BAKE: Reuben Runza (Stuffed Rye Buns with Corned Beef & Kraut)

• Reuben Runza Ingredients
• Kitchen Equipment Needed
• How to Make Reuben Runza Rolls
• Storage & Serving Ideas
• Reuben Runza (Stuffed Rye Buns with Corned Beef & Kraut)

These reuben runza rolls pack all the delicious flavor of the deli classic sandwich into a portable package. The tender corned beef, tangy sauerkraut, and nutty Swiss cheese fillings are wrapped in a soft rye roll dough, then baked. These wholesome homemade hot pockets are perfect for meals on the go.

“Runza” is another regional name for bierocks, which are usually filled with ground beef or venison, cooked with beer and shredded or chopped cabbage. These stuffed reuben rolls are a lot like that, but with a twist!

It’s my favorite way (other than a classic corned beef hash) to use up any leftover corned beef. Sometimes I’ll even make an extra corned beef (or venison) specifically to make these reuben runzas. You can also use thinly sliced deli corned beef to make these stuffed rolls, and skip the long simmering or pressure-cooking step.

Pair them with tangy thousand island dressing on the side to perfectly capture the flavor of a perfect juicy reuben sandwich!

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Reuben Runza Ingredients

Soft Rye Roll Dough:

You’ll need one batch of our soft deli rye roll dough to make these stuffed reuben buns. Mix the dough and give it a first rise, and have the other ingredients ready before shaping the stuffed runza buns.

Corned Beef:

I usually use leftover corned beef from a St. Patrick’s day meal or other boiled dinner. You can also use pre-cooked deli meat for even easier preparation.

Sauerkraut:

I use either fresh or canned homemade sauerkraut when I make these buns, but you can use store-bought kraut if you prefer or don’t have homemade kraut on hand.

If you want a milder sauerkraut flavor, you can rinse and drain your kraut in a colander, squeezing out any excess moisture. I like the tangy, vibrant flavor of full-flavor kraut, so I never do this, unless I have a batch of overly salty kraut.

Swiss Cheese:

You can use sliced or grated Swiss cheese, or substitute Emmenthal or Jarlsberg.

Thousand Island Dressing:

I like to serve this on the side, rather than trying to bake it into the rolls. I make my own with a mixture of mayonnaise, ketchup, pickle relish or chopped pickles, minced onion, lemon, and paprika. Sometimes I add a bit of garlic or horseradish for an even punchier dressing.

You can also use a good quality commercial thousand island dressing if you don’t have the time or ingredients to mix up your own fresh dressing.

Kitchen Equipment Needed

mixing bowl or stand mixer:

You’ll need a large mixing bowl or sturdy stand mixer to make the rye roll dough for these stuffed reuben buns. You can mix the dough by hand, but a mixer makes whipping these up a lot simpler.

sheet pans (baking sheets):

I use uncoated half-sheet sized baking sheets for most of my baking. You can also use your favorite cookie sheets.

silicone baking liner or parchment:

Using a silicone baking sheet liner or parchment is a game-changer for easy cleanup when you’re baking, without using pans with non-stick coatings that can flake or leach nasty stuff that you don’t want in your food.

bench & bowl scrapers:

These are optional, but make working with sticky rye dough easier. If you bake a lot, you should get one or both! You can use a spatula to scrape the bowl as you work, but the curved plastic of a bowl scraper makes this job even easier.

How to Make Reuben Runza Rolls

one: make runza dough

• Mix the soft rye roll dough.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tea towel, and set in a warm place to proof and rise until double (at least 30-40 minutes).
• Line the baking sheets with silicone baking sheets or parchment paper, or spray them well with baking spray or brush with butter.

two: prep fillings

• Thinly slice or chop the corned beef.
• Grate or thinly slice the swiss cheese.
• Rinse (optional) and drain or squeeze excess moisture from the sauerkraut.

three: divide dough

• Punch down the dough, and portion into small balls.
• Divide into 12 portions for large, meal-sized runza rolls, or 18-24 for smaller, snack sized rolls or appetizers.
• Cover the rest of the dough as you work so it doesn’t dry out.

four: fill and shape runza

• Working with lightly floured hands, pat one of the dough balls flat.
• Place a portion of the swiss cheese, on the dough, topped with a tablespoon or two of sauerkraut and some of the corned beef.
• Pinch and fold the edges of the roll to make a pocket, sealing the edges together.

five: proof rolls

• Place the filled rolls, pinched seam side-down, onto the baking sheet. Space them evenly out, allowing room for the rolls to rise.
• If you have 3″-4″ metal baking rings, you can use those to space out the dough, but they’re totally not necessary.
• Cover the rolls loosely with plastic wrap or a plastic half-sheet lid, and put the tray somewhere warm to rise.
• Let the rolls rise for 30-45 minutes, or until they have roughly doubled.

six: egg-wash and garnish

• Preheat your oven to 375℉.
• Brush the rolls with egg wash, cream, or water with a spoonful of molasses.
• You can leave them plain, or sprinkle them with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, or everything bagel seasoning.

seven: bake

• Place the rolls gently on the center rack, and bake about 20-25 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden brown and the fillings are warmed through.
• Adjust baking time if you made larger or smaller runza rolls (bake larger rolls longer, and smaller bite-sized rolls for less time).

Storage & Serving Ideas

I recommend serving these reuben rolls hot from the oven, or warming them up if you are making them ahead of time. However, they’re also really tasty at room temperature if you’re taking them along on a hike or for lunch somewhere without a kitchen.

Serve them plain, or pair with thousand island dressing as a dipping sauce.

Promptly refrigerate any leftovers, and enjoy them within 3-4 days. You can also wrap these well and freeze them for up to six months.

Liked this? Try these related recipes!

• How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut
• Homemade Herb & Cheese Oatcakes
• How to Make Lemon Oat Scones
• Baked Turkey Meatballs with Cranberries & Sage
• Lemon-Herb Roasted New Potatoes
• Zuppa Toscana – Sausage, Potato, Kale and White Bean Tuscan Soup
• Mushroom Barley Soup with Lentils
• Fasolada – Greek Lenten Bean Soup
• Fresh Feta, Spring Greens, & Radish Vegetarian Tea Sandwiches
• Hot Cross Buns (an Easter and springtime tradition)