensity gym workout.
Discover hundreds of healthy recipes — from high protein to low carb — via “Recipe Discovery” in the MyFitnessPal app.
Roasted Vegetable Calzones
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (452g) whole-wheat flour, plus more for dusting
For the filling
- 1 medium (146g) Japanese eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch (1cm) dice
- 1 (8-ounce/227g) medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch (1cm) dice
- 1 small red or green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch (1cm) dice
- 1 (3.3oz/93g) vegetarian Italian sausage, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 thin slices mozzarella cheese (2 oz/57g)
- 1 cup low-sodium marinara sauce, warmed, to serve
Directions
Combine the 1 3/4 cups (414ml) warm water and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer and stir to dissolve, let stand until foamy, 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the salt and stir to blend. Add the flour and mix with a dough hook on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, 8 minutes, adding more flour if necessary. Alternatively, mix by hand and knead until smooth and elastic, 12 minutes. The dough will be a bit sticky, the more moist the dough, the crisper the crust.
Shape the dough into a round and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Toss the eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper and sausage with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper on the baking sheet. Arrange in an even layer and roast until fork-tender, 20 minutes. Pour into a bowl. Leave the oven on and set the baking sheet aside.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (about 3 1/2 ounces/99g each). Roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch (20-cm) round on a lightly floured surface. You’ll use 4 of the dough rounds immediately for this recipe. Stack the remaining rounds between lightly oiled sheets of parchment paper. Wrap and freeze for up to 3 months or double the veggies and use the dough immediately.
To make the calzones, put 3/4 cup (100g) of the vegetable mixture in a mound on one side of each piece of dough; place a slice of cheese on top of the vegetables. Bring the opposite side of the dough up and over the filling and pinch and pleat the edges together to seal. Repeat to make 4 calzones.
Transfer the calzones to the reserved baking sheet and brush with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Bake until the calzones are crisp and golden brown, 30 minutes. Serve with marinara for dipping.
This recipe makes enough whole-wheat dough to make 8 calzones, 4 for now and 4 to freeze for meal prep later. Note: To use frozen dough, remove them from the freezer and defrost at room temperature for 30 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 calzone, 1/4 cup (59ml) sauce
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 471; Total Fat: 18g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 8mg; Sodium: 469mg; Carbohydrate: 55g; Dietary Fiber: 10g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 20g
