Hamburger Pie

Crescent roll dough pressed into a pie pan, layered with cheese, ground beef in tomato sauce, and more cheese on top. This is weeknight comfort food that kids and adults demolish equally fast.

The crescent rolls form the crust. Press them into a 9-inch pie pan, sealing the perforations so they bake into one solid layer. A cup of mixed cheddar and mozzarella goes on the bottom, then the seasoned beef, then the rest of the cheese on top. That bottom cheese layer melts into a barrier that keeps the crust from getting soggy.

The beef mixture is deliberately simple: browned ground beef, tomato sauce, garlic powder, and salt. It tastes like a cheeseburger in pie form, which is exactly the point. Drain the beef thoroughly after browning or the excess grease will pool in the pie.

Kitchen Tips

• Seal the crescent roll seams. Press the perforated edges together firmly or they’ll separate during baking and the filling leaks through.
• Drain the beef completely. Tip the skillet and blot with paper towels. Greasy meat makes a greasy pie.
• Mix the cheeses together before dividing between the layers. The cheddar adds sharp flavor, mozzarella adds stretch.
• Let it rest 5 minutes before slicing. It cuts cleaner and the cheese stops running.

Variations

• Taco pie: Add 1 packet of taco seasoning to the beef instead of garlic and salt. Top with shredded lettuce and sour cream after baking.
• Mushroom Swiss: Use Swiss cheese and add sautéed mushrooms to the beef layer.
• Pizza-style: Add sliced pepperoni on top of the meat layer before the final cheese.