Step away from the canned stuff and make my homemade sloppy joes with cheese! This easy dinner recipe is loaded with seasoned ground beef, sautéed onions and peppers, and a zesty sauce that’s packed with flavor. And the best part? We’re serving it with a slice of melty cheese! This easy one-pot meal is ready on the stovetop in 30 minutes and will have everyone begging for seconds.
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Looking for what to serve with sloppy joes? You'll find a delicious variety of sides for sandwiches in our recipe roundup of the best. If you're a fan of cheesy sloppy joes, you'll love my classic beef burger recipe and stuffed pepper soup for your next weeknight dinner with ground beef.
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About Cheesy Sloppy Joes
Growing up, sloppy joes were a staple on the school lunch menu, and honestly, I loved them—messy, saucy, and loaded onto a soft bun.
Naturally, one day and begged my mom to make sloppy joes at home. Instead of reaching for a can, she whipped up her own homemade version complete with a slice of melted cheddar cheese on top. That cheesy twist made all the difference and quickly became a family favorite.
Now, when I’m craving those nostalgic childhood flavors, I turn to this homemade sloppy joes recipe. The best part? It’s a one-pot meal, much like my sausage and potatoes skillet, which means fewer dishes to wash and more time to enjoy the deliciousness!
Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Ground beef: I suggest using 80/20 ground beef for juicier and more flavorful sloppy joes. You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey for variations.
- Veggies: I use onions and bell peppers, but feel free to sneak in extra veggies like mushrooms. I prefer the taste of red bell peppers in this recipe, but any color will work well.
- Tomato sauce: I make sloppy joes without ketchup and use tomato sauce.
- Brown sugar: Adds sweetness and balances the acidity of the tomato sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce: No matter how you pronounce it, this ingredient adds depth to the sauce, as well as a hint of tanginess.
- Red wine vinegar: Provides acidity and brightness to the sauce by cutting through the richness of the meat and other ingredients.
- Beef stock: Enhances the beefy flavor of the dish, adding richness and depth to the sauce. It also provides moisture and helps create a velvety texture. You can use chicken stock in a pinch.
How to Make Sloppy Joes with Cheese
I love how I can make the best sloppy joes with simple ingredients and pantry staples. Below you will find step by step instructions on how to make this recipe.
Step 1: In a large skillet, sauté onions and peppers until softened. Add garlic and sauté an additional 1 minute.
Step 2: Add ground beef and seasonings. Cook on medium high heat to brown the meat.
Step 4: Make the sloppy joe sauce by adding tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, mustard, and stock to the skillet. Bring mixture to a boil then simmer on low heat until the consistency of the sauce has thickened up.
Step 5: While the sauce is thickening toast the hamburger buns. Once the sauce has thickened, make sloppy joe sandwiches by adding a scoop of the mixture to a hamburger bun and topping with a slice of cheese.
Expert Tips
If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes to reduce and thicken it to your desired consistency.
The cheese will naturally melt onto the warm sloppy joe sauce, but if you’re in a hurry, you can pop the sandwich under the broiler for a quick melt. Alternatively, stir shredded cheese directly into the warm sauce for a rich, creamy texture that coats every bite.
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If you try this recipe or any recipe from Happy Honey Kitchen, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Enjoy!
Sloppy Joes with Cheese
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I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 15 ounce tomato sauce
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- ¼ cup beef stock
- 4 hamburger buns toasted
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions and peppers until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet along with the seasonings. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, mustard, and beef stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
- While the sauce is simmering, toast the hamburger buns in the oven or in a separate skillet until golden brown.
- Once the sauce is thickened, scoop a generous portion of the sloppy joe mixture onto the bottom half of each hamburger bun. Top with a slice of cheese, allowing it to melt slightly before adding the top bun. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: Allow leftover sloppy joes to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When reheating, warm in a saucepan with a splash of broth over medium heat or in the microwave until heated through.
- Freezing: Cool completely before portioning into freezer-safe containers. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat them in a saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave until heated through.
- If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken it to your desired consistency.
- Lightly toast the buns before topping with the sloppy joes sauce to add a delicious crunch and prevent them from becoming soggy.
- The cheese should melt easily onto the warm sloppy joe sauce, but you can broil the sandwich in the oven to melt the cheese quicker. Alternatively, you can also stir shredded cheese directly into the sauce while it’s still warm to create a rich, creamy texture that coats every bite.
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Janie | Naughty Kitchen
I love making this sandwich. I actually used plantbased ground meat for mine and tasted so good. Love using Texas toast!
Lyssa
Oh yum! I'd never thought of using Texas toast. I can't wait to try this.
Rebecca
I can't lie, I used to be a manwich type of gal but this recipe has me rethinking my ways! I will be adding this into my recipe book ASAP! Thank you for sharing!
Elaine
This looks so delicious, I want to go buy all the ingredients right now. Thanks for sharing and I plan to try this recipe soon!