Description
This homemade Stromboli recipe features a flavorful Italian stuffed bread, filled with layers of salami, provolone, pepperoni, and mozzarella, wrapped in a soft, golden crust. With a crisp exterior brushed with garlic butter and parmesan, and a warm, cheesy, meaty interior, it's perfect as a satisfying appetizer or main dish. The recipe includes making your own dough from scratch for the best taste and texture, but also offers options for store-bought dough. Serve with warm pizza sauce or marinara for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- ¾ cup warm water (105-115° F)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus up to 1/3 cup as needed (250-290 g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for bowl and crust
Stromboli Filling and Toppings
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons pizza sauce, plus more for serving
- 8 slices salami
- 8 slices provolone cheese
- 8 slices large deli pepperoni
- 1 ¼ cups shredded low moisture whole milk mozzarella cheese
- 1 egg, whisked with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley, optional
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, dissolve the instant yeast and sugar in warm water (105-115° F). Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 5 minutes until bubbly.
- Mix Dough: In a large bowl, combine salt, garlic powder, and half of the flour. Stir well. Add the activated yeast mixture and olive oil. Using a wooden spoon, gradually add the remaining flour, stirring until a slightly sticky, elastic dough forms.
- Knead Dough: Dust hands with flour and knead dough in the bowl for 3-5 minutes. Add up to 1/3 cup additional flour if too sticky. The dough should slowly spring back when poked. Shape into a ball.
- First Rise: Lightly oil a large glass bowl, place the dough ball inside, and brush top with olive oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for 30-60 minutes until doubled in size. Alternatively, refrigerate overnight for slow rise.
- Preheat Oven: When dough is ready, preheat oven to 400 °F.
- Prepare Dough for Filling: Roll the dough onto a floured surface into a 10 x 16-inch rectangle. Brush melted butter mixed with minced garlic evenly on the surface.
- Add Sauce and Fillings: Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a 3-inch gap from the top edge and a 1-inch perimeter around the sides. Layer salami first, then provolone, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce.
- Egg Wash and Roll: Brush the 1-inch bare edges of dough with the egg wash. Carefully roll the dough tightly from the wide bottom edge toward the top, folding fillings inward as you roll. Tuck the ends underneath to seal.
- Prepare for Baking: Transfer the rolled Stromboli seam-side down onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush the entire surface with egg wash. Sprinkle grated Parmesan and dried parsley on top. Cut 4 thin slits along the top for steam ventilation.
- Bake: Bake at 400 °F for 25 minutes. For a deeper golden crust, brush with an additional tablespoon of melted butter and bake for 2 more minutes until desired color is reached.
- Rest and Serve: Let the Stromboli rest for 5 minutes before slicing into approximately 9 pieces. Serve warm with extra pizza sauce or marinara on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Store-bought pizza dough (1 lb.) can be used instead of making dough from scratch, but homemade dough offers better texture and strength.
- Use low moisture, whole milk mozzarella shredded from a block for optimal melting. Avoid fresh mozzarella as it is too moist.
- This recipe contains about ½ lb. meat and ¾ lb. cheese totaling 1 ¼ lbs. filling; adjust slice count or weight for thicker or thinner cold cuts.
- To help dough rise faster, warm your oven to 200° F for 2 minutes, turn off, and place covered dough inside to trap heat.
- You can also use a microwave by boiling a cup of water inside, removing it, quickly placing the dough bowl inside, and closing the door for residual warmth.
- Dough can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3-4 months before use.
- Prepared Stromboli can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours before baking or frozen for up to 3 months (skip egg wash and slits if freezing). Thaw in fridge before baking.
- Frozen Stromboli leftovers reheat well by wrapping in foil and baking at 350 °F for 20-30 minutes depending on serving size.
- For storage, refrigerate in airtight container up to 3 days or freeze wrapped tightly up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/9th of Stromboli)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
