Bierock Casserole (Runza Casserole)
This bierock casserole, also called runza casserole, bakes a cheesy ground beef and cabbage filling between two layers of crescent rolls. It’s the Nebraska stuffed sandwich without making dough from scratch. Bring it to a church potluck or put it on the table on a cold weeknight. The filling can be made ahead, so dinner is just layer and bake. It takes 45 minutes and serves 9.
I have a blog friend from Nebraska. The first time I went to visit her, she took me to get a Runza. I was nervous at first, but I was scared for no reason.
It was absolutely delicious. We ended up getting 3 more that same weekend. (No judgment.)
When I got home, I wanted to recreate it. So I made a casserole. I don’t know if I nailed it exactly, but it’s pretty darn close. At least, I think it is.
If ground beef casseroles are your weeknight thing too, I’ve got a few more right below.
More Ground Beef Casseroles
- Big Boy Casserole – a crescent roll crust under ground beef, pickles, tartar sauce and cheddar
- 4 Ingredient Hamburger Casserole – ground beef, pasta shells and tomato soup under melted cheese
- Grandma’s Ground Beef Casserole – old fashioned beef and egg noodles with sour cream and cream cheese
- Salisbury Steak Casserole – ground beef and rich gravy under fluffy mashed potatoes
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Crescent Rolls – Regular cans or crescent dough sheets both work. I use them instead of making dough from scratch. It cuts the prep time way down.
Ground Beef – Lean or regular. Ground pork or turkey work too.
Cabbage – I like a head of green cabbage. A bag of shredded cabbage saves you the chopping.
Cream of Mushroom Soup – Cream of chicken, cream of onion or cheddar cheese soup work too.
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How To Make Bierock Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray. Open one can of crescent rolls and press it into the bottom of the pan, sealing the seams. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, then set it aside.
- While the crust bakes, brown the ground beef with the diced onion in a large skillet over medium high heat until it’s no longer pink. Drain the fat if you like. Add the shredded cabbage. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to start breaking it down.
- Stir in the cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Remove from the heat. Spread the beef mixture over the baked crust and top with the shredded cheddar.
- Open the second can of crescent rolls, spread it over the top and pinch the edges together. Bake for 25 minutes, until it’s bubbly and the top is golden brown and cooked through. Let it sit 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
What To Serve With Bierock Casserole
It has meat and veggies in it already, so I keep the sides simple. Roasted asparagus, broccoli, Italian green beans or a Waldorf salad all work.
A spoonful of sour cream on top is great too. So is applesauce on the side.
How To Store, Make Ahead and Freeze Bierock Casserole
Leftovers: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warm, then put it under the broiler for a minute or two to crisp the crust back up.
Make Ahead: It’s best baked and eaten right away, because the dough can get soggy if it sits. To get a head start, make the filling (beef, onion, cabbage, soup and seasonings) and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Then assemble and bake like normal.
Freezer: Bake it first. Let it cool, wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then bake it at 325°F for 20 minutes to warm it through.
Bierock Casserole Variations
Sauerkraut – Swap the cabbage for sauerkraut for a tangier filling. Drain it really well first or it can make the crust soggy.
Extra Kick – Stir in some Dijon mustard, extra garlic and a heavier hand of black pepper.
Air Fryer Mini Bierocks – Leftover filling and spare dough make great mini bierocks. Cut the dough into small squares, put a spoonful of filling in the center and pinch the edges closed. Spray the air fryer basket and cook at 380°F for 7 to 8 minutes, until golden brown.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s the filling from a bierock (ground beef, onion and cabbage) baked between two layers of dough instead of stuffed into individual buns. Mine uses crescent rolls, so you get the same flavor without making and filling dough by hand.
Mine is ground beef browned with onion, shredded green cabbage, cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and garlic powder. The full amounts are in the recipe card below.
They’re the same idea. Both are a Volga German mix of ground beef, onion and cabbage wrapped in dough, and families call it different names, bierock included. Runza is also the name of a restaurant chain that started in Lincoln, Nebraska. That’s where my friend took me.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Don’t skip baking the bottom crust first. Raw dough under a wet filling turns soggy.
- Brown the beef while the crust bakes. That’s how this stays at 45 minutes.
- Crescent dough sheets mean no seams to press together. Use them if your store has them.
- Pinch the top and bottom dough together well around the edges so the filling stays put.
More Ways To Use Cabbage
- Brenda Gantt Cabbage Casserole – creamy cabbage and sweet onion under a buttery cracker topping
- Stuffed Cabbage Roll Soup – sweet, sour and tangy cabbage roll flavor without rolling a thing
- Cabbage Apple Slaw – crisp cabbage and Granny Smith apples in a tangy dressing
- Pickled Red Cabbage – a tart and spicy quick pickle that keeps for weeks in the fridge
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Bierock Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces refrigerated crescent rolls or dough sheets 2 cans
- 2 pounds ground beef lean
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 medium green cabbage shredded (roughly 3 cups)
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
- sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray.
- Open one can of crescent rolls and press into the bottom of the pan, sealing the edges.Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the rolls are baking, brown the ground beef with the diced onion in a large skillet over medium high, until no longer pink. Drain the fat if desired.
- Add the shredded cabbage to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes to start to break down the cabbage.
- Stir in the cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, and spices. Mix to combine. Remove from the heat.
- Spread the ground beef mixture over the cooked crescent rolls. Top with shredded cheese.
- Open the remaining can of crescent rolls and spread over the beef mixture. Pinch the edges together to seal in the goodness.
- Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and the rolls are golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove and let sit 1-2 minutes. Garnish, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Make ahead: Make the filling, soup included, and refrigerate up to 3 to 4 days. Assemble and bake when you’re ready.
- Leftovers: Airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Microwave, then broil a minute or two to crisp the crust.
- Freezer: Freeze it baked and cooled, wrapped tightly, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake at 325°F for 20 minutes.
- Swaps: Sauerkraut (drained well) for the cabbage. Ground pork or turkey for the beef. Cream of chicken, onion or cheddar cheese soup for the mushroom soup.
- Shortcut: Bagged shredded cabbage saves the chopping. Crescent dough sheets skip the seams.
Nutrition
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