Ground beef is combined with pasta sauce, then topped with lots of cheese and a crescent roll crust in this Zesty Italian Crescent Casserole that the whole family will love.
In a perfect world, I would love to make everything from scratch and have an elegant meal on the table for my family every night. But I’m also one of those people who doesn’t necessarily have 3 hours to spend in the kitchen every night, so I need something fast. I am someone that loves the simplicity of the recipes on the Food Network, while at the same time, I’m not afraid to take on a challenge.
I have made a deal with myself to no longer make excuses for when I take a shortcut or make an overly simple recipe. I know I have food bloggers that read my blog, but I also know that I have some everyday home cooks – just like me – that read my blog, so hopefully I’ll have a little something here for everyone.
Ok, all of that to bring you to this Zesty Italian Crescent Casserole! The folks over at Pillsbury have come up with a new great product – Crescent Recipe Creations. I’m so glad they came out with this product – it is a sheet of the crescent dough. Just like their regular crescent rolls, but no perforations (therefore just a sheet, not rolls), which makes recipes like this one so much easier! This is a Bake-Off recipe from 1978, and I can see why it made it into the Best of the Bake-Off cookbook. Simple, yet full of flavor.
I followed the recipe as written, but I did add more spaghetti sauce. I had made up some homemade spaghetti sauce from all of our tomatoes (see, just like I said above – I live in both worlds! A convenience food combined with homemade elements!) The homemade sauce was a bit more watery than a store bought sauce, so I had to cook mine a bit longer to thicken it up. And you should be able to find the Crescent Recipe Creations in your grocery store, but if you can’t, you can use the regular crescent rolls, and just pinch together the perforations. Both my husband and I really enjoyed this Zesty Italian Crescent Roll Casserole, and the leftovers were even great!
More Casseroles The Family Will Love
Taco Casserole
Beef Enchilada Casserole
Italian Ground Beef Casserole with Biscuit Topping
Zesty Italian Crescent Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup tomato pasta sauce
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese grated
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 can 8 oz Pillsbury Recipe Creations (Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls can be substituted)
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Combine the ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the beef is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir in the pasta sauce and cook just until heated through.
- Meanwhile, combine the mozzarella cheese and sour cream in a bowl. Set aside.
- Pour the beef mixture into the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch deep dish pie pan. Dollop the cheese mixture over the top and carefully spread evenly.
- Unroll the dough and place over the top of the cheese mixture. Trim the edges as needed, filling in any spots with the extra dough. Tuck the edges in around the edges of the pie dish.
- Combine the melted butter, Parmesan cheese and basil. Spread evenly over the top of the crescent rolls.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the dough is browned and cooked. Let the casserole sit for 10-15 minutes for easier slicing.
Gwel says
i cannot open the recipe “Ground beef crescent casserole, please help!
Rick and Nikki says
I just made this recipe tonight for dinner! It was deeeelisssh! I'm going to try and pull it off next time with 2 cups of chopped chicken – not because it wasn't delicious..more so to keep my waist size down!
By the way. I love your blog. I love the fact that your recipes are simple without an overwhelming ingredient list. I'm a newlywed, and quite the novice cook, and your recipes are delicious and manageable. Thank you!
Mrsblocko says
I just made this dish and wrote about it on my blog. I made a couple of goofs but the recipe was great and I'll be making it again. Thank you!
Colleen says
This was a very inspiring post for me, as I just started my own food blog and am having trouble with accepting my limited photography skills, time, and knowledge of food. It is a growing process and I agree with you that we should not be ashamed of using shortcuts or other things that make our lives easier but still give us delicious food!
Psychgrad says
I’ve thought about my niche before and have come to be really okay with just doing my thing. Posting about food-related things in my life. Whether that means savoury or sweet, local or travel – I just like to share and have “documentation” of memories.
I like the niche blogs – but relate best to the everyday cooks.
hot garlic says
You know I am SO on the same wavelength as you. You have to be yourself, and it should come natural. It think for me the quandry comes in when I try to be what I think people WANT me to be something. As long as you don’t listen to that, and do what you want, it will come off as genuine and you will be happier too.
It is hard, because so many people who are on my same level or are even more advanced than me read my blog now, in some ways it was so much fun when it was just me and my friends and I could be the expert! I miss that in a lot of ways.
I, like you maybe do, feel kinda stupid posting things that are so simple, yet they are what get the biggest repsonse! Sometimes I have to take a step back and remember what it was like before I knew so much or had so much more experience. I only have that because I sought it out, but you’re right, because of time constraints or not being interested, most others don’t and are just looking to get by.
O it is such a balancing act isn’t it!? Good luck!
And this and the peach things look GREAT! Especially the peach because it is dessert, my favorite!
Peabody says
I am one of those lucky people who knew right away what direction I wanted to go in. When I stated to get scattered and not do all baking, that is when I created yet another blog.
You are doing a fantastic job! A lot of my week night meals for my husband come from here.
Keep it up.
Kalyn says
Personally I think that easy recipes that taste good will always be popular. On my blog, one of the most popular categories is “Five ingredients or less.” You hit the nail on the head when you said there are a lot of people who want to cook but don’t care about experimenting or trying new things that much. The world is full of those kinds of people. There are only a few of us who want to think about food all the time and write about it on our blogs! Great post!
I think the most important thing about your blog is to do what feels right for you! And you are doing that very well.
kamailesfood says
I enjoy reading your blog and I’ve made quite a few of the recipes you’ve posted.
This recipe sounds yummy and quick to make. I like the idea of a sheet of crescent roll dough. Why didn’t they think of that sooner?
PS Great photo! 🙂
Megan says
I just try to be honest in my writing and post about what ever it is I’m making. I’ll let my niche find me. I’m just an ordinary girl making some exteaordinary food, sometimes with a mix, sometimes with a food network recipe (Love Rachael Ray’s 30 minute meals), but always with passion. Maybe thats our niche!
veron says
What a great insightful post. Now you had me thinking what kind of blogger I am. I love doing experiments but I just don’t have the time anymore to do a lot of iterations of a certain dish….but I guess I do like to generally muse about food.
Oh…and I don’t watch the Food Network…
Can I have a slice of the yummy Italian crescent casserole , please?
Dhanggit says
Each bloggers and blog site have their own character and personality that sets them apart from the rest. That’s what make food blogging interesting much exciting isnt it? To know that no matter we will surely find something that will fit our palate! I love your blog and the fact that you are a working mom! That’s super great! Your recipes are a goldmine to lot of busy people but love good food! This crescent casserole is calling my name 🙂
Brilynn says
I’ve always felt like I don’t really have a niche either, I’m kinda scattered all over the place. I would probably be more successful if I determined what my niche was and stuck with it… in all areas, not just blogging.
Mel, A Dramatic Mommy says
That looks great! The advice about finding a niche holds true for all bloggers, I think. It goes along with finding your voice.
I’m still looking for both but I’m having fun along the way. I’m glad I stumbled across your blog. I enjoy the writing style and the recipe I tried was great.
I think many of us get caught up in defining our blogs. I’ve vowed to stop overthinking it for awhile and see what happens.
Lina says
I dont think ive ever made a casserole before… that sounds so yummy!
Mrs. L says
I learned a long time ago that good food is good food whether the recipe takes five minutes to make or five hours to make. I love your blog and have bookmarked many recipes!