share or you’re making mealtime meaningful. 100% of the Share to Care sponsor fees fund meals for families in need. Learn More
If you haven’t had the pleasure of trying a Runza sandwich, you’re missing out on a delicious Nebraskan staple. A Runza is a savory bread pocket filled with beef, cabbage or sauerkraut, and onions. It’s like a beefy hot pocket, but better! This old German-Russian sandwich is most popular in Nebraska, where you can find various restaurant chains serving it. But fear not, because our Runza Casserole allows you to enjoy the flavors of a Runza in a comforting baked dish that’s both family-friendly and incredibly easy to make.
Believe it or not, you only need six simple ingredients to create this mouthwatering casserole. Instead of bread, we use refrigerated crescent rolls to provide a buttery and doughy base and top for that familiar sandwich feel. The filling consists of seasoned ground beef, onions, and cabbage, cooked together to create a tender and flavorful medley. And of course, we can’t forget the cheese! Melty mozzarella adds a stringy, comforting touch that perfectly complements the other ingredients.
Preparing the Runza Casserole is a breeze. Simply brown the ground beef on the stovetop, then layer the crescent rolls, beef mixture, cheese, and more crescent rolls in a baking dish. Bake until golden brown, and voilà – a warm and satisfying dish that captures the essence of a Runza.
Runza Casserole
Serves 6 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes
share or you’re making mealtime meaningful. 100% of the Share to Care sponsor fees fund meals for families in need. Learn More
Ingredients:
- 2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls (do not separate rolls)
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups grated Mozzarella cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Unroll one tube of crescent rolls but do not separate the rolls. Place the sheet in the bottom of the prepared baking dish and bake for 5 minutes.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain the fat as needed and push the meat to the outer edges of the skillet.
- Add butter to the center of the skillet. Once melted, add onions, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
- Add cabbage and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Spread the mixture over the baked crescent rolls. Top with mozzarella cheese and the remaining sheet of crescent roll dough.
- Bake until the top is golden brown, approximately 20-25 minutes. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Pip and Ebby.
Check out this video to see how easy it is to make this delicious Runza Casserole: Runza Casserole Video
