Baked High-Protein Pepperoni Stromboli (Printable)

Golden-baked dough rolled with seasoned beef, pepperoni, and melted mozzarella, sliced into hearty portions perfect for dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 pound pizza dough, store-bought or homemade

→ Meat & Cheese Filling

02 - 8 ounces lean ground beef
03 - 2 ounces pepperoni slices
04 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Vegetables & Seasoning

06 - 1/2 cup chopped onions
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
09 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Extras

11 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
13 - Marinara sauce for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart as it cooks. Season with salt, pepper, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes. Cook until browned and no longer pink, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll pizza dough into a large rectangle approximately 12 by 16 inches.
05 - Spread cooked beef mixture evenly over dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides.
06 - Layer pepperoni slices over beef. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses evenly across the top.
07 - Starting from a long edge, tightly roll dough into a log. Pinch the ends and seam securely to seal.
08 - Place stromboli seam-side down on prepared baking sheet. Brush top with beaten egg. Using a sharp knife, make 3 to 4 diagonal slits on top for steam release.
09 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
10 - Slice and serve with warm marinara sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a complete protein powerhouse that actually tastes indulgent, not like you're being virtuous about your calories.
  • One stromboli feeds four people or becomes two meals if you're eating alone and not ashamed about it.
  • The kitchen fill-your-lungs-with-garlic-and-pepperoni aroma is honestly worth the 50 minutes just by itself.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting period after cooking the beef; hot meat filling steams the dough from inside and creates a soggy bottom crust, which is a tragedy I wouldn't wish on anyone.
  • The egg wash step looks optional until you take it out of the oven and realize the difference between a pale, sad stromboli and one that looks like a bakery made it.
03 -
  • Don't let the dough get warm while you're filling it; warm dough becomes sticky and hard to work with, so keep everything cool and work relatively quickly.
  • If the top is browning too fast before the inside is cooked through, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes—the dough stays golden but won't char.
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