This Runza casserole is beefy, hearty, and an easy-to-make, family favorite. The beef is baked in a savory mushroom gravy and topped with a delicious crescent roll topping and bottom crust. A midwest favorite your family will fall in love with.
My family loves beefy casseroles in our dinner rotation. My sons favorite is hamburger casserole. We also love our taco casserole, hamburger potato casserole, and tater-tot-topped cowboy casserole.
What is Runza Casserole
It’s a casserole version of Nebraska’s favorite sandwich, the Runza. A Runza is also called a bierock, krautburger, or kraut pirok. It’s a baked bread pocket filled with beef, onions, cabbage, and sometimes sauerkraut.
They were originally from Eastern Europe and eventually made their way to the Midwest.
Runza Casserole Ingredients
- Hamburger: I use 80/20% ground beef.
- Onions: Yellow onions are my choice.
- Salt and Pepper: The key seasoning.
- Garlic Powder: Just a hint of garlic.
- Paprika: Adds a nice warmth.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This adds a lot of subtle flavors and richness to the beef.
- Cabbage: I like using a coleslaw mix. It’s not as traditional as plain cabbage but I like the different colors of cabbage and the little bit of carrot.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup + Golden Mushroom Soup: I like to use one of each of these “cream of” soups. I think combined they create an amazingly deep mushroom flavored gravy to compliment the beef.
- Crescent Rolls: If you can find the single sheets I’d use that. If not, the crescents work just fine.
- Cheddar + Mozzarella Cheese: I like this combo of cheeses the best. Feel free to switch them up. Swiss is also delicious.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? This runza casserole with cream of mushroom soup will keep 4 days in the fridge. Place it in an airtight container or cover it tightly with cling wrap before putting it in the fridge.
- Can You Freeze This? Yes, you can freeze this crescent roll runza casserole. Store in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Food Safety: Here’s an article by the USDA on food safety and storage.
Serving Recommendations
This is delicious with my KFC coleslaw, brown sugar glazed carrots, crisp air fryer green beans, or fresh strawberry spinach salad.
How to Make Runza Casserole
- Bake the crescent roll crust.
- Brown the ground beef. Add the aromatics and spices.
- Add the cabbage. Cook until it’s tender.
- Stir in both mushroom soups.
- Spread the beef and cabbage mixture on top of the baked crescent dough.
- Sprinkle both cheeses over the beef mixture.
- Spread the remaining crescent roll over the top of the beef mixture.
- Bake until golden brown.
- Serve.
***See the full instructions below.
More Ground Beef Casserole Recipes
- Beef Noodle Casserole
- Sloppy Joe Casserole
- Johnny Marzetti Casserole
- Bisquick Taco Bake
- Mexican Casserole
- Dorito Casserole
- Shredded Beef Enchiladas
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Runza Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds hamburger
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cups cabbage chopped
- 1 (10-ounce) can low sodium cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (10-ounce) can golden mushroom soup
- 2 tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Open one crescent roll package and unroll the dough (1 tube). Press into the bottom of a 9x13x2 pan and bake for 7 minutes or until brown.
- Meanwhile, while the crescent roll base is baking, brown and crumble ground beef (2 pounds), in a large skillet, over medium heat until beef is cooked thoroughly, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- Add onion (2 medium), salt (1 1/2 teaspoons), pepper (1 teaspoon), garlic powder (1 teaspoon), paprika (1 teaspoon), and Worcestershire sauce (2 teaspoons). Continue to cook over medium heat until onion is soft, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add cabbage (4 cups) to beef mixture, and continue to cook another 5 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.
- Stir in both mushroom soups (1 can low sodium cream of mushroom soup + 1 can golden mushroom soup).
- Spread the beef and cabbage mixture into the pan on top of the baked crescent dough.
- Sprinkle both cheeses (1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese + 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese) over the beef mixture.
- Unroll the remaining crescent roll tube (1 tube) and spread it over the top of the beef mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
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Hello, I don’t used canned soups. What could I substitute for the two cans of mushroom soup?
Hi, Rachel. The only option I can think of is to make it from scratch. Here’s a recipe I found: homemade cream of mushroom soup. I hope this helps!
big hit in my house hold!
i didnt have the golden mushroom…turned out runza yummy with out it!
Yaaay! Thanks, Jeanee. I’m so happy it was a hit 🙂
“This runza is a wowza” this is what my son said! LOL. He loved it so much!!
Haha that’s so cute! Thanks, Lily!
Made this last night – used 1/2 lb of hot Italian sausage with 1 1/2 lbs beef, (because I had it on hand) and added a chopped jalapeño. Also used an eXtra teaspoon of Worcestershire saccessories, and used one can low sodium and 1 can regular mushroom soup because ⁷I couldn’t find the golden, but will use that next time, and there will be a next time because it was delicious! Looking forward to the leftovers.
Hey Regina! So happy you like this. I’m in love with this casserole!!! 🙂
This looks wonderful! Do you think I could use 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound of ground pork? Thanks!
Hi, Jennifer! I think that’ll work 🙂
It came out great! Fabulous casserole . Thank you so much!
Yaaay! That’s amazing, Jennifer! Thank you so much for your positive feedback 🙂
I made this dish a few nights ago and here’s what I and my wife found: 1) Since there is only two of us in this house there is plenty to share with family, friends and/or neighbors. 2) The dish on the evening it was created was just so so in taste…but 3) the next evening (after reheating) it was absolutely delicious! We were so shocked that the flavors had come together in such a magnificent blend of mouth happiness. Great Job, Kathleen. You did it again and my wife and I thank you.
Awww, thank you so much! I’m happy you and your wife like this!