With this Crescent Lasagna recipe you get all the flavors of lasagna between flaky layers of crescent roll dough. A meaty meat sauce and cream cheese layer are sandwiched between layers of buttery crescent dough to make an unbelievably delicious family meal.
Crescent Roll Dough
This recipe makes use of one of my favorite kitchen shortcuts- refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough. I use Pillsbury Crescent Roll Dough. You can use either the crescent dough or crescent sheets. If using crescent dough, you will have to press on the perforations to seal them. I also love to use crescent dough to make these Sloppy Joe Squares, Crescent Beef Burritos, and Sausage and Crescent Roll Casserole.
Meat Filling
A super thick tomato meat sauce, with both ground beef and Italian sausage for supreme flavor, is spread on top of a rectangle of crescent roll dough.
Cheese Filling
Next comes a cheese mixture made from cottage cheese, 2 eggs, and Parmesan cheese. If you don’t like cottage cheese, use ricotta cheese. I think using cottage cheese for a lasagna is a southern thing. But even if you think you don’t like cottage cheese, try it for lasagna. It is super, super creamy.
A thick layer of shredded mozzarella cheese comes next and then a second can of crescent roll dough is unrolled and placed on top.
The only slightly tricky part of this recipe is getting the top and bottom layers of crescent roll dough sealed around the edges. And it’s difficult to get it perfectly shaped.
But with a meal that tastes this yummy, does it really matter what it looks like?
Variations and Substitutions
- Use all ground beef or all Italian sausage.
- Use ground turkey to make it a little lighter.
- Make it spicy. Add half a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Sub ricotta cheese for cottage cheese.
- Add sauteed mushrooms.
Can Crescent Lasagna Be Frozen?
Yes! Bake the lasagna and let it cool completely. Wrap it in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Meat sauce, gooey cheese, and buttery dough is always a winning combination!
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More Lasagna Recipes
- Make-Ahead Lasagna
- Pepperoni Lasagna Roll-Ups
- Pizza Lasagna
- White Seafood Lasagna
- Mexican Lasagna
- Cream Cheese Lasagna
- Slow Cooker Sausage Lasagna
Watch the short video below to see how to make this recipe.
Crescent Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage,, I use hot
- 1 medium onion,, chopped
- 1 clove garlic,, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1 (8-ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter,, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet.Note: Or you can line it with parchment paper.
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking meat apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Once you get the meat crumbled, add onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add Italian seasoning, tomato paste, and salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes and remove from heat. Mixture will be very thick.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and cottage cheese. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
- Unroll one can of crescent dough and place on prepared baking sheet. Press together edges and perforations between pieces of crescent roll dough to make one continuous piece of dough.
- Spread meat mixture on top of dough to within 1 inch of the sides.
- Spread cottage cheese mixture on top of meat mixture.
- Spread mozzarella over cottage cheese mixture.
- Unroll second can of dough and place on top. Press together edges and perforations.
- Press the edges of the top piece of dough together with the bottom edge to make a seam all the way around the rectangle.
- Combine 1 tablespoon melted butter with garlic sauce and chopped parsley and brush on top of dough.
- Place in oven for 25 to 27 minutes, until golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally published September 1, 2015.
My kids want me to make this recipe every week!
Loved it!!
It would be nice to not only put how long to bake it but also what temp to set your oven at unless you use the crescent rolls baking degree. If so that should be part of the recipe because most people wouldn’t think of that.
That recipe is awesome it has been around for 42 years! I love it. Thanks for digging that one up.
Crescent rolls are now sold in solid sheets. No more pinching closed the seams. Just roll out with a rolling pin to the right size, fill and bake. Purchased 2 cans at Publix last month to make lasagna.
It’s now even easier. Crescent rolls are now sold in complete sheets. No pinching the separations together ever again. Just rolls out with a rolling pin to the desired size, fill and bake. I bought two cans at Publix last month to make lasagna.