Description
A quick and hearty recipe for Cheesy Sloppy Joes featuring ground beef simmered in a flavorful tomato-based sauce mixed with melted cheddar cheese, served on toasted hamburger buns. Perfect for a family-friendly, comforting meal ready in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
Sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Cheese and Assembly
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or a mix of cheddar and mozzarella)
- 4 hamburger buns, toasted
- Optional garnishes: pickles, fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook the Ground Beef: In a large skillet, heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain any excess fat if necessary to reduce greasiness.
- Add the Vegetables: Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the beef. Cook everything together for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent, releasing its sweetness.
- Make the Sloppy Joe Sauce: Stir in the ketchup, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and let the sauce simmer gently for about 5 minutes, allowing it to thicken and for the flavors to meld.
- Add the Cheese: Stir the shredded cheddar cheese (or cheese blend) into the meat sauce mixture. Continue stirring until the cheese fully melts, creating a creamy, cheesy texture that binds the sloppy joe filling together.
- Assemble the Sloppy Joes: Spoon the cheesy beef mixture evenly onto the bottom halves of the toasted hamburger buns. Place the top halves of the buns over the filling to complete the sandwiches.
- Serve: Serve the cheesy sloppy joes hot. Garnish with pickles or fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy with a side of fries, chips, or a simple green salad for a full meal.
Notes
- For a leaner version, use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef.
- Adjust the amount of brown sugar based on your preferred sweetness level.
- Toasting the buns adds extra texture and helps prevent sogginess from the sauce.
- Mixing different cheeses like mozzarella with cheddar creates a gooey, stretchy texture.
- This recipe can be doubled easily for larger gatherings.
