Easy Runza Recipe From My Aunt's Nebraska Farm Kitchen
Trying to imagine a Runza? This Easy Runza Recipe From My Aunt’s Nebraska Farm Kitchen is simply ground beef and cabbage all wrapped-up in a fresh baked bread bun. A game-day food favorite.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time35 minutesmins
Rise Time1 hourhr20 minutesmins
Servings: 8Runzas
Author: Pam Werley
Ingredients
For The Dough (or buy frozen dough)
¾cupwarm water110 degrees
½cupsweetened condensed milk
¼cupvegetable oil
2tablespoonssugar
1large eggs
3 ½cupsall-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out dough
2packages instant or rapid-rise yeast
1teaspoonsalt
For The Filling
4tablespoonsunsalted butter2 tablespoons melted
1 ½pounds90-percent lean ground beef
1 ½TablespoonsWorcestershire sauce
½teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoononion salt
1teaspoondried oregano
1teaspoondried basil
Pinchof red pepper flakes
Dash of hot sauce
salt and pepper,
1large white onionchopped fine (about 1 cup)
½red or green pepper of choiceoptional
½small head cabbagechopped (about 3 cups)
salt and pepper,
8slicesdeli American cheese or pepper jack
Instructions
Make the Dough
Let’s start by lightly greasing a large bowl with cooking spray or with butter papers. Warm some water, targeting the temperature to be around 110 degrees F. If you don’t have a thermometer then make sure the water is almost, but not, too hot to touch.
Mix water, sweetened condensed milk, oil, sugar, and egg in large glass measuring cup that holds 2 -4 cups of liquid. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix flour, yeast, and salt together. With the mixer on low, slowly add the water mixture. After dough comes together, we are looking to see that the flour is all mixed in, increase speed to medium and mix until shiny and smooth, 4 to 6 minutes. With floured hands, turn dough out onto heavily floured work surface. Shape the dough into a ball, and place in the greased bowl.
To make dough by hand: Combine dry ingredients in large bowl making a well in center of dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well incorporating all the flour using a fork or wooden spoon. Mix for about 1-2 minutes using the wooden spoon – it will be hard to mix. Don’t worry about tidy dough here, just get the flour all mixed in and turn dough out onto heavily floured work surface. With floured hands, knead until shiny and smooth, about 10 minutes.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a wet kitchen towel and let rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
If using frozen dough: Thaw and let rise according to the package directions.
Cook the Filling
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook until just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes, breaking up any large clumps. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion salt, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes, let simmer for about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to paper towel-lined plate.
Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in the now-empty pan. Add onion and peppers (if using) and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Now we will add the cabbage and toss until just beginning to wilt, 2 to 4 minutes. I prefer to have it a bit crunchy. Return beef to pan and season with salt and pepper and hot sauce for an extra kick.
Assemble and Bake
To assemble and bake: Adjust oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Pro tip: Spray baking sheets over open dishwasher door to contain the oil! Divide dough into 8 equal pieces, gently forming 8 small balls. Working on lightly floured work surface, roll each piece of dough into 7-inch circle – it does not have to be a perfect circle. Place one dough round in a deep cereal bowl and top with one slice of cheese. Spoon ¾ cup filling over cheese and pinch edges of dough together to form bun. Transfer bun, seam side down, to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, cheese, and filling, placing 4 buns on each baking sheet. Cover buns with plastic wrap or wet kitchen towel and let rise until puffed, about 20 minutes.
Bake buns until golden brown, about 20 minutes, switching and rotating position of baking sheets halfway through baking time. Brush buns with melted butter and serve with ketchup! Or just rub buns with a stick of butter while they are still warm.
Video
Notes
Making Runza’s for Two? Make and Freeze. Baked Runza’s freeze well. Wrap each runza in plastic wrap and then store in an air-tight container. Thaw in refrigerator and reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.