The Stuffed Sandwich That's A Tried-And-True Classic In The Midwest

Even in today's world of instant information and social media that lets people share their lives with anyone, anywhere, regional traditions and dishes remain generally hidden to outsiders. That's definitely true when it comes to food in a country as large as the U.S., where you'll find under-the-radar culinary gems across its expanse. One old-school food that Midwesterners cherish, the runza, is a perfect example.

A runza is a rectangular baked sandwich traditionally stuffed with ground beef, cabbage, and onions, fully enclosed in a yeasted dough bun. Its origins trace back to late 19th-century German immigrants to the Midwest who had actually come from communities near Russia's Volga River. Their community borrowed and adapted Russia's pirog, filled breads and pastries, and brought their version to the U.S., calling them bierocks. That name is still used in some parts of the Midwest, and bierocks otherwise differ from runzas primarily in that they're round.

Bierock became runza starting in 1949 in Nebraska, when siblings Sally Everett and Alex Brening opened a shop in Lincoln to sell the filled sandwiches using their family recipe. They came up with "runza" so they could trademark the name, which wasn't possible with bierock. It's thought to have come from "krautrunz," another name for the sandwich, or "runsa," a German word for a soft, round belly.

Sally Everett and Alex Brening also named the shop itself Runza, which opened a second location in 1966 and began franchising in 1979. People began using the name instead of bierock, particularly in Nebraska, where Cornhusker fans eat them in the stands during football games. Today, there are more than 90 locations, most of them in Nebraska, with a handful in neighboring Kansas, Colorado, Iowa, and South Dakota. As of July 2026, the family-owned business is also looking to open franchises in Missouri and Wyoming.

If runzas sound tempting, but you're far from the Midwest, you can try your hand at making them at home. A great shortcut for the filling is swapping in coleslaw mix to cook with some seasoned ground beef and onions instead of chopping cabbage yourself. Sauerkraut is another easy alternative that creates a tangier flavor. You can customize the filling with extra ingredients such as sauteed peppers or mushrooms, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheese like cheddar, Swiss, or pepper Jack. Garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, thyme, and rosemary are all possible additions, as are hot sauce or cayenne for a spicy kick.

Use a yeasted dough recipe to make Parker House rolls — or shortcut it with thawed frozen dough — for the bread shell. Roll each piece into a rectangle before scooping in the filling, sealing the dough around it, and baking with the seam side down.