Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

I’ve known sloppy joes my entire life. They were one of my mom’s tried and true, “I don’t know what’s for dinner, but here are two ingredients, one of which is a can of chicken gumbo soup” recipes that took about fifteen minutes to make.

In the spirit of simplicity but in search of a recipe with a little more character than my childhood recipe but not so much as to make it a project (aka cooked completely from scratch), these Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joe’s are a winner.

Part sloppy joe, part Philly Cheesesteak, these saucy, ground beef and diced onion and green pepper filled hamburger bun sandwiches topped with a slice of provolone and broiled until melty and the bun edges are toasty are the perfect week night meal and a regular around here. Perfect on a football Saturday!

These take about 20 minutes hands on cooking time, and make 6 sloppy Joe’s (or 8 if you’re ok with a less filled sandwich).

Why This Recipe Works

And now for my additions…

First up, corn starch! Corn starch whisked into some chicken broth will help thicken all of the juices so that you have more of a saucy consistency which clings to the meat. Trust me, I’m telling you, if you want to pile high with the meaty filling and not have it to drip down your wrist…thicken that sauce!!

Next up…Worcestershire sauce. Authentic cheesesteaks have thinly sliced, SEARED steak, and ground beef doesn’t quite brown in the same way and achieve that rich flavor that thinly sliced seared steak can.

So…Worcestershire to the rescue! I like to use two tablespoons for 1-1/2 pounds of ground beef. I find that it really lends some richness and beef (read: STEAK!) flavor.

Lastly, Taco Seasoning! Don’t run screaming quite yet…there’s only two teaspoons and it is just basically a combination of cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and chili powder. I find that even in small amounts it really rounds out the overall flavor of beef (it’s beefy seasonings after all!)

With the addition of a couple teaspoons, and WITHOUT the cilantro and lime (now THAT would make it taste like taco night!), I find that it just makes the whole sandwich taste…better.

The Ingredients, One at a Time

Ground beef

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef. I prefer 80/20 because it has the best flavor and the aroma of it browning in the pan is unbeatable. 90/10 works well as well.

Either way, you’ll be draining off the fat after browning. This is important with these sandwiches.

Yellow onion

One small yellow onion, diced, which is about a cup. Try to make sure they’re all pretty even, about 1/4″ in size.

The onions cook for only a short time before the meat goes in, so larger chunks will end up crunchy and tasting like raw onions in your finished sandwich.

Green bell pepper

One small green bell pepper, diced. Green is the traditional cheesesteak pepper, but you can use red or yellow if that’s what you have.

Dicing the pepper to the same size as the onion will allow them to cook at the same rate.

Ketchup

Two tablespoons. Do not replace it with tomato sauce. Ketchup is sweet, has a bit of vinegar, has seasonings.

Tomato sauce has none of those things. The filling would be bland without ketchup.

Worcestershire sauce

Two tablespoons. This is where most of the savory flavor comes from, so don’t skip it and don’t cut it back.

Taco seasoning

Two tsp. Store-bought or homemade. Like the Worcestershire, this isn’t optional.

This is what turns the beef into “sandwich beef” instead of just plain beef.

Cornstarch and low-sodium chicken broth

1 tsp. cornstarch + 1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth (use low sodium! There’s enough salt in the pan between the worcestershire sauce and the taco seasoning and regular broth will put you over the top)

Olive oil

Two teaspoons to soften the onion and pepper before the beef goes in.

Provolone cheese

6 to 8 slices. One slice per sandwich. I like the provolone on these sandwiches because it melts so easily and has a very mild flavor with a bit of sharpness to it, so it doesn’t overpower the seasoned beef.

You could also use white American cheese.

Hamburger buns

Between 6 and 8. Choose a bun that is still tender, but has a good chew to it, to support a generous helping of filling. Brioche buns are another great option.

How to Make Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

1. Whisk together the cornstarch and chicken broth in a small bowl, making a slurry. Set aside until ready to use.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender.
3. Stir the ground beef into the skillet; use a wooden spoon to break up meat as you stir. Cook until meat is browned and no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and pour off any excess fat from the skillet.
4. Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and taco seasoning; cook and stir for 1 minute to heat through and bloom spices.
5. Whisk slurry again and pour into skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 6 to 7 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven’s broiler. Open buns and place cut side up on a sheet pan.
7. Spoon meat onto the bottom half of buns; top meat with 1 slice of provolone cheese each.
8. Broil sandwiches until cheese is melty and buns are slightly toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Pay attention so cheese doesn’t burn!
9. Top with remaining halves of buns. Serve!

How Thick Should the Filling Be?

At this point the mixture will still look a little on the loose/slightly wet side. This will thicken up a tad when we add the slurry in next and lower the heat.

After cooking on reduced heat for 6-7 minutes (stirring from time to time so that the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan) the filling will thicken considerably. If it still looks a little on the soupy side give it a couple more minutes.

A good indication that it’s ready will be when you run a spoon through the mixture it will coat the back of the spoon instead of falling right back off. Remove the pan from heat.

This consistency will allow you to place a nice neat mound of sloppy joe goodness onto your bread (with a slice of provolone of course) that wont soak right through making your sloppy joe more on the…sloppy side!

Tips for the Best Sandwiches

To avoid lumps, make a slurry with the cornstarch by mixing it with cold broth and whisking well. Add to skillet. Adding cornstarch directly to a skillet results in some areas where it does not dissolve.

Sloppy Joes can be runny so be sure to drain the fat. This is super easy using either a colander or a slotted spoon. Too much fat will result in a soggy bun.

You can also lightly toast the buns first. It’s optional, but it is another precaution against soggy buns.

If your provolone happens to be folded or crinkled in the package, straighten it out as best you can to ensure that the entire slice melts and covers the meat when it melts.

Keep an eye on those sandwiches under the broiler. They can burn very quickly. You’re just broiling to get the cheese melty and bubbly and just barely brown in spots.

These sandwiches are best eaten hot, hot, hot from the oven. Left assembled on a plate, the bottom buns will absorb the sauce. Serve right away!

Picky Eater Version

Tip: I often saute the pepper and onion in another skillet. Then when making the sandwiches I stir them into the beef for the veggie lovers and leave them out for those that don’t care for them.

It’s an extra 5 min. and another pan to wash but everyone will eat their sandwiches. If everyone in your family will eat pepper and onion with the recipe, cook it all in one pan just as described.

Cook up this recipe however works best for your family.

What to Serve With It

These make a fun meal for a football game or other gathering since you can leave the filling on the stove and broil as many as people are ready to eat at the time.

Since beef sandwiches with cheese are pretty much a meal in and of itself (especially on a bun!) all you need is a simple side dish. Chips, coleslaw, a green salad, tater tots or french fries or even just some pickles. Something to complement the beef and cheese!

Ways to Change It Up

Variations: Feel free to get creative and make this recipe your own. In place of beef I think ground turkey or ground chicken would also be really good (perhaps adding about 1 tsp. beef bouillon when you brown the meat for added flavor, as poultry is pretty mild).

I like to use provolone cheese, but I’m sure white American would be just as melty and good. Instead of green pepper, you might prefer the more mellow flavor of a red or yellow sweet pepper.

You could use fancy schmancy brioche buns for a soft and slightly sweet addition for the right occasion.

If you don’t have a broiler, you could always put your cheese right on top of the meat mixture and cover the pan to melt (should only take about 1 minute). Then just spoon meat/cheese mixture into buns.

Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

NOTE: It’s OKAY to prepare the meat mixture ahead and refrigerate (covered tightly) UNTIL ready to make the sandwiches (you can make it the day ahead and save the broiling for just before serving so dinner is ready sooner!)

Leftovers: meat mixture can be refrigerated (separate from the buns) tightly covered up to 4 days, as actually the next day tastes better as the flavors meld.

To reheat, empty filling to skillet on medium-low heat UNTIL heated thru or microwave about 90 seconds, stirring once. Build and broil as above.

To Freeze: place cooled meat mixture in freezer safe container or bag and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw over night in refrigerator. Heat thru as directed above and serve as desired.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it good?

A cheesesteak is traditionally made with thinly sliced ribeye, but I’ve taken all the elements that make up a cheesesteak and added them to seasoned ground beef. You still get the provolone, sautéed peppers and onions and melt-in-your-mouth cheesesteak flavor!

What does Worcestershire sauce add to the recipe?

Depth! Worcestershire is one of those things that reminds you of seared steak, so it compliments the idea of cheesesteaks. It will be the most noticeable flavor.

Will it taste like tacos?

Nope, because we’re leaving out the cilantro and lime. I use 2 tsp taco seasoning because it is savory and balances the recipe perfectly.

Can you leave out the Worcestershire sauce/taco seasoning?

You can, but I wouldn’t. Those are the sources of most of the savory flavors and it will be pretty flat without one/both.

Can I make this with ground turkey?

You can. It will be less flavorful, so you might want to add a beef bouillon (maybe even 1 tsp of it) as you’re browning the turkey.

Why do you whisk the cornstarch and chicken broth together?

Cornstarch will lump when added to a hot liquid. Cornstarch always needs to be added to a cold liquid first. Once you pour the cornstarch/chicken broth combo into the skillet, it’ll heat right back up again.

I don’t want to use my broiler to melt the cheese. What should I do?

You can always pile the provolone cheese on top of the beef in the skillet, cover and allow the cheese to melt for about another minute.

How will I keep them from getting soggy?

Drain as much of the fat from the ground beef as possible, toast the buns and serve immediately after putting the sandwiches together.

How many does this make?

6 sloppy joes (or possibly 8 if you don’t pile on as much of the mixture).

Can I make ahead?

You can cook the mixture ahead of time, allow to cool then store in the refrigerator (up to 4 days) until ready to use. When ready to serve, re-heat, put the sloppy joes together and broil before serving.

What size skillet do I need?

You’ll need a large (nonstick) skillet for this recipe in order to brown the veggies and a pound and 1/2 of ground beef.