Baked High-Protein Pepperoni Stromboli (Printable version)

Hearty Italian-American classic with pizza dough rolled around lean beef, pepperoni, and mozzarella, baked golden.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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, optional
10 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Extras

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

# How-To Steps:

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 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
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 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out pizza dough into a large rectangle approximately 12 by 16 inches.
05 - Spread the cooked beef mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Layer pepperoni slices over the beef. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses evenly on top.
06 - Starting from a long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log, pinching the ends and seam to seal completely.
07 - Place the stromboli seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top with beaten egg. Using a sharp knife, make 3-4 diagonal slits on the surface to allow steam to escape during baking.
08 - Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the exterior is golden brown and cooked through.
09 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with warm marinara sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get a complete meal that tastes indulgent but delivers 37 grams of protein per serving, so you're not just satisfied, you're genuinely nourished.
  • The house-filling aroma while it bakes is genuinely therapeutic—your kitchen becomes a warm, welcoming space without trying.
  • It's foolproof enough for a weeknight dinner but impressive enough to bring to a gathering without anyone suspecting it took less than an hour.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step after browning the beef—I learned this when my first stromboli turned into a grease puddle because hot filling immediately melted the cheese into separation.
  • The 1-inch dough border is non-negotiable; I once rolled the filling all the way to the edge and watched cheese and beef leak onto my baking sheet like an edible crime scene.
  • Tight rolling matters more than you'd think—loose rolling creates air pockets where the filling falls away from the dough, leaving you with bland bites of unfilled bread.
03 -
  • If your dough springs back stubbornly while rolling, let it rest for 2–3 minutes—this relaxes the gluten and makes it much more cooperative.
  • A meat thermometer in the center should read 165°F to guarantee the beef is safely cooked through, especially if your filling was chilled before assembly.
  • Make the beef filling earlier in the day and refrigerate it; cold filling actually helps the dough stay intact during rolling and baking, which I discovered by happy accident.
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