Italian Crescent Casserole
Italian Crescent Casserole is the easy weeknight dinner solution you’ve been looking for. This recipe combines buttery crescent roll dough with hearty Italian sausage, savory marinara, and plenty of cheese for a meal that’s ready in under an hour. It’s like a bubble-up pizza but even better because of the creamy ricotta layer. You can swap the sausage for ground beef or turkey if that’s what you have on hand. It serves a crowd and reheats perfectly, making it a solid choice for meal prep or busy evenings when you just want something good on the table fast.
Ingredients
- 2 8-ounce tubes crescent roll dough
- 1 pound Italian sausage mild or hot
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, well-drained (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese divided
- 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Salt as needed
- Chopped basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Place a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up, for 6-8 minutes.
- Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in marinara sauce, drained diced tomatoes (optional), Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes (optional), black pepper, and a pinch of salt if needed. Simmer 6-10 minutes to thicken. Remove from the heat.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg, and ¼ cup parmesan. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Press one tube of crescent dough into the bottom of the baking dish, pinching seams together.
- Spread the ricotta mixture over the dough. Spoon the meat sauce over the ricotta.
- Sprinkle mozzarella over the top, then sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup parmesan.
- Add the second tube of crescent dough over the top (as a full crust or torn into pieces).
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and cooked through. If the top browns too fast, loosely cover with foil near the end.
- Rest for 10-15 minutes, garnish with basil or parsley, then slice and serve.
Notes
A thicker marinara makes the casserole easier to slice. If your sauce is thin, simmer the meat mixture a few extra minutes.
Letting the casserole rest before slicing helps it set and keeps the layers from sliding.
For a pizza-style version, add sliced pepperoni under the cheese.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!