Beef Chili Taco Crescent Ring (Printable)

Savory beef chili with melted cheese baked inside golden crescent dough ring

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef Chili Filling

01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
05 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - 1 tbsp chili powder
08 - 1 tsp ground cumin
09 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
10 - ½ tsp salt
11 - ¼ tsp black pepper
12 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Assembly

13 - 2 (8 oz) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough (16 triangles total)
14 - 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

→ Garnishes

15 - ½ cup sour cream
16 - ¼ cup sliced green onions
17 - ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
18 - 1 small jalapeño, sliced

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
03 - Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Stir in kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
05 - Arrange crescent roll triangles in a ring on the prepared baking sheet, with the wide ends overlapping in the center and the points facing outward, forming a sunburst shape with a hole in the center.
06 - Spoon the beef chili mixture around the base of the crescent ring. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the filling.
07 - Fold the pointed ends of the dough triangles over the filling and tuck under the center to seal.
08 - Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
09 - Let cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with sour cream, green onions, cilantro, and jalapeño slices as desired. Slice and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough gets impossibly flaky and golden while cradling all that spicy beef goodness
  • Everyone tears off their own segment like it's a festive party trick
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, if there are any
02 -
  • Drain those diced tomatoes like your life depends on it, because watery filling is the enemy of crispy crescent dough
  • The chili filling must cool slightly before assembling or you'll end up with prematurely melted dough that won't seal properly
  • Really tuck those dough points under tightly, otherwise they'll spring open during baking and your beautiful ring becomes a messy open-faced situation
03 -
  • If your dough triangles are sticking to each other in the tube, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes before opening
  • Brush the tops with a little melted butter and extra chili powder during the last 5 minutes of baking for restaurant-quality presentation
  • The filling can be made up to two days ahead and kept in the fridge, which actually makes the flavors develop even more

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