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Italian Crescent Casserole

A warm, cheesy, comforting Italian-inspired casserole made with crescent roll dough, rich meat sauce, and melted mozzarella.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 slices
Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Casserole Base
  • 1 package crescent roll dough
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 0.5 cup diced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1.5 cups marinara sauce
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Cheese Layer
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 tsp dried basil
Topping
  • 1.5 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • fresh basil or parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • Skillet
  • Baking dish
  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a baking dish.
  2. Unroll crescent dough, press seams together, and lay into the dish as a crust.
  3. Cook ground beef with onion until browned. Add garlic, marinara, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer 3–4 minutes.
  4. Mix ricotta, egg, parmesan, and basil in a bowl.
  5. Spread ricotta mixture over the crust followed by the meat mixture.
  6. Top with mozzarella cheese.
  7. Bake 22–25 minutes until golden and bubbly.
  8. Let rest briefly, garnish with fresh herbs, and serve.

Notes

Drain beef well to keep the crust crisp. Add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.