Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese is the ultimate comfort food mashup — juicy, saucy meat + melty cheese + crispy, buttery bread. It’s fast, family-friendly, and absolutely crave-worthy.
🥪 Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese Recipe
🍽️ Serves: 4
⏱️ Time: 25 minutes
📝 Ingredients:
For the Sloppy Joe filling:
- 1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional for depth)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- ½ tsp chili powder (optional)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
For the sandwiches:
- 8 slices of sandwich bread (sourdough or Texas toast works great)
- 8 slices of cheddar or American cheese
- 2–3 tbsp butter (softened)
👩🍳 Instructions:
1. Make the Sloppy Joe filling:
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef and onion until browned (5–7 minutes).
- Drain excess fat.
- Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- Stir in ketchup, tomato paste, mustard, brown sugar, and chili powder. Simmer for 5–8 minutes until thick.
- Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
2. Assemble the sandwiches:
- Butter one side of each bread slice.
- On the unbuttered side of 4 slices, place a slice of cheese, a generous scoop of the sloppy joe mixture, then another slice of cheese. Top with another slice of bread (buttered side out).
3. Grill to golden perfection:
- Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-low.
- Cook sandwiches 3–4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until bread is golden and cheese is melty.
4. Serve hot!
- Slice in half and serve with pickles, chips, or a side salad.
🔁 Variations:
- Spicy: Add diced jalapeños or pepper jack cheese
- BBQ-style: Swap ketchup for BBQ sauce
- Mini version: Use slider buns and cook like paninis