Italian Sausage Crescent Roll Casserole

This easy Italian Sausage Crescent Roll Casserole requires just 5 ingredients and about 15 minutes of prep! With a buttery, flaky crust, a flavorful sausage filling, and two types of cheese on top, this meal tastes a lot like a deep-dish pizza. Serve the casserole with a simple green salad for a quick weeknight dinner that the whole family will enjoy!

We could all use more 5-ingredient dinners in our back pocket, right? Some nights you just don’t have time to grocery shop or to prepare an elaborate meal…and that’s where this sausage crescent roll casserole comes in. Keep these staples on hand in the refrigerator or freezer and throw the dish together from start to finish in less than 45 minutes. Feeling fancy? Jazz it up with fresh herbs, or add other ingredients like sliced olives, onions, or pepperoni. The options are endless!

Ingredients

This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a sausage crescent roll recipe. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• Italian sausage: look for bulk Italian sausage (without the casings), or remove the casings from sausage links before cooking. Sweet or spicy sausage will work — pick your preference!
• Marinara sauce: use a jar of high-quality store-bought sauce for a nice shortcut. I prefer Rao’s brand. Have a little bit more time? Make your own marinara sauce with fresh or canned tomatoes.
• Crescent roll dough: if you can find it, use a tube of 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.
• Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese: freshly-grated or pre-shredded varieties will work.

How to Make Sausage Crescent Roll Casserole

That’s right, friends – just 5 ingredients and 15 minutes of prep! This family-friendly recipe is basically like having a pizza croissant casserole dinner…what’s not to love?

Here’s how to use crescent roll dough as a casserole crust…

1. Brown the sausage in a skillet; drain.
2. Stir in marinara sauce.
3. Press the crescent roll dough into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
4. Spread the sausage mixture on top of the crust.
5. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
6. Bake in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and crisp on the bottom.
7. Slice into squares, garnish with fresh herbs, and serve!

What to Serve with Pillsbury Sausage Crescent Roll Casserole

This flavorful, satisfying casserole goes well with any of these easy sides:

• Garlic bread, homemade focaccia, breadsticks, or a crusty loaf of no-knead Dutch oven bread
• Green salad with red wine vinaigrette or a classic Caesar salad
• Roasted broccoli or asparagus
• Parmesan roasted cauliflower
• Sauteed asparagus
• 2-ingredient Italian sugar snap peas
• Brown sugar glazed carrots
• Fennel salad with apples and creamy cider dressing

Storage

• Store 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.
• You can also freeze the casserole before baking. 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.
• To reheat the casserole, cover the dish 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.

Recipe Variations

• Prep ahead! Make 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 sausage mixture over the weekend and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days before you need to assemble and bake the casserole.
• For a thicker crust, prepare the casserole in a smaller 11 x 7-inch dish.
• Ground Beef Crescent Roll Casserole: substitute 1 lb. of ground beef for the Italian sausage. Since the beef doesn’t have as many seasonings as the sausage, you may want to add some extra flavor, such as garlic, onion, or herbs.
• For a Mexican twist on this dish, try this 5-Ingredient Taco Casserole recipe.
• Try adding other toppings and ingredients to your casserole. Good options include chopped pepperoni, sliced olives, or sautéed onions and bell peppers.

Tips for the Best Sausage Crescent Roll Casserole Recipe

• Look for a tube of Pillsbury Crescent Dough “Sheet,” which is just like the crescent rolls, but without the perforations. That way you can just unroll the tube of dough and press it into the pan.
• If using crescent roll dough instead of the crescent dough sheet, make sure to press and seal together the perforations before using the dough as a crust.
• Use just enough marinara to moisten and flavor the meat. You don’t want the filling too “wet,” or it might make the crust soggy.
• Garnish the crescent roll pizza casserole with fresh herbs for a touch of bright flavor and color.

More Pillsbury Crescent Roll Recipes to Try

• 5-Ingredient Taco Casserole
• Easy Stromboli Crescent Braid
• Chicken and Broccoli Crescent Braid
• 5-Ingredient Crescent Roll Chicken Casserole
• Breakfast Crescent Roll Casserole with Bacon, Egg and Cheese
• Buffalo Chicken Dip Crescent Ring
• Easy Chili Crescent Roll Bake