The Golden Sausage and Cheese Rolls Casserole is a hearty and comforting dish, perfect for a satisfying breakfast, a cozy brunch, or even a light dinner. As beautifully showcased in the image, this casserole features individual rolls made with flaky, golden-brown pastry, generously filled with a savory mixture of seasoned sausage and melted cheese. Baked together in a casserole dish, the rolls become beautifully interconnected, creating a warm and inviting presentation. The tops are often brushed with an egg wash to achieve that irresistible golden sheen, and the melted cheese oozes out around the edges and between the rolls, adding an extra layer of flavor and visual appeal.
This dish offers a delightful combination of textures and flavors. The pastry, whether made from scratch or using convenient store-bought crescent roll dough or puff pastry, provides a light and airy flakiness that contrasts perfectly with the rich and savory sausage filling. The sausage, typically browned and seasoned with herbs and spices, forms the flavorful core of each roll. The addition of cheese, often cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend, melts beautifully during baking, creating a gooey and cheesy interior that complements the savory sausage. The casserole format makes it easy to serve and perfect for feeding a crowd. Each roll is a self-contained serving of savory goodness, making it ideal for potlucks, family gatherings, or a lazy weekend morning. The aroma that fills your kitchen as this casserole bakes – a blend of warm pastry, seasoned sausage, and melting cheese – is simply irresistible, promising a comforting and deeply satisfying meal that’s both easy to prepare and universally loved.
Ingredients:
- For the Filling:
- 1 pound (approx. 450g) ground pork sausage (you can use regular, mild, hot, or breakfast sausage)
- ½ cup (approx. 50g) chopped onion (yellow or white)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional, but adds flavor)
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or your preferred blend of herbs like sage, thyme, rosemary)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste, sausage can be salty)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 cup (approx. 115g) shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or a blend), divided
- For the Pastry:
- 2 (8-ounce / 227g each) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough (such as Pillsbury) OR 1 (14.1-ounce / 400g) package frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
- 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 1 tablespoon water (mixed with egg for wash)
- Optional Additions:
- Cooked and crumbled bacon (mixed into the filling)
- Sautéed bell peppers (diced and mixed into the filling)
- Cream cheese (small dollops added to each roll before baking)
- Everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds (sprinkled on top before baking)
Instructions (Using Crescent Roll Dough):
- Prepare the Filling (Approx. 15-20 minutes):
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground sausage and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned and fully cooked. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add the chopped onion and minced garlic (if using) to the skillet. Cook until the onion is softened and translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine the flavors.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in half of the shredded cheese (½ cup). Set the filling aside to cool slightly.
- Assemble the Rolls (Approx. 10-15 minutes):
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Unroll both cans of crescent roll dough. You will have two large rectangles of perforated dough. Pinch the perforations together to create two solid sheets of dough.
- Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut each rectangle into 8 equal-sized squares or rectangles (depending on how the dough is pre-cut). You should have 16 pieces in total.
- Spoon a generous amount of the sausage and cheese filling onto one corner of each dough piece.
- Starting from the filled corner, roll up each piece of dough towards the opposite corner to form a small roll.
- Arrange and Bake the Casserole (Approx. 25-30 minutes):
- Arrange the rolled-up sausage and cheese pastries seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. They can be placed close together as they will puff up and connect during baking, as shown in the image.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the beaten egg and 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash.
- Brush the tops of all the rolls evenly with the egg wash. This will give them a beautiful golden-brown color and a slight sheen.
- If desired, sprinkle the tops with everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the rolls are puffed up, golden brown, and the filling is heated through and bubbly. The cheese on top and oozing out should be melted and slightly browned.
- Cool and Serve (Approx. 5-10 minutes cooling):
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool in the baking dish for a few minutes before serving. This allows the rolls to set slightly.
- Serve warm. The rolls can be easily pulled apart.
Instructions (Using Puff Pastry):
- Prepare the Filling: Follow the same instructions as above.
- Assemble the Rolls:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- On a lightly floured surface, unfold the thawed puff pastry sheet. You may need to roll it out slightly to even it out to approximately 12×14 inches.
- Cut the puff pastry sheet into 12-16 equal-sized squares or rectangles.
- Spoon a generous amount of the cooled sausage and cheese filling onto the center of each pastry piece.
- Bring two opposite corners of the pastry square together over the filling and pinch them to seal. You can also create a simple fold-over or roll them up like a blanket.
- Arrange and Bake the Casserole:
- Arrange the filled puff pastry rolls seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
- Brush the tops with the egg wash (egg and water mixture).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown, puffed up, and the filling is hot.
- Cool and Serve: Let cool slightly before serving.
Serving Suggestions: Serve the Golden Sausage and Cheese Rolls Casserole as is, or with your favorite dipping sauces such as:
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Hot sauce
- Ranch dressing
- Honey mustard
Enjoy this delicious and easy-to-make savory casserole!