French Dip Crescent Ring

French Dip Crescent Ring Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need for this French dip crescent ring recipe.

Onions: Our favorite onions for this recipe are sweet onions (think Vidalia or Maui), but yellow or red onions work well, too.

Crescents: Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Rolls are the backbone of this recipe.

Cheese: We like sliced provolone cheese since it usually comes in round slices that fit nicely in the rounded dough shape, but feel free to use square slices of provolone or Swiss instead. Just tuck in the corners to fit.

Roast Beef: This crescent ring is piled high with thinly sliced deli roast beef, so be a discriminating shopper. Avoid roast beef with too much fat or gristle. Also, opting for freshly sliced roast beef from the deli is usually better than purchasing the prepackaged version.

Au Jus: The ultimate dipping liquid, prepared au jus adds concentrated flavor while softening the crunchy dough for an extremely satisfying dining experience.

Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Butter, fresh parsley, salt, pepper, and water.

Cookware You’ll Need

Most of the cookware you’ll need for this recipe is probably already in your kitchen.

Large Nonstick Skillet: A big, 12-inch skillet provides plenty of room for the onions to spread out for even caramelization, and nonstick means less cleanup. If you don’t have a 12-inch nonstick pan, a standard pan works, too, but you might need to stir more often and reduce the cook time.

Rimless Cookie Sheet: Using a cookie sheet without rims makes it easier to transfer the large, baked ring from the pan to a serving platter. It just slides right off!

Serving Platter: A large plate (at least 13 inches in diameter) or platter provides the best presentation. For a more rustic option, use a large cutting board.

Other Cookware You’ll Need: Chef’s knife, large wooden spoon, spatula, measuring cups and spoons.

How to Make a French Dip Crescent Ring

Here are the basics of how to make this savory crescent ring.

1. Caramelize the Onions

The key to evenly caramelizing the onions is consistent stirring. You don’t want them to get blackened, just browned and tender.

2. Arrange the Crescents

A bowl with a 5-inch diameter rim can be inverted and placed in the center of the pan to use as a guide for arranging the crescents. Work one can at a time to evenly space the crescents in a ring.

3. Add Fillings and Shape the Crescent Ring

Placing a layer of cheese on the top and bottom of the filling prevents the beef and caramelized onions from touching too much of the dough, which keeps the crescent ring from getting soggy. Avoid overstretching the points of the dough when pulling them over the filling.

4. Finish the Crescent Ring

Add fresh parsley for color and brightness. Don’t skip the au jus for dipping. It’s an essential part of the French dip experience!

Possible Variations

Want to take it up a notch? Serve with prepared French onion soup instead of au jus. And instead of or in addition to the parsley, top with fresh thyme leaves. You can also use deli ham instead of the roast beef, and serve with honey mustard instead of au jus for an elevated riff on ham and cheese.

For another beefy crescent ring, try our 5-ingredient Taco Crescent Ring. Or for a different take on the French dip, make this French Dip Bundtwich.

Serving French Dip Crescent Ring

A bagged green salad kit is a perfect side to accompany this French Dip Crescent Ring. Or, these air fryer rosemary potatoes are a great option, too.

Storage

We doubt you’ll have any leftovers, but if you do, here’s how to store and reheat them.

Refrigerator

Cut any leftover crescent ring into individual servings. Cover and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Freezer

We don’t recommend freezing the crescent ring since the crescents can take on too much moisture and become soggy.

Reheating

To reheat from refrigerated, transfer individual servings onto microwavable plates. Cover loosely and microwave on medium-high (70%) for about 2 minutes or until steaming.