featured 4105

Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese Recipe

The only thing better than a good old Sloppy Joe is a Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese – and they couldn’t be easier to make!

I’m Chris Collins and I love cheese in my Sloppy Joes. If you do too, this Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese recipe will be right up your street. Below you’ll find clear ingredient notes, step-by-step instructions, helpful tips for choosing bread and cheese, and useful serving and make-ahead advice so your sandwiches turn out perfect every time.

4 sloppy joe grilled cheese halves stacked on each other on wooden board

Sloppy Joe Ingredients

If you haven’t tried a sloppy joe before, expect a rich, savory beef mixture with sweet and tangy tomato notes. A few ingredient notes to help you shop and prepare:

  • Tomato Paste is known as Tomato Puree in some regions.
  • Passata is strained pureed tomatoes; in the US you can substitute tomato sauce where needed.
  • Pepper refers to a regular bell pepper (capsicum).
  • Mustard is classic yellow mustard for this recipe.
  • Ground/Minced Beef — choose low-fat (around 5%) to avoid a greasy sandwich.

sloppy joes ingredients with text labels

Sloppy Joe Mix

The Sloppy Joe mix is essentially a thick meat sauce. For grilled cheese sandwiches the texture must be thick rather than runny, otherwise the filling will leak and make the bread soggy while frying. Simmer the mix until it reduces and becomes rich and thick — this concentrates flavor, tenderizes the meat, and prevents the filling from turning your sandwich into a mess.

Fry the onion and pepper in butter until soft, add garlic, then brown the beef. Stir in tomato paste to deepen the flavor, then add passata, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt and pepper and a splash of water. Simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is very thick. Allow it to cool slightly before assembling the sandwiches so it won’t steam-soften the bread.

6 step by step photos showing how to make sloppy joe mix

Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese

What bread to use?

Use something sturdy that will hold the filling. Thick slices of a white bloomer or a robust country loaf work really well. Avoid very soft sandwich bread as it won’t hold the sloppy joe mixture when grilling.

What cheese to use?

Cheddar and mozzarella make a great melty combination. American cheese (that familiar processed meltable slice) works perfectly too and gives a classic diner-style result. Monterey Jack is another excellent option. Use enough to create both a cheese layer under the meat and a layer on top so the filling is embraced by melted cheese.

Cooling the filling

Let the sloppy joe mix cool for a few minutes after cooking until it stops steaming. If it’s too hot it will steam the bread and make the sandwich soft rather than crisp. A slightly warm but not hot filling is best for assembly and grilling.

6 step by step photos showing how to make sloppy joe grilled cheese

Serving Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese

Can I make these ahead of time?

You can prepare the Sloppy Joe mix ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for 3–5 days or freeze for up to a month. Cool it completely before storing. Reheat gently or bring to room temperature before assembling into sandwiches. I don’t recommend fully assembling and grilling the sandwiches far in advance — they are best eaten fresh to keep the bread crisp and the cheese melty.

These sandwiches make a hearty lunch or an indulgent dinner. Pair them with spicy potato wedges, potato salad, coleslaw, or nachos for a fuller meal.

close up shot of hand lifting half of sloppy joe grilled cheese showing cheesy filling

How to make Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese (Full Recipe)

Equipment

  • Large pan and wooden spoon
  • Sharp knife and chopping board
  • Spatula/turner
  • Medium-sized bowl (optional)

Ingredients

Sloppy Joe Mix

  • 1 lb / 500 g Ground Beef (preferably 5% / low fat)
  • 1 cup / 250 g Tomato Passata (Tomato Sauce in US)
  • 1/2 cup / 120 ml Ketchup
  • 1 medium Onion, finely diced
  • 1 small Green Pepper, finely diced (Bell Pepper/Capsicum)
  • 2 fat cloves Garlic, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp each: Worcestershire Sauce, Brown Sugar, Butter, Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste)
  • 2 tsp Yellow Mustard
  • 1/2 tsp Salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste

Grilled Cheese

  • 10 fairly thick/large slices Bread (see notes)
  • 15 square slices of Cheese (or your preferred cheese, see notes)

Instructions

  1. In a large pan over medium heat melt 1 tbsp butter, then add the onion and green pepper. Fry until soft and just starting to lightly brown, then add the garlic and fry another 1–2 minutes. Add a little oil or extra butter if the pan dries out.
  2. Add the beef and break it up with a spoon. Fry until browned all over, then stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and fry for a couple more minutes to deepen the flavor.
  3. Pour in the passata and ketchup. Stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt and pepper and about 1/4 cup (60 ml) water. Lower to a gentle simmer for 20–25 minutes or until very thick, stirring occasionally.
  4. Transfer the thickened sloppy joe mix to a bowl and clean the pan for grilling, or use a second pan. Allow the mix to cool slightly until it stops steaming.
  5. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place half the slices butter-side-down in the pan (heat off). Add 1.5 slices of cheese to each base slice (or enough to cover), top with sloppy joe mix, then add more cheese and finish with the top slice of bread butter-side-up.
  6. Turn the heat to medium and fry the sandwiches in batches, flipping once, until both sides are golden and crispy and the cheese inside is melted.

Notes

a) Bread – Choose a sturdy loaf to contain the sloppy filling. Thick slices of white bloomer or a country loaf work well. Avoid very soft sandwich bread.

b) Cheese – Use any meltable cheese you like. Cheddar + mozzarella, American cheese slices, or Monterey Jack all give great results.

c) Servings – This recipe yields about 4 very large sandwiches or 5 medium-large sandwiches depending on bread size. Three cheese slices per sandwich (1.5 under the meat, 1.5 on top) works well.

d) Make-ahead – The Sloppy Joe mix stores refrigerated for 3–5 days or frozen for up to a month. Reheat gently before assembling, or bring to room temperature.

e) Calories & Nutrition – Nutrition values below are estimates based on the ingredients and portioning used. Adjustments in cheese, bread, or beef fat will change results.

Nutrition (per serving estimate)

  • Calories: 528 kcal
  • Fat: 21.14 g (Saturated Fat 11.4 g)
  • Cholesterol: 92 mg
  • Sodium: 1856 mg
  • Carbohydrates: 49.8 g (Fiber 3.4 g, Sugar 17.9 g)
  • Protein: 36.2 g
  • Vitamin A: 1311 IU, Vitamin C: 26.5 mg, Calcium: 459 mg, Iron: 5.57 mg

More American-style grilled cheese ideas to try:

American Inspired Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

  • Cheeseburger Grilled Cheese
  • Pickle Grilled Cheese
  • Mac and Cheese Grilled Cheese
  • Chili Cheese Dog Grilled Cheese

If you loved this Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese recipe, pin a note to try it again and leave a comment with any questions or tweaks you tried!