Nebraska Casserole–seasoned ground beef with cabbage baked in a crescent roll crust and topped with melty cheddar cheese. Like the Runza sandwich in a pan!
Nebraska Casserole
If you’re not familiar, a Runza is kind of a big deal in Nebraska. The original Runza is a sandwich made of soft dough stuffed with a savory mix of seasoned ground beef, cabbage (or sauerkraut if you want some tang), and onions. But making individual Runza sandwiches can take a little time, so today I’m sharing the simplified casserole version. It’s only got a few ingredients and Greg and I both agreed it was a winning dinner! Enjoy!
Fun Fact: The name Runza actually has German roots, and the sandwich itself is inspired by German-Russian immigrants who settled in Nebraska in the 19th century. They brought their recipe for “bierocks” with them, and it slowly transformed into what Nebraskans know and love today as a Runza.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Pillsbury crescent rolls–This is the hack that makes it so easy to make! Or you can make a homemade dough.
- Lean ground beef–I used 93/7. You can also use ground turkey.
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Dried onion–or 1/2 cup chopped onion
- Water–or tomato juice, broth
- Cabbage–I used green
- Sharp cheddar cheese–or another type of cheese like mozzarella, colby, pepperjack, swiss
Customize your Casserole
Here are a few ideas if you want to customize your casserole:
- Mushrooms: Throw some chopped mushrooms in with the ground beef for extra earthiness.
- Sauerkraut: If you want more tang, try swapping out some of the cabbage for sauerkraut.
- Different cheeses: Mozzarella or cheddar is a solid choice, but you can always spice things up with a little pepper jack or Swiss.
- Seasonings: Kick it up with some garlic powder, paprika, or even a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat.
- Mustard or ketchup on the side: These are traditional Runza pairings and add a little zing. Greg said, “this would taste good with Big Mac sauce!” I agree!
Steps
Turn oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×8 inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Open the package of crescent rolls and unroll them and pat them into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside (keep the oven on).
Heat a medium-large pan over medium-high heat. Add in the ground beef and break it up. Add in the salt, pepper and onion.
Once almost cooked through add in the cabbage and the water. Cook until the cabbage has cooked down and wilted, about 5 minutes.
Spread the meat into the pan over the crescent dough. Sprinkle with the cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes. Slice and serve. Top with a few dashes of hot sauce, if desired.
Notes/Tips
- Serve alongside a green salad, fresh fruit, tomato soup or pickled vegetables.
- You can easily double this recipe. Double the ingredients and bake in a 9×13 inch dish.
- I baked my casserole in an 8×8 pyrex glass baking dish.*
- I added a few drops of hot sauce on top! It was a good addition 🙂
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for around 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Recipe adapted from Pip and Ebby.
- Other recipes you can make with cabbage are Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Soup and Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Casserole.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Nebraska Casserole
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Seasoned ground beef with cabbage baked in a crescent roll crust and topped with melty cheddar cheese. Like the Runza sandwich in a pan!
Ingredients
- 1 (8 oz) package Pillsbury crescent rolls
- 16 oz lean ground beef
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp dried onion or 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 Tbsp water
- 2 cups chopped cabbage
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Turn oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×8 inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Open the package of crescent rolls and unroll them and pat them into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside (keep the oven on).
- Heat a medium-large pan over medium-high heat. Add in the ground beef and break it up. Add in the salt, pepper and onion. Once almost cooked through add in the cabbage and the water. Cook until the cabbage has cooked down and wilted, about 5 minutes.
- Spread the meat into the pan over the crescent dough. Sprinkle with the cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Slice and serve. Top with a few dashes of hot sauce, if desired.
- Category: Beef
- Method: Stove and Oven
More ground beef recipes to try…
White Castle Casserole
A low-carb Instant Pot or oven casserole with ground beef, onion and cheese with a crust on top and garnished with pickle and mustard.
Ranger Frank Soup
A fast and easy Instant Pot (or slow cooker) chili soup with ground beef, ground pork, Rotel, kidney beans and fajita seasoning.
Slow Cooker Ground Beef Stroganoff
A creamy mushroom sauce with ground beef served over egg noodles. An easy recipe to make that uses common ingredients and it’s delicious to eat.
Instant Pot Grandma’s Ground Beef Casserole
A ground beef and pasta dish with tomatoes, peppers, spinach and cheese.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
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