Description
This Homemade Stromboli recipe yields two hearty, golden loaves filled with layers of Italian meats, cheeses, and aromatic herbs, all wrapped in a soft, homemade dough. Perfect as a main course, this stromboli is crisp on the outside, gooey inside, and completely customizable with your favorite fillings. Serve with marinara or pizza sauce for dipping. Great for meal prep, gatherings, or a family dinner, the dough and stromboli are both freezer-friendly for make-ahead convenience.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dough
- 1 and 1/3 cups (320ml) warm water (100-110°F, 38-43°C)
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active-dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 Tablespoon (13g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 and 1/2 cups (about 450g) all-purpose flour, plus more for hands and work surface
Filling
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 pound thinly sliced Italian cold cuts, deli ham, or large pepperoni slices (about 20 slices total)*
- 3/4 – 1 pound cheese (about 3 cups shredded, or 16-20 slices deli cheese, e.g., provolone and mozzarella)*
Egg Wash & Toppings
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 Tablespoon water
- Optional: Sprinkle of chopped fresh or dried parsley, coarse sea salt or flaky sea salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and/or parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Dough: Whisk the warm water, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes. If you don’t have a mixer, use a large mixing bowl and mix by hand.
- Add Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the olive oil, salt, and flour. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes, or by hand until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the Dough: Knead in the mixer for 5 minutes (switching to the dough hook if necessary), or knead by hand on a floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky. If it becomes sticky, sprinkle flour as needed, but do not overdo it. The dough should bounce back when poked.
- First Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or spray. Place dough inside, turn to coat, and cover with foil, plastic, or towel. Let it rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size. (Tip: For a warm rise, place in a just-warmed, switched-off oven.)
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Shape the Dough: Punch down the risen dough and divide in half. Roll each half out on a lightly floured surface to a 10×16-inch rectangle. Let rest 10 minutes if dough resists stretching.
- Assemble Fillings: Mix melted butter and garlic; spread mixture on each rectangle and sprinkle with parsley. Layer half the meats and cheeses on each, leaving a 1-inch border on sides and bottom and a 3-inch border on top.
- Roll and Seal: Brush all edges with egg wash. Starting at the bottom, tightly roll up each dough rectangle into a 16-inch log, folding in the ends as you go. Transfer to baking sheets and pinch or tuck ends to seal.
- Egg Wash and Toppings: Brush outside of each stromboli with egg wash. Sprinkle with optional toppings (parsley, sea salt, pepper, parmesan, etc.). Using a very sharp knife, cut 3-4 slits in the tops for steam.
- Bake: Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the center registers at least 200°F (93°C). Rotate pans halfway if baking both at once; extend bake time by 2-3 minutes if needed.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from oven, let cool 5 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a cutting board to slice. Serve plain or with pizza/marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
- For a meatless stromboli, replace meat with up to 2 cups cooked vegetables (e.g., mushrooms, broccoli, peppers, spinach, or basil).
- To freeze dough: After the first rise and dividing, wrap in oiled plastic or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before using.
- You can assemble and refrigerate shaped stromboli up to 8 hours before baking.
- Freeze unbaked, filled stromboli by wrapping well and freezing up to 3 months; thaw 24 hours in fridge, add egg wash and slits, then bake.
- Freeze baked stromboli well-wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw and heat at 350°F (177°C) oven, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Use large deli slices for best texture; avoid small pepperoni slices.
- Stromboli is best served fresh, but leftovers keep up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
- For egg-free option, brush with melted butter instead of egg wash.
- Customize seasonings and cheeses to preference; provolone and mozzarella are recommended.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of 1 stromboli)
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 540mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 37mg
