The Essential Nebraska Recipes You Need To Try
Nebraska’s kitchen tells stories of immigrant traditions, cattle ranches, and cafeteria memories that still make grown-ups smile.
From hand pies born in Eastern Europe to deep-fried cheese triangles that conquered fast-food menus, the Cornhusker State serves up comfort with every bite.
Whether you’re craving a juicy steak or a sweet roll packed with fruit, these ten recipes capture the heart and soul of Nebraska’s food culture.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for general cooking inspiration and highlights traditional Nebraska foods and home-style recipes.
10. Runza (Nebraska Beef & Cabbage Hand Pie)
Picture a pillowy bread pocket bursting with seasoned ground beef, tender cabbage, and sweet onions, all baked until golden.
Runzas trace their roots to Volga German immigrants who brought bierock recipes to the Great Plains in the 1800s.
Though the Runza restaurant chain made them famous statewide, home cooks still roll out dough and tuck in fillings for family dinners.
Recipe: Mix 1 lb ground beef, 2 cups shredded cabbage, 1 diced onion, salt, and pepper in a skillet until cooked.
Roll thawed frozen bread dough into rectangles, spoon filling onto each, fold edges, seal, and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until golden brown.
9. Reuben Sandwich (Omaha-Claimed Deli Classic)
Legend whispers that Omaha’s Blackstone Hotel gave birth to this towering masterpiece of corned beef, tangy kraut, and melted Swiss.
However it began, the Reuben became a Nebraska badge of honor, griddled crispy on rye and slathered with Thousand Island or Russian dressing.
Every bite delivers salty, creamy, and sour notes in perfect harmony.
Recipe: Butter 2 slices rye bread.
Layer 4 oz corned beef, 2 slices Swiss, ¼ cup drained sauerkraut, and 2 tbsp dressing on one slice.
Top with second slice, grill in a skillet over medium heat, flipping once, until cheese melts and bread turns golden.
8. Cheese Frenchee (Deep-Fried Nebraska Grilled Cheese)
If grilled cheese went to a carnival and came back wearing a crunchy golden jacket, you’d have the Cheese Frenchee.
King’s Food Host launched this indulgent creation decades ago, spreading mayo inside two slices of bread, adding cheese, sealing the edges, dipping in egg and crumbs, then plunging it into hot oil.
Nostalgia meets crunch in every bite.
Recipe: Spread mayo on 2 bread slices, place 2 cheese slices between them, press edges with a fork to seal.
Dip in beaten egg, coat with breadcrumbs, and deep-fry at 350°F for 2–3 minutes per side until golden.
Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
7. Kolaches (Czech-Nebraska Sweet Rolls)
Czech settlers carried kolache recipes across the ocean, planting them in Nebraska kitchens where they bloomed at church bazaars and town festivals.
These tender, slightly sweet rolls cradle pockets of apricot, prune, poppy seed, or cherry filling.
Biting into one feels like a warm hug from grandma’s kitchen.
Recipe: Prepare sweet yeast dough (flour, milk, sugar, butter, yeast, egg), let rise until doubled.
Punch down, roll into balls, place on a baking sheet, press centers to form wells.
Fill each with fruit preserves or poppy seed paste, let rise again, bake at 375°F for 12–15 minutes until lightly golden.
6. Chili With Cinnamon Rolls (School-Cafeteria Combo)
Wait, chili and cinnamon rolls together?
Yep, Nebraska school cafeterias made this sweet-and-savory pairing a lunchtime legend that graduates still crave decades later.
Rich, spiced chili meets fluffy, frosted rolls in a combo that shouldn’t work but absolutely does.
Recipe: Brown 1 lb ground beef with diced onion, add 1 can kidney beans, 1 can diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, salt, and simmer 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, roll canned biscuit dough with cinnamon-sugar, bake at 375°F for 12 minutes, then drizzle with cream-cheese frosting.
Serve chili in bowls alongside warm rolls.
5. Kool-Aid Drinks (Hastings-Born Pantry Staple)
Edwin Perkins stirred up magic in Hastings back in the 1920s when he turned liquid Fruit Smack into powdered Kool-Aid, changing American childhoods forever.
Though it’s not a recipe in the traditional sense, Nebraskans mix it into punches, popsicles, and even pie fillings.
Just saying, Cherry and Tropical Punch remain undefeated champions.
Recipe: Empty 1 Kool-Aid packet into a pitcher, add 1 cup sugar (or to taste), stir in 2 quarts cold water until dissolved.
Chill, pour over ice, and serve.
For freezer pops, pour into molds and freeze overnight.
For punch, add lemon-lime soda and fruit slices before serving.
4. Omaha Steak Dinner (Nebraska Beef Centerpiece)
Nebraska’s sprawling ranches and feedlots produce some of the nation’s finest beef, and Omaha Steaks turned that into a mail-order empire.
Grilling or pan-searing a thick ribeye or filet mignon at home honors generations of cattle ranchers who built the state’s reputation.
Season simply, cook to perfection, and let the beef shine.
Recipe: Bring 2 steaks (ribeye or filet) to room temperature, season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat a cast-iron skillet or grill to high heat, sear steaks 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare.
Let rest 5 minutes, top with butter, and serve with roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes.
3. Buttered Sweet Corn On The Cob
When summer heat rolls across Nebraska’s cornfields, nothing beats biting into a cob of sweet corn slicked with butter and dusted with salt.
Though corn grows coast to coast, Nebraska’s agricultural pride makes this simple side dish a backyard-cookout staple.
Boil it, grill it, or roast it, just don’t skip the butter.
Recipe: Husk 6 ears of corn, removing silk.
Boil in salted water for 5–7 minutes until kernels are tender, or grill over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes.
Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve immediately while steaming hot.
2. Raisin Pie (Funeral Pie Style)
Nicknamed funeral pie because it showed up at Midwestern gatherings where shelf-stable ingredients mattered, raisin pie remains a Nebraska potluck classic.
Plump raisins simmer into a sweet, spiced filling tucked between flaky crusts.
Though it sounds humble, one forkful proves why it’s stuck around for generations.
Recipe: Simmer 2 cups raisins, 1 cup water, ½ cup sugar, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp lemon juice, and ½ tsp cinnamon until thickened.
Pour into a prepared pie crust, top with second crust or lattice, seal edges, bake at 375°F for 35–40 minutes until golden.
Cool before slicing.
1. Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
Pounded thin, breaded thick, and fried until it spills over the bun like a delicious Frisbee, the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich rules Nebraska diner menus.
Though Iowa claims it too, Cornhusker cooks have perfected the crispy, juicy ratio.
Top it with pickles, onions, mustard, and maybe a little mayo if you’re feeling fancy.
Recipe: Pound 1 pork tenderloin flat, season with salt and pepper.
Dredge in flour, dip in beaten egg, coat with seasoned breadcrumbs.
Fry in hot oil 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
Serve on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and your favorite condiments.
