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, this ground beef casserole with rice, 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.
Easy dishes like this were made for me! I make a similar dish, except with taco flavors. I’ve got to try your version next time! Thanks to Stephanie for sharing! 🙂 Love the simplicity of this and the fact that it’s easy to jazz up, too. Sounds like a winner for dinner! 🙂
Thanks, Gayle! Yep — easy dishes like this were made for me, too! SO good!
Blair,
I have tried so many of your recipes from your blog and have loved every single one of them. Thank you so much for sharing and God bless. By the way, I live in Richmond Virginia and envy that you live in the mountains. The Blue Ridge Mountains are so beautiful and I make it up there every year for my birthday. Luckily, my birthday is in October so I get to hit the mountains at the perfect time.
Hi, Leslie! Thank you so much for your note! We’re practically neighbors! 🙂
I do love the mountains, but I also think Richmond is a really great little city. I used to spend quite a bit of time there when I was working as a lawyer, and you can’t beat the Jefferson Hotel! The kids and I also love the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. It’s such an easy city to navigate and get around, which I appreciate — not too overwhelming!
Thanks so much for reading the blog and for saying, “hi!” Enjoy the holidays!
I left out the crescent roll dough I dint think it was needed
Thank you for the feedback, Wendy! We hope you enjoyed the recipe.
I just tried this recipe wth the bbq sauce variation, & let me tell you what!!! It was absolutely amazing, my husband loved it!! Thank you!!
Made this and loved it. So easy and quick. I added onions and sour cream to casserole. After it was done I added Queso. Will definitely make this again. It is great with ground vension meat.
I’m so happy to hear that, Patt. Thank you! The queso sounds like a delicious addition.
Thanks for the recipes without 20 ingredients!!! God bless you.
I’m so glad that you find them helpful, Brenda!
I’ve made a similar dish for the past few years except I’ll pour about a cup and a half of mexican white cheese dip over the top and then put another layer of crescent rolls on top. I’ll sprinkle taco seasoning on the top and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the rolls are done.
Yum! Your version sounds delicious, too! Thanks, Cass!
Savory barbecue sauce mixed with ground beef and topped with a buttery crescent roll crust is sure to impress your family and guests. With just a handful of ingredients, what’s not to love?
Exactly! So, so good!
I made one with pizza crust Beef and Italian sausage and mozzarella. My 2nd per the recipe w crescent dough. Both were fantastic! Definitely a winner.
That’s awesome. Thanks, Ruthie 🙂
Hi, what can I use in England to substitute crescent rolls please?
Hi, Yvonne! If you don’t have anything like refrigerated biscuit or pastry dough, I would use regular refrigerated pizza dough! 🙂
I’m in the UK… Read recently that “crescent roll dough” is essentially croissant dough, and sold in tubes in Tesco freezer aisles.
OH!!!! Yes, I didn’t realize that you can purchase croissant dough in the UK. That’s definitely what you would want to use, since crescent rolls are basically just little croissants! Thanks for that tip, Alice!
I left out the crescent roll dough I dint think it was needed
Blair,
I have tried so many of your recipes from your blog and have loved every single one of them. Thank you so much for sharing and God bless. By the way, I live in Richmond Virginia and envy that you live in the mountains. The Blue Ridge Mountains are so beautiful and I make it up there every year for my birthday. Luckily, my birthday is in October so I get to hit the mountains at the perfect time.
Hi Blair,
Do I need to bake the bottom croissant till it’s half baked and then add the hamburger mixture so that it’s not soggy?
Hi, David! No, I have never pre-baked the crust. It’s not going to be a crispy crust like you would find on a brick-oven pizza, but I never found it to be soggy. You could certainly pre-bake it if you want to try it that way, though. If the edges start to get too brown when it’s in the oven for the second time, just lightly cover the edges with foil (like you would do with a pie crust). Hope that helps!
how do you adjust this for chicken breast?
Hi, Sam! You can use ground chicken breast in exactly the same way that the recipe calls for ground beef. It’s an equal swap.
If you want to replace the beef with cooked, diced chicken breast, you will need about 1 1/2 – 2 cups of the cooked chicken. All other instructions remain the same. Enjoy!
Tasted great and indeed simple to make. I added seasoned black beans which worked well.
Thank you, Tim!
I made this recipe last night. It was super easy and delicious. I always know if it was liked when my picky eater significant other takes three helpings. The only thing I changed was I put a layer of the crescent rolls on top as well.
Thanks sharing recipes that are quick, easy, AND delicious!
Do you think it is too spicy for a toddler if the salsa is used?
Hi, Marisa! That totally depends on the type of salsa that you use. If you can find a mild salsa, it should be totally fine. Medium or hot salsas will probably be too spicy, but every kid is different! 🙂
Tried the recipe – it was delicious and very easy to make!. Perfect dinner for busy nights
Thank you!
Great! Thanks so much, Alicia!
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!!!!!!! TY so much
Awesome! Thanks, Merri!
Want to try this tonight. Can I subsitute with biscuits and thin them some like crossiant rolls?
That might work, but you want to be sure that you create a crust without any seams or holes in the bottom. If you can press the biscuit dough together enough to create that crust, then I think it would be fine. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! I’ve made it several times now and my family loves it. I’ve added black beans and corn a couple of times along with diced tomatoes when I was out of salsa, which is really good too. I also bake them in muffin tins, using one crescent triangle per hole, which the kids love!
I love that idea to make individual portions in the muffin tin. So fun!
A few months ago I had 2 major surgeries and discovered during my time off I LOVE TO COOK! Several times a week I “Google” for recipes using ingreduents I have on hand and while doing this I found your site. While I’ve found some really good recipes, Ive never been impressed enough before to sign up or even make a comment till now. I love the way you interact with your followers and the food I have tried so far is on point! Thank you for sharing your food and your time!!
Oh, thank you so much, Tonya! I love hearing that, and I appreciate your kind words!!
We used the bbq sauce one and added onion and it was awesome! We will try the salsa one next. Thanks lots for this wonderful recipe.
That’s great, Ginny! I’m so glad that you liked it! If you want a taco version, this is a newer post and it’s my kids’ favorite: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/lightened-up-taco-crescent-casserole/
Have a good week!
I used refrigerated peach mango salsa mixed with a little barbecue sauce, waiting to taste it.
Sounds good! I hope you enjoy, Regina!
It is delicious, thank you for sharing , I made cole slaw on the side next time I will try regular salsa, or just barbecue sauce.
Great! Thank you!
This was delicious and so easy! I used a 9×9 pan (that’s the closest I had), and that worked well. I used the BBQ sauce substitute and threw in some tomatoes, spinach, and onion. It was great and I will definitely make it again!
Thanks, Lindsay! I’m so glad that it worked well for you! 🙂
I made this using sloppy joe sauce and it was delicious. Family licked the pan clean. Thanks so much for the easy recipes.
Thanks, Faye!
Great easy recipe! I have several teenage boys so I added a can of refried beans to make the hamburger mixture go further. It was a hit! Thanks for sharing!!!!
Thanks, Nicole! I’ll have to remember that tip for when my 3 boys are all teenagers! 🙂