Get all the zing of your favorite Italian sub wrapped in a tender, flaky crust with this easy Spicy Italian Crescent Ring recipe! Loaded with ham, pepperoni, 2 glorious melty cheeses, banana or pepperoncini peppers & roasted red bell pepper, this delicious hot sandwich is perfect for parties, tailgates, family fun nights and even a quick dinner on busy weeknights. You’re going to love serving this fun, dippable crescent ring every chance you get!
Who can resist warm, delicious crescent rolls? I can’t! They always bake up so deliciously golden with a crisp, flaky outside and heavenly soft inside! When it came time to make this Spicy Italian Crescent Ring, just the prospect of all that warm goodness wrapped around some of our favorite sandwich makings was almost more than we could bear. Making some tout suite become an A-#1 priority!
Spicy Italian Crescent Ring Sandwich Ingredients
- canned crescent rolls
- thin sliced ham
- spicy pepperoni (or salami)
- provolone cheese
- mozzarella cheese
- roasted red bell peppers (jarred)
- pepperoncini or banana pepper rings
- egg
- coarse ground black pepper
How to Make The Best Spicy Italian Sub Crescent Ring
Making a sandwich crescent ring is one of those things that’s super easy to do but looks like a million bucks when finished. I love recipes like that! Here are a few tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way for making the best (and one of the prettiest) sandwich rings around.
- Use a pizza stone to make this recipe. A pizza stone draws moisture away from whatever is being baked on top of it, virtually eliminating any chance of soggy bottoms. That’s why I love to bake more than just pizza on mine. Just like this sandwich ring, biscuits, cookies, galettes & hand pies bake up with nice crisp undersides if baked on a good pizza stone.
- A heated pizza stone bakes a crispier bottom than a cold one. Just don’t burn yourself when putting your crescent ring together!
- Arrange crescents on a round pizza pan or pizza stone in a circle with the wide ends of crescent roll triangles overlapping a little in the center to form a ring and the triangle points facing outward to make the shape of a sun.
- Don’t be afraid of the process. Crescent rolls are pretty forgiving. As you create your ring, don’t be afraid to gently pull or push a little on the center of your dough ring to get that pretty center circle.
- Build up, not out. As you layer on the ham, pepperoni, cheese and peppers, don’t let your layers get too wide. Keep them tall, narrow and confined to the widest part of your dough ring.
- Take your time. As you lay out your crescents, create your layers and wrap the ends around to seal the ring, don’t get rattled. Take your time. If a little falls out of a layer, put it back on. Use your triangle ends to catch and fold in any stray cheese or peppers. Again don’t be afraid to gently push in or pat out the outside of your ring after you’ve folded it to get the shape you want.
- Use an egg wash for golden, rich color. This recipe calls for brushing 1 beaten egg (the whole egg, but you could just do the white if you liked) over the top of the crescent ring to create a beautifully browned top that’s just a touch crisp. Crescent rolls won’t achieve deep, rich color without it. Pretty ring = a good egg wash.
As gorgeous as a crescent ring looks, it tastes even better! The spicy, vinegary zip of the peppers, the savory goodness of the ham and pepperoni, all wrapped in deliciously soft, warm crescent rolls. Eat just as it is; dip it in a classic ranch dressing or spicy marinara. “Hey, we’re having sandwiches!” will never quite mean the same thing again!
Other Delicious Sandwich Recipes You’ll Love
- The Classic Muffuletta
- Kentucky Hot Browns
- Sloppy Joe Sliders
- Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwich (crockpot)
- Grilled Apple, Bacon Pimento Cheese
- Ultimate Turkey Cranberry Sliders
IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW!
RATE IT, LEAVE A COMMENT OR SNAP A PHOTO.
Spicy Italian Crescent Ring
Ingredients
- 2 cans 8 count refrigerated crescent rolls
- 5 slices Provolone cheese, cut in halves
- 9 oz thin sliced deli ham
- 6 oz spicy pepperoni
- ½ C diced roasted red bell pepper, jarred
- ½ C pepperoncini or banana pepper rings
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
- Dice enough jarred roasted red bell peppers to create ½ C. Measure ½ C pepperoncini rings. Place both on paper towel and pat dry. Place in small bowl and toss with ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper. Set aside.
- Unroll crescent rolls and separate into triangles. Arrange crescents on a round pizza pan or pizza stone in a circle with the wide ends of triangles overlapping a little in the center to form a ring and triangle points facing outward to make the shape of a sun.
- Arrange halved slices of Provolone cheese around the overlapping wide triangle end edge of your crescent ring. Top with folded ham slices, a layer of spicy pepperoni (there will be pepperoni leftover), a layer of the pepper mixture & then the mozzarella cheese.
- Bring the point ends of the triangles up and around the filling, securing everything inside and tucking points under the center of the ring to seal it. Use a brush to wash the dough with beaten egg. Sprinkle with more black pepper.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown and bottom is cooked.
What’s the dip in the middle?
Hi, Marcia! It’s pictured with Ranch dressing and marinara. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
This looks amazing. We are a pizza loving family and spicylovers I’m sure they will go for it. I can’t wait to try this.
Hi Stacy!
I made this for dinner this evening.
Not only was it so easy to make with your detailed instructions, tips, and tricks, it was so delicious!
This will definitely be made again and again!
Hi, Anna!
I am so glad you loved this crescent ring sandwich! It’s such a fun recipe to make & serve. I hope everyone is doing well! You really
made my day!
Love this recipe! My husband said it was the best new thing I’ve made in a long time. Great detailed directions, easy to make, delicious and looks beautiful. Can’t wait to try with company. Thank you!
Hi, Angela! I am just tickled that you loved this crescent ring! Thank you so much. You made my day!
Making this tmrw …. What kind of sides did you serve with it?…. I’m thinking maybe just some good potato chips
Hi, Angie! I am so excited that you’re making this Spicy Italian Crescent Ring! Yes, good potato chips would be perfect! Also, maybe a pasta salad, potato salad or even a nice soup and salad! These might help.
https://southerndiscourse.com/creamy-dill-potato-salad/
https://southerndiscourse.com/southern-macaroni-salad/
https://southerndiscourse.com/green-salad-with-creamy-mayo-vinaigrette/
https://southerndiscourse.com/creamy-short-cut-parmesan-cauliflower-soup/
Soooo good and easy to make! We love it!
Hi, Myrtle! Yay! I am so glad you love this fun recipe! It is one of our very favorite weekend eats. Thank you!
So easy and so yummy. My husband loved it.
Hi, Anita! Thank you so very much! I am just tickled your husband loved this. Thanks again!
Delicious everyone enjoyed it and it wasn’t that hard to put together
Hi, Alice! Thank you so much! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. I think it is so fun to make and serve!
Can these be put together earlier and refrigerated a couple of hours before cooking for a party?
Hi, D! The ingredients can be prepped so that everything is ready to go, but the rings can’t be made in advance without baking them. As soon as the crescent roll dough is opened, it begins to dry out. It has to be baked as soon after opening as possible. If stored in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight, the dough will shrink and will not rise or be flaky and tender when baked.
Could I substitute Turkey for the ham?
Hi, Liz! You sure can! Would be delicious!
that looks delicious I’m going to make
Thanks, Robert! Can’t wait to hear about it!
Great instructions! Loved it! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi, SS! You are so welcome! Thank YOU for making this recipe and enjoying it!
My family loved this. Thank you.
Hi, Andy! I am so glad! Thank you for making this crescent ring sandwich.
This was a big hit at a club meeting. I used Provolone and Swiss and added some caramelized onions to the pepper mixture. Delicious . Served with Marinara.
Hi, Judi! Love the idea of the caramelized onions! So glad you made and shared this recipe. I love it! Thank you!
This spicy crescent roll is delicious! I made it for a party before Christmas and it was delicious. I made two to take our family Christmas party and everyone loved them. I’m making it again tonight for my hubby and I during the Lions’ football game. Thank you for this great recipe,
Hi, Joann! This is so awesome! Thank you so much for making this crescent ring again and again. Love it!! You’ve definitely made my day!
Thankful for your tips as I have tried 2 different filled rings but can not get them to be fluffy. Not sure why they are still coming out with mushy dough on inside? I had used a Wilton circle pan and cut the recipe down to only one can. Not sure what I’m doing wrong
Hi, Lindsy! Sounds like your oven might cook a little hot. Try lowering the temperature by 25 degrees and lengthening the cook time. Covering the crescent ring with tented foil for the first half of the baking time will keep it from browning on the outside before the inside has a chance to cook all the way through. Lastly, have you tried using a pizza stone and heating the stone first? Just be careful when assembling the sandwich. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
DELICIOUS!!! And easy to make !!
Hi, Gladys! Yay! I am so glad you enjoyed this Italian crescent ring sandwich! Thank you so much.
Loved it! Easy to make and delish!
Thanks so much, Helen!
Looks delicious, Can this be made into small pinwheels ?
Hi, Nandine! I have never tried it, but it sounds like a great idea!
Pretty amazing. Only thing I might try next time is some garlic butter on the crescents before baking. Just to add a little flavor to the bread. Everything else was great!
Hi, Jeff! I love that idea! I know it will be delicious! Thank you so much for loving this sandwich and recipe.
This was so good! Thank you!
Hi, Andrea! I am so glad you loved it! Thank you so much for making this recipe.
came out perfect! family raved
Hi, Marla! I am so glad you made the crescent ring and that the family loved it. Thank you!
what’s the sauce in the middle?
Hi, Lori! In the post, I mention that the sauce in the middle is Ranch dressing and give the additional suggestion of using marinara as a dipping sauce. Hope you love this recipe!