This Runza Recipe is made with already prepared frozen bread dough and browned ground beef mixed with onion and green cabbage and seasoned with salt and fresh ground black pepper. The end result is absolutely delicious, quick, and much easier than mixing the dough from scratch. This tasty number is quite popular in the Midwest, especially in Nebraska and Kansas, where they are often referred to as bierocks.
These are always a hot commodity and a huge hit with kids. I love to serve them with homemade French fries or onion rings.
How to make Runzas
Start by taking the frozen roll dough out of the freezer and placing it on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Space them several inches apart. Then cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until double in size. This can take up to several hours, so plan accordingly.
Meanwhile, cook beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the beef is about halfway browned, add the butter, onion, and cabbage. Then cook until the beef is browned, and the onions and cabbage are soft. Drain any excess grease. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
On a lightly floured surface, using your fingers, work each piece of dough into a circle patty looking like a miniature pizza dough. Next, scoop a rounded spoonful of hamburger mix into the center of the dough. Then using your fingers, bring up the edges of the dough and pinch to seal. Now, gently roll the dough ball in your hands to smooth the pinching. Place back on the parchment paper seam side down. Continue working until all the dough balls are filled. Cover again with plastic wrap for about 30 minutes. Then whisk together the eggs and milk. Gently and lightly brush the balls with the egg wash. Bake for about 20 minutes in a preheated oven.
Recipe notes and helpful tips for Runzas
- Timing is important with this recipe, so plan ahead, knowing that your dough needs several hours to rise. On the flip side, if it rises too fast and you are not prepared yet, pop it in the refrigerator for up to an hour.
- Rhodes brand ready-made frozen roll dough is available in the frozen food section at most local grocery stores. I have always found it a good product, but I am sure there are other good brands you can use as well. Crescent roll dough is a good second option.
- Finely chop the onions and cabbage so the mixture is easy to stuff in the dough.
- For a change of pace, add cooked chopped bacon, browned sausage, or sauteed mushrooms.
- If the dough is sticky, lightly flour your working surface.
- Don’t skip the egg wash. It really makes them look so bakery-fresh. If you prefer, you can also brush them with melted butter.
- A true Nebraska runza does not have cheese in it; however, a little sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, mozzarella cheese, or Monterey Jack cheese is delicious. Add it right on top of the spooned-in meat mixture before pinching up the dough.
Can you freeze runzas?
To freeze first, fully cool them by moving them to a wire rack. Once cooled, place the runzas back on the baking sheet with space between them. Place the baking sheet on a level surface in the freezer. This technique is known as flash freezing. Once fully frozen, place them in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, wrap in aluminum foil, and reheat in the oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. To reheat in the microwave, wrap in a paper towel and reheat for 1-2 minutes at 50% power.
Can you use fresh yeast roll dough?
Feel free to use your favorite yeast dinner roll recipe. Homemade dough will work just as well and may even taste better. After rolling the dough into balls, place it on parchment-covered baking sheets with several inches between each ball. Then cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size. Follow the rest of the instructions as written. Be sure to allow time for the runzas to rise again for 30 minutes after stuffing, and don’t forget to use the egg wash for that delectable fresh bakery appearance.
More Sandwich Recipes
Easy Runzas
Ingredients
- 16 Rhodes rolls frozen unbaked roll dough
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 cups finely chopped cabbage
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Place frozen rolls several inches apart on parchment-covered baking sheets. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature until double in size. This can take 3-5 hours, so plan accordingly.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. When the beef is about halfway browned, add the butter, onion, and cabbage. Then cook until the beef is browned and the onions and cabbage are soft. Let it cool for a few minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- On a lightly floured surface, using your fingers, work each dough ball into a circle patty looking like a miniature pizza dough. Scoop a rounded spoonful of hamburger mix into the center of the dough. Using your fingers, bring up the edges of the dough and pinch to close. Roll gently between your hands to work the seams. Place back on the parchment paper seam side down. Continue working until all the dough balls are filled. Cover with plastic wrap for 30 minutes.
- Whisk together the egg and milk. Gently and lightly brush the dough with the egg wash. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown, rotating the baking sheet halfway through.
Notes
- Timing is important with this recipe, so plan ahead, knowing that your dough needs several hours to rise. On the flip side, if it rises too fast and you are not prepared yet, pop it in the refrigerator for up to an hour.
- Rhodes brand ready-made frozen roll dough is available in the frozen food section at most local grocery stores. I have always found it a good product, but I am sure there are other good brands you can use as well. Crescent roll dough is a good second option.
- Finely chop the onions and cabbage so the mixture is easy to stuff in the dough.
- For a change of pace, add cooked chopped bacon, browned sausage, or sauteed mushrooms.
- If the dough is sticky, lightly flour your working surface.
- Don't skip the egg wash. It really makes them look so bakery-fresh. If you prefer, you can also brush them with melted butter.
- A true Nebraska runza does not have cheese in it; however, a little sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, mozzarella cheese, or Monterey Jack cheese is delicious. Add it right on top of the spooned-in meat mixture before pinching up the dough.
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Jill
I have tried “from scratch” recipes and finally swore I would never make these again because they were so much work and I never got them right. I tried this recipe tonight and they came out perfect. They were so much easier than my other attempts.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Jill! So glad that you enjoyed them and they were easier.
Kay
How much salt and pepper do you use? I can’t do to taste and since I can’t my seasonings are off when I make them
Beth Pierce
About 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
Donna
Thanks for posting this recipe. We lived in Nebraska for 16 years before moving to NC. Runzas is one of the things we miss. I am having a timing issue as I want to serve them for a family from Ukraine that is coming to stay with us a while as they try and find housing in the U.S. Could I make them up and put them seam down and put the uncooked Runzas in the fridge for 20 hours and then set them out for 30 min. and then bake them? Do you think the extra time in the fridge would hurt? Thanks.
Beth Pierce
I do not think that will work. However you could bake and reheat.
Patti
Donna, we make them and freeze them. We wrap each in foil and then put them in gallon freezer bags. We put them in the fridge the night before to thaw and then in the oven the next day till heated. They turn out perfect.
Kathleen
These are so very tasty. Great weekend dinner option. I was excited to find the Rhodes frozen bread at my local Stop N Shop! The house was filled with enticing aromas as they were prepped and baked! YUMMY!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Kathleen! So glad that you liked the Runzas!
Dina and Bruce
Oh HEY! We have heard of Runza, and love them. And NOW we have the recipe! THANK YOU! These were a huge hit over at our house this week!
Justine
I had never heard of these, but man am I glad I found this recipe! How can you say no to a piece of bread stuffed with goodies? ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!
Holly
These were fun to make and the family gobbled them up immediately. I love recipes that get my boys in the kitchen with me. They enjoyed making and eating them.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Holly! So glad that you and the boys liked them!
Sisley
I had never had these before. They were easy and delicious with the use of premade roll dough. What a delight. These would be perfect for a family gathering.
Stacey
These are going to make my family very happy! I am going to add the bacon for that extra yum!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Stacey! Enjoy!
Maria
I’ve never heard of a runza before. Looks so delicious! Can’t go wrong with a bready pocket of goodness!
Tisha
These remind me of bierocks that my mom used to make all the time. They are so yummy!
Betty
Great game day food! The whole pack of peeps loved them. I will make them again.
katerina
Wow! These are fantastic!! SO easy and delicious!
Cathy
I used to live in Nebraska. I love runzas. This is a great recipe that is both quicker and easier with the use of ready made dough. Thank you!
EriK
Delicious and easy runzas! Thanks for the blast from the past.
Sheri
Born and raised Nebraska girl. This recipe is quite similar to mine. We have found using half cabbage and half sauerkraut to the meat mixture along with some of the juice from the sauerkraut makes a big difference with flavor. I do not like sauerkraut but it it does make it taste more like the real deal.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tip, Sheri! I will try that.
Tim and Patti
Years ago we lived in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. I fell in love with Runza’s at the Runza Restaurant. You could get it with cheese or without. After having a homemade Runza at a Church in town I started making my own. We make a batch to freeze and just take out 2 when needed. Even though we’re back home in Texas, I still make Runza’s for us but these days due to health (cancer) I can’t stand and do all this anymore alone. My husband is thrilled to make a batch tomorrow with the thawed rolls for a shortcut. I’ll help as much as I can. Thank you for the shortcut.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine Patti. I am sorry to hear about your health issues. I will keep you in my prayers. Wishing you some pain free days.
Pam
I grew up in Colorado and Nebraska and made these a lot! We always boiled our meat, onions and cabbage together, then added the salt and pepper. Thanks for the memories 🙂
Kim Hain
I live in PA Dutch country in SE Penna. and we make a version of runza, but serve it loose in a roll like a steak sandwich….it’s the same exact ingredients as your filling, just not enclosed in pastry.
Beth Pierce
Sounds delicious! Thanks for the tip!
Lesa
This remind me of a recipe we have in Jamaican but this is healthier because we fry instead of baking. Nice recipe, will try it soon.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lesa! Enjoy!
Shilpa Bindlish
Wow, these look so tempting. It actually made me feel hungry and craving for some. Great recipe.
Mel
My husband loves these runzas! They are do yummy and easy to make.
Nancy
I love these runzas! Thanks for sharing the recipe, Beth!
Rose
Hearty, tasty and cute. That’s my kind of food right there.
Nicole B
I love Nebraska Runzas and these are pretty darn authentic. Thanks for the blast from the past. Now I can have them anytime.
Dominique
I have been searching for an authentic recipe! These are SO good!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Dominique! I am so glad that you like them!
Debbie
This is my new favorite runza recipe. I have tried other recipes but this one was much easier with great flavor. Now I can bring the fresh taste of runzas with me where ever I go.
Julie Cao
This is a great runza recipe and easy to follow. Rhodes rolls are a great shortcut and they work well with this recipe.
Mandy Carter
Great recipe. reminds me of empanadas. Definitely going to make and freeze for some summer snacks.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Mandy!
Barry Andreev
Eastern Europeans call these Piroshkis, my Mom made them. Besides the salt & pepper, what other spices would you add to make them more authentically Eastern European?
Beth Pierce
Maybe some garlic and dill!
Diann
I’m from Nebraska and have made these for years but with my own dough. Thought I try the Rhodes frozen dough you mentioned. The runzas as looked great but when they came out of the oven and cooled down they fell in the middle. Every one of them crashed in the middle. Why is this? Maybe I should go back to my own dough but this was much faster.
Beth Pierce
Maybe they rose too quickly. Was the area maybe a little too warm?
Nyxie
I’ve never heard or even seen of these before! Maybe we’re just very sheltered here in Northern Ireland! But I’d love to try my hand at making these. I’ve been doing alot more baking and cooking lately trying to get over my fear!
Nicole Bertrand
I had never heard of runzas before, but these definitely look like they’d be a hit with my family. Excited to try them!
Mila Osman
The egg wash always makes it look SO DELICIOUS! I can smell these through the screen!
Gervin Khan
This pastry dish was amazingly delicious and very yummy! It’s stuffed with our favorite beef filling! A perfect treat for any given time of the day! Loved it!
Monidipa Dutta
Your recipe for easy Nebraska Runzas is simply amazing! As someone who has never tried this before, your step-by-step instructions and helpful tips made it super easy for me to follow along.
Stephanie
I’ve never heard of Runzas before, but these look delicious! This is definitely something my family would enjoy. I like the idea of using frozen dough to make it easier. I’ll have to make these over the weekend soon.
Alita Pacio
This is a great way to use up extra cabbage from our garden. Thank you for the recipe.
Ntensibe Edgar
These little buns remind me of tea back in the corporate world. We always had them at the office breakfast on Fridays. Good times, excellent food!
Stephanie
Had not heard of runzas before finding this recipe. These are delicious and easy to make!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Stephanie! So glad that you liked the runza recipe!
Dana K
I served these to a UNL alumni & he thought they were great! I used a can of Grands biscuits & American cheese slices. Very tasty & easy!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Dana! I am so glad that you all enjoyed them!
Sue
Just put these in the oven and I already know we’ll love them. Hubby helped and we had a few laughs while working with the dough! We live in Nebraska with a Runza about a mile away, but I’ve always wanted to try homemade. So excited!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sue! Enjoy!
brianne
I love how mine turned out. It’s definitely a repeat in the house! Thank you for this.
Toni
Can you freeze these?
Beth Pierce
You can freeze them after they are baked. Be sure to let them fully cool before freezing. Then you can flash freeze them or wrap them individually and freeze. Bake from frozen at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Ty Rosenow
It’s a good basic recipe and I know there’s many variations out there for the Runza (aka Bierocks). I have been able to substitute the cabbage for the sauerkraut.
Lois
Well I made these Runzas today! Hubby is from Nebraska, and loves Runzas. We don’t have them in Canada. This was a fabulous recipe. I did add parsley and garlic; personal preference. Thanks so much for another great recipe! Hubs has asked to have these every Thursday! Ha, no promises; but if I’m home it is possible.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Lois! So glad that you both enjoyed them! 😉
Debbie
So good and easy to make. I used a bread recipe to make mine. Can’t wait to try different meats or seafood in them.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Debbie! So glad that you liked them! They are so yummy!
Diane
I have made these every week since I first saw this recipe. I add a little Monterey Jack cheese and brown mustard to the mixture and I also use sauerkraut instead of cabbage. Adding a little mustard to the meat mixture let’s my family truly eat these on the run. Delicious.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tip Diane! A little mustard sounds delicious!
Anne
Sounds good. I know these as a ND Germans from Russia dish called Bierocks.
Diane
These were amazing. Made them 3 weeks ago and my family is asking for them again. Followed recipe except used sauerkraut instead of cabbage. They were delicious dipped in a little bit of course ground brown mustard.
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked them! Great idea with the brown mustard! So yummy!!
Valerie Peterson
My dad is from Nebraska and every time we went to visit my grandma would make these. We grew up calling them cabbage burgers. Never had a runza before, only grandmas. Her fresh bread dough was amazing. I am lazy so I use Rhodes most of the time. Love them.
Beth Pierce
They are delicious little bundles! Rhodes works well and it is easy!
Glenn Matthews
My mom and dad first date was at Runzas first shop in Lincoln Nebraska. Mom has made these for years using homemade yeast roll dough. It’s now a family tradition in my house. I use skirt steak course chopped in my food processor. Thanks for bringing back some great memories.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Glenn. What a fond memory every time you see, smell, or taste Runzas.
Bree
Made these and they were of course delicious. I started off with triple the cabbage per husband’s request. The rhodes rolls were quite sweet for our taste so will use homemade dough next time, although they certainly were a dream to work with! Also will leave out the butter next time, just a personal preference, he doesn’t care for the flavor and the meat had plenty of fat. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Bree! So glad that you and husband liked them! They are quite yummy!
Claire
That filling! Looks SO good! Haven’t heard of this before and I am so excited to give this a try!
Maria
This looks so filling!!! Thank you for the recipe, do you think it’s okay to reheat?
Jeannette
What a fantastic on-the-go meal! Love how it’s portable and stuffed with a delicious meat filling!
Anjali
I hadn’t heard of Runzas before but I’m so glad I came across your recipe!! These look so cute, savory and satisfying – they are going to be the perfect side for our dinner tomorrow night!
Nina Greeley
I followed your easy recipe using the Rhodes rolls except I combined two rolls and made them rectangular like the ones you buy in Nebraska. I’m originally from Nebraska, but now live in New Mexico, so I added some green chili and pepper jack cheese to give them a little kick. Love your recipe. It’s as authentic as the real deal.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Nina! So glad that you liked it!
Jane
I made them using a frozen bread loaf. They came out with way too much bread. Love the idea to use rolls instead of the whole loaf. Thank you
Patsy
Made these this evening…my husband wanted me to add fried potatoes…the potatoes made them truly delicious!!
Beth Pierce
That does sound delicious! Thanks for the suggestion.
Colleen
I’ve never heard of these before, but wow how amazing they look! I can’t wait to try these and I know they’ll be a huge hit.
Cynthia
Wow I’ve never heard of runza before, but after reading this, recipe I can’t wait to try it!
Biana
These runzas look amazing and the filling sounds so good. And what a great idea to make them out of roll dough.
Jill
I had not heard of runzas but now I need to try them. They look and sound delish!
Cathleen
My husband has been wanting to go to Nebraska just to try these hahahaha.This came at the most perfect time, I am going to have to make these for him so we don’t need to make the long trek 🙂
Heidi Weinert
I have never tasted a homemade Rnza that even comes close to the flavor. They have a secret blend of spices and most of the homemade versions just have salt and pepper.
I guess you will have to come visit!
P.S. You can have them shipped to you but I have no idea what that would cost.
P.P.S. I am making this for dinner because I grew cabbage for the first time and could not think of a better way to use it.
Michelle
I’ve been making these for years this way. You can use tue Rhodes bread loaf too to adjust tue size of your runzas. I have never let the dough rise. I thaw in fridge in bag over night, Roll out the size I need, fill, then pop in oven. Bake time is about what I use. Very delicious.
Jenny
My Dad was from Scottsbluff, Nebraska. I will make some Runza and think of dear Fritz. Thank you!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Jenny! Enjoy!!
PAPPAW
I lean more to the German Bierocks and use half and half cabbage to sauerkraut! Also some extra spice to bring out the beef flavors!
Debbie
We put cheese in them also
Heidi Weinert
I live in Lincoln and I always get the cheese Runza when I go through the drive through.
Pam
Approximately how large is your dough circle before filling it?
Beth Pierce
4-5 inches
Amanda Livesay
Such a yummy simple dinner! My kids love them.
Patricia
So yummy! These make the perfect snack or light meal! I love finding different uses for cabbage and this is a good one!
Michelle Boule
My friend keeps talking about runzas, i’ll need to make these soon!
Mahy
I don’t think I’ve ever made runza before. Such a great recipe to keep handy throughout a busy week!
Tara
I love how you made these runzas using frozen dough. They look so good and that filling sounds amazing! Yum!
Andrea
These Runzas look fantastic and I love how easy they are to make.
Chris Collins
I’ve actually never had Runzas before but they look right up my street! Will definitely give them a go on the weekend 🙂
Cathy
Love the idea of making these as a side dish!
Toni
Oh! This is so good! And so easy to make, too!! I love it!
Allyson Zea
These are so flavorful and delicious! I loved them!
Erin
These look incredible! I can’t wait to give them a try! So fun, too.
Erik
This Runza Recipe looks perfect!
Marty
Can theses be frozen and reheated?
Beth Pierce
Yes they can. Thaw in the fridge overnight and to reheat wrap the sandwich in foil, place on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes.