Italian Meatball Hoagie Braids

Recipe Ingredients

These crowd-pleasing Italian Meatball Hoagie Braids come together with just a handful of ingredients.

Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Dough Sheet: Our weeknight-easy shortcut! It bakes up soft and golden around the saucy filling. If you have Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Rolls on hand, those will work just fine, too—but remember to seal all the perforations carefully so no sauce leaks out!

Frozen Cooked Italian-Style Meatballs: Pre-cooked, pre-seasoned, and oh-so convenient! This recipe is super flexible though—you can use leftover cooked turkey, chicken strips, or ground beef if you prefer.

Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce: We love the classic flavor of basil in pasta sauce, but any red sauce will do. You could even substitute BBQ sauce + chicken strips for a BBQ chicken braid!

Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Shredded mozzarella melts beautifully and helps bind the filling together. (If you don’t have mozzarella on hand, any shredded cheese will work.) A beaten egg brushed on top helps the dough bake up brown and glossy; grated Parmesan adds salty, nutty flavor and toasts up for a deli-style finish.

How to Make Italian Meatball Hoagie Braids

Here’s a quick overview of the recipe steps. Keep scrolling for the full details!

1. Prep the Dough 

Unroll the crescent dough sheet and create 8 equal-sized rectangles; place on baking sheets. If you’re using crescent roll dough, make sure to press the perforations firmly closed so no sauce leaks out.
 

2. Build the Filling 

Place 4 meatball halves down the center of each rectangle. Spoon tomato sauce over the top, and finish with a generous sprinkle of mozzarella. Try to keep the filling as centered as possible to make it easier to cut strips and braid.

3. Create the Braid 

Use a sharp knife or kitchen scissors to cut strips along each long side of the dough, leaving a small amount of space around the fillings. This ensures that they will be completely sealed shut when braided. Crisscross the strips over the filling to create a braided look. We found that pressing down lightly where the strips cross helps them stick.

4. Add the Finishing Touches 

Brush with beaten egg for shine, then sprinkle Parmesan over each braid.

5. Bake and Serve

Pop everything in a 375°F oven until the dough is beautifully browned, and the cheese inside is hot and melty.

How to Store (and Reheat) Italian Meatball Hoagie Braids

We recommend eating these braids right away; otherwise, the dough will become soggy from the sauce soaking in. However, if you have leftovers, you can still reheat them and enjoy for lunch the next day. Here’s what to do.

Refrigerator Storage

Store leftover Italian Meatball Hoagie Braids in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Freezer Storage

We don’t recommend freezing these braids as the dough may become dense and soggy when thawed.

Reheating

Heat in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through and at least 165°F in the center. If the outside starts getting too dark, cover with foil.