Nebraska’s Homemade Runza

I love college football. Especially my alma mater, the University of Nebraska- Lincoln’s Cornhuskers. If you have ever had the opportunity to travel to Lincoln on game day and sit inside Memorial Stadium, there are three essential foods that make a Husker game day: Fairbury Hotdogs, Valentino’s Pizza, and of course a Runza! But, if you can’t get to Lincoln in the fall, there is no reason not to be able to make your own Nebraska’s Homemade Runza.

One of the reasons I love this recipe so much is that it is a great freezer recipe.

(Which makes it a great way to use up extra cabbage from your garden.)

Just make the Runza from start to finish and place into labeled freezer bags. When ready to eat, thaw the Runza and reheat either in the oven or microwave.

A great weekday lunch option.

Runzas are also known as bierocks.

They’re a staple recipe among US regions with strong Eastern European and German heritage.

Variations of this recipe fill all the local church cookbooks.

Just like my Grandma’s German Spaetzle recipe.

(I come about rich and hearty meals honestly. It’s in my blood.)

At Runza restaurants, they have different versions of the sandwich: Original, Cheese, Swiss Mushroom, Cheeseburger, BBQ Bacon, BLT, Spicy Jack, etc.

But my favorite is the Cheese Runza.

So when I decide to make this recipe, I usually always make a few of the cheese version, by adding a half slice of cheddar before wrapping the dough around the filling.

Nebraska’s Homemade Runza is perfect served along side a helping of crisp crinkle fries.

And a college football game on tv.

P.S. I’ve made this recipe before using thawed bread dough as a shortcut. Works beautifully!

Print

Nebraska's Homemade Runza

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, German

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Rise TIme 1 hour

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 12

Author My Farmhouse Table

Ingredients

Dough

• 4 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 2 pkgs (1/4 oz) Yeast
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/2 cup Butter
• 2 Eggs

Filling

• 2 lbs Ground Beef
• 1 Small Onion, diced
• 4 cups Cabbage, chopped
• 2 tsp Seasoned Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper

Instructions

Dough

1. Start by placing 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt into a large mixing bowl. 

2. Either in a small saucepan over medium heat or a microwave safe bowl, heat the milk, water, and butter to 120-130 degrees F. 

3. Pour heated wet ingredients into flour mixture. Stir slightly before adding beaten eggs. 

4. Continue by adding the remaining flour, one cup at a time, until when kneaded the dough comes together and is smooth and elastic. 

5. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. 

Filling

1. While dough is rising, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain.

2. Stir in the chopped cabbage, seasoned salt, and pepper. Stir gently until cabbage is cooked and filling combined.

Assembly

1. Punch dough down, and divide into 12 equal portions. 

2. Working with one piece of dough, roll into a rectangle (approx 6 inches x 8 inches in size). 

3. Place a heaping 1/2 cup of filling into the center of each dough piece. 

4. Fold dough over filling. Seal and tuck edges. 

5. Place onto a greased baking sheet (edges can touch). 

6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe Notes

Recipe Notes:

• These freeze well. Make multiple batches (through the baking process) and freeze any cooked extras. When ready to use, thaw and either bake or microwave until heated.
• Can use 2 (8oz) cans of sauerkraut in place of cabbage.
• Add a half slice of cheddar cheese to each Runza before sealing pouch for a Cheese Runza version.
• For a shortcut, use thawed frozen bread dough in place of making the dough from scratch.