Easy Cheesy Meatball Stromboli
This is a super quick and easy recipe I threw together. It's sooo yummy just like a pizzeria. It fed my super hungry family of four, and I have boys! You can even make this a little healthier by using low-fat cheese. Turkey meatballs and reduced-fat pizza dough.
This is a super quick and easy recipe I threw together. It's sooo yummy just like a pizzeria. It fed my super hungry family of four, and I have boys! You can even make this a little healthier by using low-fat cheese. Turkey meatballs and reduced-fat pizza dough.
- Carbohydrate 47.0155856438052 g
- Cholesterol 64.4975 mg
- Fat 27.2879163079355 g
- Fiber 2.45660892367363 g
- Protein 26.2977768657494 g
- Saturated Fat 11.0371120833333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (245g)
- Sodium 1112.7975 mg
- Sugar 44.5589767201315 g
- Trans Fat 10.9333796412689 g
- Calories 536 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven 400 degrees.
- Roll out pizza dough flat on greased cookie sheet.
- Spread about 1 cup marinara sauce lengthwise on half the dough. (this is so you can fold the empty side over the toppings at the end)
- Top with heated meatballs.
- Spoon about 2/3 cups of marinara over that.
- Top with 1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella and sprinkle parmesan over that.
- Fold the empty side of the dough over the toppings and push around the edges to seal the dough together.
- Spread 1tbsp olive oil over the top. Lightly spinkle Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and parmesan over the top for a little added color and flavor.
- Bake until dough is lightly brown. Mine took about 17 minutes.
Operating within the confines of a single standard baking sheet requires careful management of real estate and thermal zones. Dough must be rolled directly onto the greased metal surface before loading to prevent tearing during transfer. Spreading sauce down the center leaves a clean border on one side, ensuring the dough can fold over and seal properly without squeezing fillings out the seams.
Managing Moisture and Heat
Commercial pizza dough contains high levels of moisture that require a hot oven to achieve a crisp exterior instead of a gummy crumb. Setting the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit creates the aggressive heat needed to start starch gelatinization immediately. Preheating the frozen meatballs in the microwave beforehand removes excess water content that would otherwise pool inside the crust during baking. Brushing the exterior with one tablespoon of olive oil conducts heat evenly across the surface, yielding an even golden-brown color within the 17-minute baking window.Adjusting Ingredients for Dietary Needs
Modifying this format for different nutritional requirements is straightforward without altering the core ratios. Substituting standard full-fat mozzarella with a low-fat alternative reduces total fat content while maintaining the required meltability to bind the interior fillings. Turkey meatballs swap out red meat entirely while preserving the protein density of the original construction. Keeping the ratio of marinara sauce balanced against the cheeses prevents the interior from becoming too watery as the temperature rises in the oven.
