Baked High-Protein Pepperoni Stromboli (Printable Version)

Golden baked stromboli stuffed with seasoned beef, pepperoni, and three cheeses. A protein-rich Italian-American classic ready in under an hour.

# 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

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a 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 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out pizza dough into a large rectangle approximately 12 by 16 inches.
05 - Evenly distribute cooked beef mixture over dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides.
06 - Arrange pepperoni slices over beef. Evenly sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses on top.
07 - Starting from a long edge, tightly roll dough into a log. Pinch ends and seam to seal completely.
08 - Place stromboli seam-side down on prepared baking sheet. Brush top surface with beaten egg.
09 - Using a sharp knife, make 3 to 4 diagonal slits across the top for steam to escape.
10 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
11 - Slice and serve with warm marinara sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely protein-packed (37g per serving) without tasting like you're eating a gym shake.
  • Way easier to assemble than it looks, and your kitchen smells unreal while it bakes.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step after browning the beef—I learned this the hard way when hot meat made my dough soggy and the bottom of the roll steamed instead of baking.
  • Those diagonal slits matter more than they seem; they're not decorative, they're functional, and without them the inside gets trapped steam and stays slightly doughy.
03 -
  • Use parchment paper religiously—it prevents sticking and makes cleanup instant, which is worth its weight in peace of mind.
  • The egg wash is what separates homemade from looking homemade; don't skip it or rush it, because that golden shine signals "I actually know what I'm doing."
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