Bake

Classic Cheeseburger Runza

by:
January 19, 2024
5
1 Ratings
Classic Cheeseburger Runza
Photo by Food52
  • Prep time 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Cook time 45 minutes
  • makes 9 runzas
Author Notes

The origins of the word runza are German—but the recipe widely known by this name today is born in the Midwest—specifically: Nebraska. Growing up in nearby Kansas, my family even regularly visited a chain of restaurants called Runza, where these stuffed sandwiches are the main menu item. The runza is also adjacent to another beloved stuffed bread known as bierock. The main difference in these terms will be location (bierock are more regionally common, and can be often be found in any city with a larger German-descended population). The other is the shape—runza are typically shaped like a longer sub sandwich roll, while bierocks are often round, like a hamburger bun. Runza can be filled with just about anything, but my favorite—and one of the most popular—is a “cheeseburger” runza, which contains ground beef and cheese—but also slow cooked onions and cabbage. Whatever you call them or fill them with, they’re hearty and delicious all-in one sandwiches, and they are a lot of fun to make and eat. —Erin Jeanne McDowell

Test Kitchen Notes

Excerpted from Savory Baking: Recipes for Breakfast, Dinner, and Everything in Between 2022 by Erin Jeanne McDowell. Reproduced by permission of Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved. —Food52

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the dough:
  • 1 1/4 cups (290 grams) whole milk
  • 5 cups (600 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (10 grams) instant dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) fine sea salt
  • 1 large (56 grams) egg, at room temperature
  • 1 large (21 grams) egg yolk, at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter
  • For filling & finishing:
  • 2 tablespoons (30 grams) olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter
  • 2 1/2 cups (295 grams) shredded cabbage
  • 1 large (325 grams) sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 12 ounces (340 grams) ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon (9 grams) onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon (3 grams) garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon (3 grams) smoked paprika
  • 2 cups (200 grams) shredded cheddar cheese
  • Egg Wash: 1 large (56 grams) egg + 1 tablespoon (15 grams) water + pinch salt)
  • Sesame seeds, for finishing (optional)
Directions
  1. For the dough:
  2. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium-low heat until it reaches about 110°F/45°C. Remove from the heat.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt on low speed to combine. Add the warm milk, egg, egg yolk, and butter and mix for 4 minutes. Raise the speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth, about 2 minutes more.
  4. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until visibly puffy, 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes.
  5. When the dough has risen, divide the dough into 9 equal-sized pieces (about 100 grams each). Working with one piece of dough at a time, gently press and stretch the dough into a rectangle about 4x5 inches (10x13 cm) - you can use a rolling pin if you like to help make the thickness even, I just find working it with my hands gets the best final shape!
  1. For filling & finishing:
  2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of olive oil and the butter over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, until it wilts, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the onion, season the mixture with salt and pepper, and cook until it and the cabbage are very tender, 8 to 10 minutes more. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.
  4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 grams) olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, and season with the Worcestershire, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper. Cook until the beef is fully cooked and well browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add to the bowl with the cabbage and onions and mix well to combine. Let the mixture cool for 15 minutes.
  5. Fold the shredded cheese into the filling mixture until well combined. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Scoop a heaping ¼ cup (about 70 grams) of the filling into the center of the dough, shaping it roughly into a log. Fold the excess dough over the filling to fully encase it, and pinch the seams well to seal. Roll the dough gently to help flatten the seams, forming a rectangular “log” of dough. If needed, use a few drops of water applied to where the dough meets to ensure they are well sealed.
  7. As you shape them, transfer the runzas to the prepared baking sheets, staggering them into rows. Use the palm of your hand to gently flatten each pastry by pressing gently down.
  8. Cover the shaped pastries with greased plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the dough is visibly puffy. Toward the end of rise time, heat the oven to 350°F/175°C with the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
  9. Uncover the pastries, and egg wash the surface and sides evenly. If using, garnish with sesame seeds. Transfer the oven and bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking, until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving warm.
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Erin Jeanne McDowell
I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, Savory Baking, came out in Fall of 2022 - is full of recipes to translate a love of baking into recipes for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between!

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