My sister serves this at her June backyard get-togethers and it only takes 4 ingredients to make a crowd-pleasing savory dish.

My sister has been making this simple beef crescent bake for her June backyard get-togethers since the kids were little and the fireflies seemed thicker than the mosquitoes. It only calls for four ingredients, but it comes out of the oven looking and smelling like you fussed all afternoon. The flaky golden crescent crust, savory browned beef, and gooey cheddar all bake together in a glass casserole dish, and folks scoop it out in big squares right at the picnic table.

It’s the kind of easy, comforting Midwestern dish you can rely on when the yard is full, the grill is already busy, and you need something hearty that will stretch to feed a crowd without a lot of fancy steps.

Serve this beef crescent bake warm, cut into squares straight from the glass dish with a sturdy spatula. It goes nicely with simple summer sides like a big green salad, coleslaw, or sliced garden tomatoes with a little salt and pepper. Buttered corn on the cob or baked beans fit right in at a June backyard spread. For drinks, set it out alongside iced tea or lemonade.

If you’re feeding a crowd, keep the bake on the table with a spoonful of sour cream and a jar of pickles nearby so people can help themselves and wander back outside to enjoy the evening.

4-Ingredient Beef Crescent Bake

Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef (80–90% lean)

1 (1 oz) packet dry onion soup mix
2 (8 oz each) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
2 cups shredded mild or medium cheddar cheese
Simple ingredients for beef crescent bake laid out on a kitchen counter
Simple ingredients for beef crescent bake laid out on a kitchen counter
Directions