Italian Sub Squares
If you are a fan of Italian Subs, then you will fall head-over-heels for these Italian Sub Squares. Your favorite flavors all packed into handheld slices!
A FUN TWIST ON A SUB RECIPE
I love a good sub! Meat, cheese and all the toppings, yes please! I always default to the Italian Sub because it has always been one of my favorites. So today, we are going take a little twist on that and make these delicious Italian Sub Squares! Your favorite sandwich all baked up until golden and perfect for an easy-to-serve, handheld form! Less messy, minimal dishes and you can have as many as you want without committing yourself to a whole sandwich! This Italian Sub Square recipe meets all my favorite flavor requirements and they are perfect for a crowd (or just you – I’m not judging!)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
This tastes just like a warm Italian sub but with crusty edges. Slightly salty from the meat, with some spices from the pesto, and cheesy from the parmesan and provolone.
You can use regular crescent rolls if you cannot find crescent roll dough dough sheets or you simply do not want to use them. Just make sure that you seal all the perforations tightly.
No, this is absolutely optional but we find that it does give amazing flavor. If you choose not to use it I would then brush the top lightly with an egg wash or olive oil so it does get golden.
I have not tested that out. My only concern would be that the puff pastry isn’t sturdy enough to hold all of the filling ingredients. For that reason, I don’t think I can recommend puff pastry as a substitute.
These can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator where they will last for up to 3 days. These can also be frozen. Place cooled Italian Sub Squares in a freezer container or bag and they will last for up to 3 months. Let defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then I suggest reheating in the oven at 350 degrees F until heated through so the crust can crisp up again.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- crescent roll dough sheets
- provolone cheese
- pepperoni
- ham
- genoa salami
- roasted red bell peppers
- pepperoncini
- egg
- prepared pesto (store bought or make your own basil pesto)
- Parmesan cheese
HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN SUB SQUARES:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Unroll one of the rolls of the crescent dough and press it into the bottom of the baking dish, making sure the dough goes up the sides of the pan about 1 inch high.
Layer half of the cheese on the bottom. Top with the pepperoni, then ham, then salami. Add the sliced red bell peppers and pepperoncini. Finally, add the remaining provolone cheese on top.
Unroll the second crescent dough and place it on top, try the best you can to pinch all the edges of the dough together to make a sealed package.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, pesto, and parmesan cheese.
Brush this mixture all over the top of the dough. Cover with non stick foil, or spray a piece of foil with cooking spray, and place it spray side down on top of the dish.
Bake for 30 minutes, uncover, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until deep golden brown.
Let cool for 10 minutes, cut, and serve.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Italian Sub Squares
Ingredients
- 2 cans crescent roll dough sheets
- 8 ounces sliced provolone cheese
- ¼ pound sliced deli pepperoni
- ¼ pound sliced deli ham
- ¼ pound sliced del Genoa salami
- 12 ounce can roasted red bell peppers drained, thinly sliced
- ½ cup canned sliced pepperoncini drained
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon prepared pesto
- 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Unroll one of the rolls of the crescent dough and press it into the bottom of the baking dish, making sure the dough goes up the sides of the pan about 1 inch high.
- Layer half of the cheese on the bottom. Top with the pepperoni, then ham, then salami. Add the sliced red bell peppers and pepperoncini. Finally, add the remaining provolone cheese on top.
- Unroll the second crescent dough and place it on top, try the best you can to pinch all the edges of the dough together to make a sealed package.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, pesto, and parmesan cheese.
- Brush this mixture all over the top of the dough. Cover with non stick foil, or spray a piece of foil with cooking spray, and place it spray side down on top of the dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes, uncover, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until deep golden brown.
- Let cool for 10 minutes, cut, and serve.
Notes
- These can be frozen, see my tips above.
- If you can’t find crescent roll dough sheets you can use crescent rolls but make sure you seal the perforations very well.
- Try to use deli pepperoni if you can, otherwise you will be going through a lot of regular sized pepperoni.
- The pesto is optional but we find that it gives great flavor, but an egg wash or olive oil can be used.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Can this be made the night before then reheated and served?
I haven’t tried but I think you should be able to. I just wouldn’t put the pesto topping on until just before baking. You may also have to cook it for slightly longer since it’ll be cold going into the oven.