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Home » Food » Main Dishes » Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce

Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce

By Lana Stuart · Published: Sep 20, 2013 · Last Modified: Oct 20, 2020 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce - hand pies made with crescent rolls, filled with meat sauce, and served with marinara for dipping. From @NevrEnoughThyme https://www.lanascooking.com/italian-style-hand-pies-marinara-dipping-sauce/

Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce - hand pies made with crescent rolls, filled with meat sauce, and served with marinara for dipping.

Wow, it has been "one of those" weeks for me! Have you ever had a day or a week when it seemed that nothing went quite right? Yeah...that was this week for me. And it was all electronics.

Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce - hand pies made with crescent rolls, filled with meat sauce, and served with marinara for dipping. From @NevrEnoughThyme https://www.lanascooking.com/italian-style-hand-pies-marinara-dipping-sauce/

It seemed like everything we own that plugs into an outlet either quit working, worked the wrong way, or just gave up and died. And don't even get me started on tech support. Ugh.

When I have a frustrating day like that, the last thing I want to do is make a complicated recipe for dinner. Don't get me wrong, I still love to cook. I just want it to be nice and easy. Something quick to prepare and deliciously satisfying. Something just like these Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce.

A while back, the people at Pillsbury asked me to come up with a way to use their crescent rolls to create an easy family dinner recipe. Well, I accepted that challenge in a second!

Those crescent rolls are a permanent fixture in my refrigerator and part of our dinner many, many evenings. In creating the recipe, I thought about what a family might enjoy, especially the kids, after a long day of work and play. And knowing how kids love anything they can pick up with their hands and dip into a sauce, I just knew these little hand pies would be perfect. They're loaded with a delicious filling flavored with tomato sauce and Italian seasonings.

Place a little container of warm marinara sauce on the side, add a salad, and dinner's served! If you have a regular "pizza night" or "spaghetti night" at your house, this would be a great way to change that up a little bit.

Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce - hand pies made with crescent rolls, filled with meat sauce, and served with marinara for dipping. Click To Tweet

How to Make Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by either lining with parchment paper or spraying lightly with cooking spray. Set the prepared baking sheet aside.

Browning beef and onions for Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until the beef shows no more pink color. Add the garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. Drain well and return to the pan.

Adding tomato sauce and other ingredients to Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce

Add the tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.

Filling for Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce

Cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes or until the water has nearly evaporated. You want a nice filling consistency, not a sauce. A sauce would to be too wet and might leak out during baking.

Add Parmesan cheese

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Set the mixture aside to cool a bit while preparing the crescent rolls.

Open the crescent rolls and unroll them on a work surface. Separate each package of rolls into 4 rectangles (each rectangle will contain 2 crescent rolls). Press the perforations in each rectangle together.

Fill the hand pies

Place ⅛ of the beef mixture (about 2 generous tablespoonfuls) on the end of each rectangle leaving about an inch all the way around in order to seal the packages.Fold the unfilled end over the filled end. Using a dinner fork, seal the three open edges.

Place the filled hand pies on the prepared baking sheet. It's easier to transfer them with a flat spatula.

Apply egg wash to Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce

In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together the egg and water. Brush lightly over the hand pies. Use a small sharp knife to cut a slit in the top of each pie.

Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 and continue cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes or until golden brown all over.

While the hand pies are cooking, warm 2 cups of purchased marinara sauce in a small pan over medium heat.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve with a side of warm marinara sauce for dipping.

Makes 8 pies (2 per serving).

Enjoy!

More Crescent Roll Recipes on Never Enough Thyme:

  • Crescent Roll Breakfast Stacks
  • Cream Cheese Filled Crescent Roll Pastries
  • Sausage-Pineapple Rollups


Crescent Roll Recipes from Other Bloggers:

  • Crescent Cinnamon Rolls from How to: Simplify
  • Baked Brie from She Wears Many Hats
  • Pear Tart with Cream Cheese Icing from Eat at Home
  • Cheesesteak Crescent Rolls from Favorite Family Recipes


Like This Recipe? Pin It!

Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce - hand pies made with crescent rolls, filled with meat sauce, and served with marinara for dipping. From @NevrEnoughThyme https://www.lanascooking.com/italian-style-hand-pies-marinara-dipping-sauce/

Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce - hand pies made with crescent rolls, filled with meat sauce, and served with marinara for dipping. From @NevrEnoughThyme https://www.lanascooking.com/italian-style-hand-pies-marinara-dipping-sauce/

Italian Style Hand Pies with Marinara Dipping Sauce

Italian seasoned meat filling in a crescent roll package with marinara sauce on the side.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 8 pies
Calories: 247kcal
Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

  • 2 pkg. Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
  • 2 tblsp. olive oil
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1-2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 heaping tblsp. tomato paste
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
  • 4 tblsp. finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tblsp. water
  • Purchased Marinara sauce
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Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Prepare a baking sheet by either lining with parchment paper or spraying lightly with cooking spray. Set the prepared baking sheet aside.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until the beef shows no more pink color. Add the garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. Drain well and return to the pan.
  • Add the tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes or until the water has nearly evaporated. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Set the mixture aside to cool a bit while preparing the crescent rolls.
  • Open the crescent rolls and unroll them on a work surface. Separate each package of rolls into four rectangles (each rectangle will contain 2 crescent rolls). Press the perforations in each rectangle together.
  • Place ⅛ of the beef mixture (about 2 generous tablespoonfuls) on the end of each rectangle leaving about an inch all the way around in order to seal the packages. Fold the unfilled end over the filled end. Using a dinner fork, seal the three open edges.
  • Place the filled hand pies on the prepared baking sheet.
  • In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together the egg and water. Brush lightly over the hand pies. Use a small sharp knife to cut a slit in the top of each pie.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 and continue cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes or until golden brown all over.
  • While the hand pies are cooking, warm 2 cups of purchased marinara sauce in a small pan over medium-low heat.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve with a side of warm marinara sauce for dipping.

Notes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2g | Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 502mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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-- This post was originally sponsored by General Mills.

About Lana Stuart

Lana Stuart is the cook and occasional traveler here at Never Enough Thyme. Lana has been cooking since she was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 to share her delicious home cooking recipes. You'll find about 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
More About Lana →

Previous Post: « Baked Chocolate Doughnuts with Peanut Butter Frosting
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. gloria patterson says

    September 21, 2014 at 10:32 am

    when I first looked at the picture I though to much work making the pie crust. But surprise these are so easy I am going shopping to make these today................THANKS

    Reply
  2. Amanda says

    September 27, 2013 at 5:37 pm

    I shared these on FB Lana, they look so good! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151833666318070&set=a.174654903069.124188.163690253069&type=1

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      September 27, 2013 at 7:48 pm

      Thank you so much, Amanda. Your generosity in promoting other bloggers is really commendable.

      Reply
  3. Kelly says

    September 23, 2013 at 11:57 pm

    Oh my yummy goodness! The hand pies are making my mouth water. This looks and sounds amazing. Pinning! xo

    Reply
  4. jessica @fourgenerationsoneroof says

    September 21, 2013 at 9:13 pm

    Looks delicious and your pics are fabulous ;)

    Reply
  5. Sara | Simply Happenstance says

    September 20, 2013 at 11:11 pm

    Yum! Those look delicious! I will have to make those for my children! I think they would love them!

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      September 21, 2013 at 7:45 pm

      Hope you all enjoy them, Sara!

      Reply
  6. Miss P says

    September 20, 2013 at 9:39 pm

    I have two packages of Pillsbury crescent rolls in my refrigerator right now. I predict zero packages by the end of tomorrow.

    Miss P

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      September 20, 2013 at 9:59 pm

      My permanent grocery list starts out: eggs, milk, crescent rolls...

      Reply
  7. Neena says

    September 20, 2013 at 3:00 pm

    These look great. Crescent rolls are on of my "must have" items. This looks like a new way to prepare them. Will definitely try this.

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      September 20, 2013 at 7:56 pm

      They're definitely something that I keep on hand all the time. I hope you will try this. It's really easy and delicious!

      Reply
  8. Barbara | Creative Culinary says

    September 20, 2013 at 1:58 pm

    I love baking from scratch and I know you do too Lana but there are some things that are prepared that I love to use. Crescent rolls are one of them (puff pastry the other). These have been a mainstay in my kitchen for as long as I can remember...from rolling up hotdogs with cheese for my girls when they were little to more adult applications today. I just wish I had one of these in front of me now!

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      September 20, 2013 at 7:54 pm

      I can't remember a time when my fridge didn't have at least one, and quite often more, packages of crescent rolls. Everyone loves them and they're one of the most versatile packaged products in the grocery store today. I wish I could share one of these with you, Barb. They're quite good.

      Reply
  9. Aimee @ See Aimee Cook says

    September 20, 2013 at 1:05 pm

    Those looks delicious!! Pinning :)

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      September 20, 2013 at 7:53 pm

      Thank you so much for pinning, Aimee!

      Reply
  10. jane says

    September 20, 2013 at 12:49 pm

    looks simple and delish!

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      September 20, 2013 at 7:52 pm

      It is, Jane. Hope you'll try it.

      Reply

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Lana Stuart, author of Never Enough Thyme

Hi! I'm Lana Stuart, the cook, writer, and founder of Never Enough Thyme. I've been cooking since I was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 so I could share my delicious home cooking recipes with all of you. You'll find almost 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
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