This 4-ingredient crescent roll ground beef casserole comes together in just minutes for an easy weeknight dinner! It’s a simple meal that you will turn to again and again when you need to feed your family…fast.
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If you’re looking for even more ground beef casserole recipes, try this tamale pie, a pan of Mexican lasagna, this stuffed bell pepper casserole, the longtime favorite Johnny Marzetti casserole, and this old-school shipwreck casserole, too!
Awesome dish, as a new empty nester making full meals are a thing of the past! So when the girls came down for the weekend, this dish was truly right on time….WE LOVED IT!!!!!!! Thank you so much
– Merri B.
Ground Beef Casserole Recipes are Always Weeknight Winners
Along with chicken breasts, ground beef is one of those staples that makes its way into our meal plan just about every week. It’s easy to buy the meat in bulk and then save it in the freezer for nights when you don’t want to make a separate trip to the store, and the versatile protein works in so many different recipes. Easy ground beef recipes with few ingredients are a busy parent’s best friend — and this 4-ingredient dish is no exception!
Since I’m always looking for new ways to keep dinnertime interesting, you can imagine how happy I was when a reader named Stephanie shared her favorite ground beef casserole recipe with me. One look at the list of ingredients and I instantly knew that it would be a winner in my house, too! Here’s what Stephanie had to say:
One of our favorite “quick” dinners is one that we had when both our children were growing up, and now my husband and I still enjoy it! The bonus now is that there are more pieces leftover for lunch the next day!
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- Instead of the ground beef, you can substitute with ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or ground sausage if you like.
- If you can find it, use a Pillsbury crescent dough sheet, which doesn’t have the perforations that you’ll find in a regular can of crescent roll dough. If you can’t find the sheet of dough, just use the regular crescent rolls and pinch together the seams.
- Salsa seasons the meat and acts as a binder to bring together the casserole filling. Use a spicy variety for more flavor, or keep it mild for the little ones. You can also swap out the salsa for marinara sauce or seasoned tomato sauce (for an Italian twist), or use barbecue sauce.
- Don’t forget about the toppings! Your family will love to jazz up their individual slices with sour cream, guacamole, fresh herbs, and more.
How to Make this Ground Beef Casserole Recipe
Although I called this recipe a ground beef casserole, the taste is a lot like a taco pizza. The crescent rolls form the crust, which is then filled with salsa (or barbecue sauce), ground beef, and cheese. It’s one of the best ground beef recipes you’ll sink your teeth into! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Unroll the crescent dough and press it into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. You can use a 9 x 13-inch baking pan if you prefer, but the crust will be thinner.
- Make the filling by browning ground beef in a skillet and then stirring in some salsa. Add just enough salsa to moisten the meat, but not so much that it’s too wet (you don’t want to end up with a soggy crust.
- Spoon the beef mixture over the crescent roll crust.
- Sprinkle cheese on top.
- Bake in a 350°F oven until the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- Garnish the crescent roll casserole with fresh herbs (such as parsley or chives) for a touch of bright flavor and color, or with sour cream, sliced olives, chopped tomatoes, or even jalapenos. Slice into squares and serve!
Serving Suggestions
Ground beef casserole recipes pair well with easy sides like this Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn, Aunt Bee’s 3-ingredient biscuit recipe, our favorite house salad with candied pecans, mixed greens with Dijon vinaigrette, Southern-style green beans, my mom’s easy potato salad, tortilla chips and salsa, pico de gallo, or guacamole, and this traditional coleslaw recipe or vinegar coleslaw.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: Prep this dinner in advance and just leave it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it later that same day. You can even prepare the ground beef mixture over the weekend and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days before you assemble and bake the casserole.
- How to Store: Keep the leftover crescent roll bake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The bottom of the crust will get soggy as it sits, so this meal is best enjoyed immediately. To extend the life of your leftovers, freeze the casserole in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- How to Freeze Before Baking: Freeze the assembled casserole. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as instructed, or (if using a freezer-to-oven-safe dish), bake directly from frozen. If baking a frozen casserole, keep the dish covered in the oven for about 20 minutes, then remove the cover and continue baking for 20-25 more minutes.
- How to Reheat: Cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven until heated through, about 15-20 minutes. You can also reheat individual squares in the microwave for about 1 minute.
This was delicious. My family ate it all up! I didn’t have salsa so I added taco seasoning and 1/2 cup tomato sauce to the meat and cooked it a couple minutes before adding to the crescent layer. It was delicious! Fed 6 people just fine! I will definitely make it again! Very quick and easy!
– Katie
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
4-Ingredient Crescent Roll Ground Beef Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 (8 ounce) can Pillsbury crescent roll dough (I use Pillsbury Crescent Dough Sheets, which don't have perforations)
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 cup thick and chunky salsa (or substitute with barbecue sauce)
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
- Optional garnish: sliced green onions, chopped fresh parsley, or other taco toppings like sour cream, sliced olives, avocado or guacamole, or pickled red onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray an 11 x 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray. You can also use a 9 x 13-inch dish — it will just yield a slightly thinner crust and beef layer. Either works well, though! Unroll the crescent roll dough and press into the bottom of the prepared dish to form a crust. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until it's no longer pink. Drain off excess grease. Stir in 1 cup of salsa, or just enough to moisten and flavor the meat. You don’t want the filling too “wet,” or it might make the crust soggy. I opt for a "thick and chunky" style salsa for this dish. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Spoon the beef mixture over the crescent roll dough. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
- Cut into squares and serve. Garnish with optional toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Variations
- Use a packet of taco seasoning mix or some chili powder to give the hamburger meat even more flavor.
- For an Italian twist on this dish, try this Italian Sausage Crescent Roll Casserole.
- Swap out the salsa and use bbq sauce or Sloppy Joe sauce instead.
- Try adding other toppings, vegetables, and spices to your casserole. Good options include chopped sautéed onions, garlic, bell peppers, canned diced tomatoes, frozen (thawed) corn, or beans (such as pinto beans or black beans drained from the can).
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes with Few Ingredients
Ground Beef Nachos
30 minutes mins
Cornbread and Ground Beef Casserole
58 minutes mins
Teriyaki Ground Beef
10 minutes mins
Originally published in October, 2017, this post was updated in April, 2025.
This looks & sounds really good & quite easy..my husband just requested tacos, so I think I’ll give this a try..I know I’ll love it & hopefully so will he! TY for your recipe.
Great! Enjoy, Kathy!
Add some doritos on top and it will be even better!
Yes, Doritos make everything better, right?! 🙂
This was delicious. My family ate it all up! I didn’t have salsa so I added taco seasoning and 1/2 cup tomato sauce to the meat and cooked it a couple minutes before adding to the crescent layer. It was delicious! Fed 6 people just fine! I will definitely make it again! Very quick and easy!
I forgot to add that chopping up some taco toppings would also go great with this. Lettuce, olives, sour cream, etc. Yum!
Awesome! Thanks, Katie. I appreciate you taking the time to come back here and leave a note. 🙂
I make this often, it’s always a hit with my family. I add a packet of taco seasoning and instead of salsa I use 8 oz can of hot tomato sauce. Simple and delicious!!
Sounds perfect, Dallas! Thanks for sharing that version…I bet it’s delicious!
Super versatile! Did bbq sauce and added onions and a little leftover corn. So easy, fast, and yummy! Excited to try other recipes of yours!
Awesome! Thanks, Tiffany!
There was a recipe my mother used to make similar to this one that I found in a magazine. You’re talking about more than 50yrs ago. One difference was biscuits were used instead of crescent roll dough (I don’t think they were around back then). During the global lockdowns, I tried to google it. Could not find it. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Brings back childhood memories.
I’m so happy to hear that, John. The best recipes are those that bring back fond memories. 🙂
I added 4 oz of Philadelphia chive and onion cream cheese after I drained the grease. It melted into the hamburger. That was the only change to the recipe. It was delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Chastity!
Love it! I I added onions. Pleasantly surprised how quick to prepare and taste like more time was required for this delicious meal.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Tonia! Thank you for trying it out.
This is delicious, but I feel like 1lb of ground chicken barely skimmed the bottom of my pan. I ended up only being able to put it on half of the crescent roll since it wasn’t enough.
Thank you for the feedback, Brandy. You can always add more protein to suit your preferences!