These Italian sub squares are buttery crescent dough wrapped around layers of ham, salami, provolone, pepperoni, banana peppers, and roasted red peppers—the flavors of an Italian sub, minus the part where the whole thing falls apart after one bite. You’re going to love how easy they are to assemble, with a golden, flaky Parmesan crust and a savory, melty filling. A simple salad alongside is plenty.
Why You’ll Love It
- Easy crescent dough crust — two cans of refrigerated crescent rolls do a lot of heavy lifting.
- Hearty enough for dinner — substantial layers make these feel like an actual meal, not just snack food pretending to be dinner.
- Customizable filling — adjust the banana peppers and roasted red peppers to suit your preferences.
- Golden and melty — savory filling, flaky crust, and roasted red peppers keep every square from tasting too heavy.
Ingredient Notes
Use the refrigerated crescent roll dough, not puff pastry. Crescent dough gives these that soft, buttery, almost sandwich-shop feel, and it presses easily into the pan. Do seal the seams as best you can, though. I say “as best you can” because those seams have a mind of their own, especially when you’re multitasking.
For the meats, I like a thin-sliced ham and salami from the deli counter, but packaged slices work perfectly well. This is not the time to get precious. Provolone is important—it has that mild, salty, deli-sub flavor that ties everything together. I prefer regular provolone rather than the sharp kind here, though I’ve used sharp before and liked it just fine. See? Contradicting myself already.
Drain the banana peppers and roasted red peppers well. Really well. Give them a little blot with paper towel if they seem especially wet. Too much liquid can make the bottom crust soft, and nobody wants a soggy-bottom situation.
Ingredients
- 2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
- 1/2 pound sliced ham, thin slices are easiest to layer
- 1/2 pound sliced salami
- 1/2 pound sliced provolone cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
- 1/2 cup banana pepper rings, drained well—I give them a little shake in the colander
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Lettuce and tomato slices for serving, optional but nice if you’re feeling more organized than I usually am
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. I usually use a little cooking spray, though a light swipe of oil works too. Set the pan aside away from the burner.
- Unroll one can of crescent dough and press it into the bottom of the greased baking dish. Pinch and press the perforated seams together, then gently push a little dough up the sides of the pan. It does not need to look perfect.
- Layer half of the ham over the dough, followed by half of the salami and half of the provolone. I overlap the slices just enough to cover most of the dough, but don’t turn this into an engineering project. The cheese will melt and sort things out.
- Scatter the pepperoni evenly over the meat and cheese layers. Add the drained banana pepper rings and the drained, sliced roasted red peppers. I like to spread them around rather than dump them all in one spot, so the peppers are evenly distributed.
- Sprinkle the Italian seasoning evenly over the peppers. That tablespoon may seem like a lot when it’s sitting there on top, but it perfumes the whole pan as it bakes and gives the filling that familiar Italian-sub flavor.
- Layer the remaining ham, salami, and provolone over the pepper mixture. Press things down lightly with your hands as you go. Not hard—just enough so the layers settle in and you don’t wind up with a towering deli-meat monument in the center.
- Unroll the second can of crescent dough and lay it over the top. Pinch the seams together and press the edges down to seal as best you can with the bottom dough. If a little filling peeks out, let it. Those browned edges are usually the first pieces to disappear.
- Brush the top dough with the olive oil, using all 1/4 cup. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan evenly over the oiled surface. It may look generously oily before baking, but that oil is what gives the crust its lovely golden finish and keeps the Parmesan from just sitting there like sand.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cheese inside is bubbly. Start checking around 25 minutes, especially if your oven has opinions. The top should be deeply golden, not pale and doughy, but you don’t need to bake it into a cracker either.
- Let the Italian sub squares cool for a few minutes before cutting into 12 squares. This resting time matters; cutting immediately makes the filling slide around like it’s trying to escape. Serve with lettuce and tomato slices on the side, if you like.
Variations
For a simpler version, keep the filling simple with just ham and provolone, leaving out the pepperoni, banana peppers, and roasted red peppers.
You can also serve extra banana peppers, lettuce, and tomatoes alongside for dressing each square. I would not add a spread of mayo or Italian dressing inside before baking—the dough can get wet, and the whole thing gets a little sad. I tried it once, and it was not a disaster exactly, but it was not worth repeating. Add a little dressing after baking, if desired.
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for about three days, covered tightly. The squares are actually quite good cold.
To reheat, warm individual squares in a 350°F oven until heated through and the crust perks back up a little. The microwave works in a pinch, but it softens the crescent dough. I prefer the oven, even if it takes longer.
For a backyard game night or casual gathering, let the pan rest before slicing. The squares hold together better after they settle down.
Final Notes
The Parmesan and olive oil create a warm, golden crust with crisp corner pieces and a savory, melty filling.
Italian Sub Squares
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Ingredients
- 2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
- 1/2 pound sliced ham Thin slices are easiest to layer
- 1/2 pound sliced salami
- 1/2 pound sliced provolone cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
- 1/2 cup banana pepper rings Drain well
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers Drain well and slice
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- lettuce and tomato slices Optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or a light coating of oil.
- Unroll one can of crescent dough and press it into the bottom of the greased baking dish, pinching the seams together and gently pressing the dough slightly up the sides.
- Layer half of the ham over the dough, followed by half of the salami and half of the provolone, overlapping the slices enough to cover most of the dough.
- Scatter the pepperoni evenly over the meat and cheese, then add the drained banana pepper rings and sliced roasted red peppers.
- Sprinkle the Italian seasoning evenly over the peppers.
- Layer the remaining ham, salami, and provolone over the pepper mixture, pressing the layers down lightly as you go.
- Unroll the second can of crescent dough and lay it over the top, pinching the seams together and pressing the edges down to seal with the bottom dough as well as possible.
- Brush the top dough with all of the olive oil, then sprinkle the grated Parmesan evenly over the surface.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is deeply golden brown and the cheese inside is bubbly.
- Let the Italian sub squares cool for a few minutes, then cut them into 12 squares and serve with lettuce and tomato slices if desired.
