Recipes & Cooking Recipes by Ingredient Beef Ground Beef Spinach and Beef Calzones 5.0 (1) Add your rating & review These hearty calzones are stuffed with beef, greens, and ricotta. By CJ Younger CJ Younger CJ Younger is an editorial assistant at Better Homes & Gardens. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on March 28, 2024 Recipe tested by Sarah Brekke, MS Recipe tested by Sarah Brekke, MS Sarah Brekke, a culinary expert with The Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen, is passionate about food and cooking. Her unique background as both a food scientist and a culinary contributor allows her to blend her passions for both educating readers and creating tasty content. Learn more about the Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Brie Goldman Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 6 Yield: 6 Jump to Nutrition Facts The crispy crust in this calzone recipe is hiding leafy green spinach and hearty beef, not to mention sliced button mushrooms. Red pepper flakes and garlic complement the flavor. Finish the filling with creamy ricotta cheese and melted mozzarella. Once the calzones are baked, serve them with warm marinara sauce for dunking. For the ultimate crispy crust, brush your calzone with milk before baking it. This will help it bake to a toasty golden brown. If you've got a little extra time, we recommend making two portions of our homemade Pizza Dough. and freezing one for later. However, if you're looking for a premade option, we found that Trader Joe's pizza dough is one of the best options for this recipe. It's affordable and is easy to stretch. This beef calzone recipe is best served warm from the oven. You can make them ahead and freeze a batch for later. To freeze calzones, bake and let them cool completely. Wrap the cooled calzones with plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe plastic bag. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the oven. 24 of Our Favorite and Most Delicious Classic Italian Recipes Ingredients Nonstick cooking spray 2 Tbsp. olive oil 8 oz. fresh button mushrooms, finely chopped 1 lb. ground beef ¾ tsp. salt ½ tsp. black pepper 15 oz. ricotta cheese 1 cup chopped fresh spinach 2 cloves garlic, minced Pinch crushed red pepper 2 portions Homemade Pizza Dough or 2 lb. purchased refrigerated pizza dough 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 tablespoon milk, optional 1 jar marinara sauce Directions Preheat the oven to 450°F. Coat two baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In a 10-inch skillet heat olive oil over medium; add the mushrooms and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 6 minutes. Add the ground beef to skillet. Cook until browned; drain off any fat. Stir in 1/2 tsp. of the salt and 1/4 tsp. of the black pepper. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, garlic, crushed red pepper, and remaining 1/4 tsp. each salt and black pepper. Divide the dough into six portions; shape each into a ball. For each calzone, on a lightly floured surface roll one dough ball into a 7-inch circle. Spread about 1/3 cup ricotta mixture on one half of the dough circle, leaving a 1-inch border. Top ricotta with about 1/2 cup of the meat mixture and 2 Tbsp. mozzarella. Lightly brush the edges with water. Fold the dough over filling; seal with the tines of a fork. Transfer the calzones to a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining the dough and fillings. Brush the calzones with milk (if using). Prick the tops with a fork or paring knife. Bake, rotating sheets once, until golden and hollow when tapped, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve with warmed marinara sauce. Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 782 Calories 33g Fat 76g Carbs 42g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 6 Calories 782.1 % Daily Value * Total Fat 33.4g 43% Saturated Fat 11.3g 57% Cholesterol 98.6mg 33% Sodium 1074.2mg 47% Total Carbohydrate 76.1g 28% Dietary Fiber 3.7g 13% Total Sugars 4.5g Protein 42.3g 85% Vitamin D 0.2mcg 1% Vitamin C 3.2mg 4% Calcium 342mg 26% Iron 7.3mg 41% Potassium 669.1mg 14% Fatty acids, total trans 0.8g Vitamin D 10.8IU Alanine 2.1g Arginine 2.4g Ash 5.4g Aspartic acid 3.3g Caffeine 0mg Carotene, alpha 0mcg Choline, total 96mg Copper, Cu 0.4mg Cystine 0.5g Energy 3272.8kJ Fluoride, F 38.5mcg Folate, total 226.3mcg Glutamic acid 8.8g Glycine 2g Histidine 1.3g Isoleucine 1.9g Leucine 3.5g Lysine 3.2g Methionine 1g Magnesium, Mg 61.4mg Manganese, Mn 0.7mg Niacin 11.8mg Phosphorus, P 515.8mg Pantothenic acid 2.2mg Phenylalanine 1.9g Phytosterols 26.1mg Proline 3.3g Retinol 113.1mcg Selenium, Se 65.8mcg Serine 1.9g Theobromine 0mg Threonine 1.6g Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 1.6mg Tryptophan 0.4g Tyrosine 1.5g Valine 2.2g Vitamin A, IU 878.1IU Vitamin A, RAE 138.4mcg Vitamin B-12 2.5mcg Vitamin B-6 0.5mg Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 41.7mcg Water 204.2g Zinc, Zn 7.4mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.