Homemade Runza Recipe (2024)

By Kelly Published in Beef

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Homemade Runza Recipe (1)

Nebraska is a little weird.

We have a weird college football mascot.

We do pointy-finger waves when we see people on gravel roads.

And everyone in the state is knowledgable about a weird meat and cabbage pocket called a Runza.

But until a year ago, I would have to take a small road trip to get my Runza fix, so I worked, and worked, and worked until I found a recipe thatmimicsthe beloved Nebraska sandwich.

(PS: This is not a bierock. No matter what anyone tells you. They are different.)

Homemade Runza (Meat & Cabbage Pocket)

Homemade Runza Recipe (2)Ingredients For Crust

4.5 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 packages dry active yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
2 eggs

Ingredients for Filling

2 pounds lean hamburger or ground chuck
2 medium onions, chopped
1 medium to large head of cabbage, shredded
2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl place 1 3/4 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Stir to combine.

2. In a medium sauce pan heat milk, water and shortening over medium-low heat till it reaches 120 degrees F.

3. Pour milk mixture over flour mixture, add eggs, and beat with an electric mixer on low until blended. Then beat on high for an additional three minutes.

4. Stir in remaining flour, knead until smooth and elastic (about seven minutes) and place in a greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and set in a warm place till it doubles in size. (Approximately one hour.)

5. Meanwhile, Brown hamburger and onions on medium high in a large skillet. Drain.

6. Place mixture back in skillet and add cabbage, salt, sugar and pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat until cabbage is wilted. Stir frequently.

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

8. Punch down dough and roll out on a floured surface into 1/8 inch thickness. Cut dough into 6 inch squares. (I use a pizza cutter to cut my squares.)

9. Place 1/3 cup of meat mixture in the middle of the square. (Add a 1/2 slice of American Cheese to the inside for a Cheese Runza.) Fold edges to the middle and pinch to seal. Place on a greased cookie sheet with pinched side down.

10. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Options:

If you don’t have time to make the crust part of the Runza, you can create the filling and freeze it for a later time.

Also, you can half-bake the Runzas (baking them for 10 minutes), taking them out, letting them cool and freeze them for a later meal. You’ll need to let them thaw, and then cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

What about you? Do you have a favorite recipe from home? Share it with us via the comments or on the Kansas City Mamas Facebook Page.

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Comments

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  1. Homemade Runza Recipe (7)Michelle says

    Thanks for this recipe. We take a small cooler with us to visit my fam in Omaha so we can stop and get frozen Runza’s and bring them back to KC with us.

    Reply

  2. Homemade Runza Recipe (9)Becky Perrett says

    Did you know Runza opened a location in Mission, Kansas (KC) last year? You don’t have to make your own – just visit 6751 Johnson Drive.

    Reply

    • Homemade Runza Recipe (10)Kelly says

      Becky – Thanks. I knew about the new location (there is also one in Lawrence), however I will still probably make my own since I’m cheap and like having them on demand.

      Reply

  3. Homemade Runza Recipe (11)Amy says

    Thanks for sharing , Kelly ! This is so ironic because I just tried this tasty little sandwich after driving by their new location off Johnson drive (yes , they are now local!!) Thats a bit of a drive ( not as far as Nebraska , at least), so I will be excited to try whipping up my own batch!!

    Reply

  4. Homemade Runza Recipe (12)Margie says

    There is a Runza fastfood restaurant in Mission! It is on Johnson Drive next to Hobby Lobby.

    Reply

    • Homemade Runza Recipe (13)Kelly says

      I know. It’s so nice to have it close. However, I will probably still make my own because I’m cheap (and slightly lazy).

      Reply

  5. Homemade Runza Recipe (14)Christina says

    My now husband slaved to come up with homemade Runzas to bring to my house in San Antonio for a NU/OU game watch party (our first sort of date). They were awesome and a sweet memory for me and I can’t wait to share your recipe with him to compare approaches. I do have to ask, now that I live up here, do ya’ll know there is now a Runza in Mission on Johnson Dr. now? It is right by my office so I must be living right! Still fun to know how to make them at home, though. But, either way, no more cooler trips to NE required! 🙂

    Reply

  6. Homemade Runza Recipe (15)Julie H says

    I’ve also cheated and used frozen dinner roll dough instead of making the dough from scratch.

    Reply

    • Homemade Runza Recipe (16)Kelly says

      I’ve done that too. But I have to admit that this dough is better. It’s softer and a bit sweeter. Really it is just yumminess in flour form.

      Reply

  7. Homemade Runza Recipe (17)Janell says

    I have used frozen bread loaves, thawed and let them rise until doubled. It makes about 6 Runza’s per loaf. I too am a crazy Nebraskan that has been away from home for way too long.

    Reply

  8. Homemade Runza Recipe (19)Andrea says

    have you made these ahead of time and frozen them? I was thinking of making a bunch for a party and wondered if that was an option.

    Reply

    • Homemade Runza Recipe (20)Kelly says

      Yes, ma’am. I usually half-bake them (so for half the time), then freeze them, then pull out of the freezer, thaw and bake for full time. They come out great.

      Reply

      • Homemade Runza Recipe (21)Andrea says

        Perfect! Thanks so much! My best friend and I are both nebraska natives and are planning to make a bunch of these together to freeze!

        Reply

  9. Homemade Runza Recipe (22)Karen says

    How many does this make?? thank you

    Reply

    • Homemade Runza Recipe (23)Kelly says

      I make them smaller, but between 18 – 24 Runzas.

      Reply

  10. Homemade Runza Recipe (24)Jason says

    That is too a Kraut Bierok… sorry. I also am from Nebraska and enjoy these. The recipe originates from the German settlers so, sorry you’re wrong in that statement. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply

  11. Homemade Runza Recipe (25)monica says

    Yes.. not sure why it is different than a bierock? I make these.. dough little different tho from an old family recipe.. but same inside ingredients.

    Reply

    • Homemade Runza Recipe (26)Kelly says

      I think it is the bread. Honestly, they are different, I promise I’m not making it up. 🙂

      Reply

  12. Homemade Runza Recipe (27)Sandy says

    Thrilled to have found this recipe! I’m a Nebraskan now living in Texas and they don’t have these down here. 🙁 We do get to Omaha often for holidays and family things, but it certainly would be easier to be able to make them when I want. And freezing them is great! Thanks so much. 🙂

    Reply

    • Homemade Runza Recipe (28)Kelly says

      YEAH!! I hope you love them as much as we do. They are a must on Husker Football Saturday. 🙂

      Reply

  13. Homemade Runza Recipe (29)Melanie says

    You can also use Pillbury Hot Roll Mix. It works just as good!

    Reply

    • Homemade Runza Recipe (30)Kelly says

      Great tip.

      Reply

  14. Homemade Runza Recipe (31)Mary says

    I am wondering if I can make this dough in my bread machine? What kind of mixer do you use? I do not have a stand mixer and am worried that the hand mixer I have will not work right.

    Reply

    • Homemade Runza Recipe (32)Kelly says

      You could absolutely make this dough in your bread machine. 🙂

      Reply

  15. Homemade Runza Recipe (33)Shannon says

    I’m 72, born, raised, & retired in a small farming community in Wa. I cooked for a harvest
    crew for a lot of years and “kraut runzas” were a staple. They are considered a German dish
    in this neck of the woods. Some people use sauerkraut instead of cabbage in their filling
    and the size varies from bun to calzone.

    Reply

    • Homemade Runza Recipe (34)frances doak says

      raised in ne. runzas was made with sauerkraut.bierox cabbage,and the doughs were different.

      Reply

  16. Homemade Runza Recipe (35)Cindy says

    I’ve been making these (or a likeness thereof) for some time. In the middle of Colorado, we often use Elk burger. If I’m pinched for time, I use Coleslaw mix from Sam’s (red cabbage?-carrots-? no worries) And if there’s no time for making the dough and filling it, we put the filling on French rolls (Sam’s again) top with cheese slices and voila’, dinner is served. It’s the Whata Burger? for busy folks!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. […] If you can’t get yourself to Nebraska to the popular eponymous chain, try this recipe, made with plenty of cabbage and onion just like the original stuff. More here. […]

    Reply

Homemade Runza Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What kind of cheese does runza use? ›

We take our incredible Original Runza® sandwich and bake it up fresh – then we slice it open and add American cheese right when you order it.

What is the difference between a bierock and a runza? ›

Bierocks—pronounced bee-rock and also known as runzas—are a German/Eastern European roll that made its way to the American Midwest. They're similar to the Russian pirozhki, another popular European meat-stuffed pastry. They vary in shape, but the most popular ones are usually round or rectangular.

Is runza a German word? ›

Many sources agree that Sally Everett invented the name "runza" although it is likely she adapted it from an existing name for the sandwich; either the krautrunz, an older, different German name for the bierock, or the Low German runsa, meaning "belly", alluding to the gently rounded shape of the pouch pastry.

What are runzas made of? ›

Runzas are a type of bread pocket filled with various ingredients (but most often ground beef, onions, and cabbage), typically found in the midwestern United States, particularly in Nebraska or Kansas where they are sometimes called bierocks.

Is runza just a Nebraska thing? ›

A midwest thing since 1949

We started in Lincoln, Nebraska, then expanded throughout the state and into some neighboring states. To keep it fresh, we choose not to go national.

Do all runza sandwiches have cabbage? ›

Every Runza® Sandwich starts out as an Original: a perfect blend of spices to season the ground beef, mixed with cabbage and onions, inside bread that we bake at our store every morning.

Is runza owned by Subway? ›

in 1966, and started franchising restaurants in 1979. As of November 2020, there are eighty-six Runza restaurants operating: eighty in Nebraska, two in Iowa, two in Colorado, and one in Kansas. The restaurant chain is still owned by the Everett family, and Sally's grandson Donald Everett Jr. serves as President.

What are runzas called in Kansas? ›

The Kansas crowd kept preparing bierocks as they had for years, passing down the recipe and solidifying its place in Kansas' history. In Nebraska, however, the bierock morphed into something called a runza. Runzas have the same ingredients but are usually rectangular and can include extra ingredients like cheese.

What is runza in English? ›

pl runzas is a yeast dough bread pocket with a filling consisting of beef, cabbage or sauerkraut, onions, and seasonings.

What are hamburgers called in Germany? ›

Frikadellen, the original hamburger, are served like a flattened meatball with string beans and salad. I also like to use this recipe to make Swedish meatballs (but omit the paprika). My aunt in Hamburg, Germany, taught me this recipe, and I've been making it ever since.

What is a sandwich called in Germany? ›

It is called German sandwich in English. In German, it is an open sandwich and called “belegtes Brot”. It can have meat or cheese or nothing but butter or anything else you fancy on it.

What ethnicity are runzas? ›

“This savory beef-cabbage creation is actually hundreds of years old. It's a German-Russian invention known as the bierock.

What is the difference between a runza and pastie? ›

Similar to the pasty, a runza is basically a dough-filled pocket. The main difference is the dough used for runzas contains yeast, so it's more bread-like. According to the Chicago Tribune, the runza dates back to the late 1700s when Catherine the Great enticed German craftsmen and farmers to settle in Russia.

What is a cheese melt sandwich? ›

A melt sandwich is a type of hot sandwich containing a suitable meltable cheese (sometimes grated) and a filling of meat or fish. The sandwich is grilled on the stovetop until the cheese melts (hence the name) and the bread is toasted, or heated in an oven.

What is in the Philly runza? ›

Swiss Cheese, Steak Seasoning, Green Peppers, Grilled Onions & Mayo. | Facebook.

What type of oil does runza use? ›

We use Trans Fat Free fryer oil. Naturally occurring Trans Fats occur in some meat and dairy products, including beef and butterfat from dairy.

What is the difference between a pasty and a runza? ›

Similar to the pasty, a runza is basically a dough-filled pocket. The main difference is the dough used for runzas contains yeast, so it's more bread-like. According to the Chicago Tribune, the runza dates back to the late 1700s when Catherine the Great enticed German craftsmen and farmers to settle in Russia.

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