French Onion Sloppy Joes are lean ground beef simmered in a can of condensed French onion soup with beef broth, Worcestershire, a little ketchup and thyme, then thickened with flour so the filling stays on the bun. Pile it onto brioche buns under a slice of melty provolone. Everything cooks in one skillet in 40 minutes and makes 6 sandwiches.
How to make them: Brown the beef in butter to 160°F and drain it. Stir in garlic powder, then flour, and cook for a minute. Add the soup, broth, Worcestershire, ketchup and seasonings, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes until thick and glossy. Spoon it onto buns with a slotted spoon and top with provolone.
Why You’ll Love Them
- French onion flavor, no slicing: the canned soup brings the onion and beefy broth.
- One skillet: ready in about 40 minutes.
- Not soupy: a little flour gives a thick, glossy filling that stays put.
- Melty provolone: the cheese softens right on top of the hot filling.
Ingredient Notes
Lean ground beef: 1 pound of 93/7 means less grease to drain.
Condensed French onion soup: one 10.5-ounce can, undiluted. It’s where the onion flavor comes from.
Beef broth: 1/3 cup, plus a splash more if the filling gets too thick. Beef stock, bone broth or low-sodium broth all work.
All-purpose flour: 2 tablespoons, cooked on the beef, to thicken the sauce so it clings to the meat.
Seasonings: 1 tablespoon butter for browning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons ketchup, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Buns and cheese: 6 brioche buns (any hamburger bun works) and 6 slices of provolone. Gruyere, mozzarella, muenster or Swiss are good swaps.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound lean ground beef (93/7)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 can condensed French onion soup (10.5 ounces)
- 1/3 cup beef broth (beef stock, beef bone broth or low-sodium broth also work)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 brioche buns (any hamburger bun works; toast them if you like)
- 6 slices provolone cheese (gruyere, mozzarella, muenster or Swiss also work)
How to Make French Onion Sloppy Joes
1. Brown the beef. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling it, until no pink remains, the meat is lightly browned and a food thermometer reads 160°F. Drain any excess grease from the skillet.
2. Add the garlic powder. Sprinkle the garlic powder over the beef, stir well and cook for 30 seconds, until it is evenly distributed and fragrant.
3. Cook in the flour. Sprinkle the flour over the beef while stirring constantly, so the meat is evenly coated. Cook and stir for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
4. Add the soup and seasonings. Add the French onion soup, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, onion powder, dried thyme, kosher salt and black pepper. Stir until smooth and fully combined.
5. Simmer. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is glossy, saucy and thick enough to mound slightly on the back of a spoon. If it gets too thick, stir in a splash of beef broth.
6. Build the sandwiches. Use a slotted spoon to put the filling on the bottom half of each bun. Lay a slice of provolone on top, add the top bun and let the cheese melt slightly. Serve warm.
Where the French Onion Flavor Comes From
The can of condensed French onion soup does the heavy lifting: it brings the onion and beefy broth without slicing and slowly cooking a pile of onions. Beef broth, Worcestershire and thyme round it out, and a spoonful of ketchup adds just a touch of sweetness.
Want more onion?
- Sauté a sliced onion with the beef before you add the seasonings.
- Top with caramelized onions. Cook 4 thinly sliced sweet onions in butter and a little oil with a bundle of fresh thyme over medium heat, stirring now and then, about 25 to 30 minutes, until deep golden and reduced. Remove the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Sweet onions turn mild and sweet; yellow onions give a stronger onion flavor. The onions keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Tips for a Filling That Stays on the Bun
- Cook the flour. Stir it into the browned beef and give it a full minute before the liquid goes in, so it thickens without tasting raw.
- Simmer until it mounds. It’s ready when it’s glossy and holds a small mound on the back of a spoon.
- Too thick? Loosen it with a splash of beef broth.
- Use a slotted spoon. Extra sauce stays in the pan instead of soaking the bun.
- Toast the buns. Butter the cut sides and broil them on a baking sheet for 1 to 2 minutes until golden. For extra-melty cheese, lay the provolone on the bottom buns and broil another 30 to 60 seconds.
Variations
- Bigger batch: use 2 pounds of beef with 1/4 cup flour, one can of soup, 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire and 1 cup water, and simmer about 8 minutes. It makes heartier sandwiches for 6 to 8.
- Onion soup mix, slow cooker: brown 2 pounds of beef with a sliced onion, then cook on low 3 to 4 hours with 1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal, 1 1/3 cups beef broth, 1 envelope beefy onion soup mix, Worcestershire, garlic powder and pepper. Melt provolone on top for the last 5 minutes.
- Ground turkey or chicken: cook it to 165°F instead of 160°F.
- Stretch it: add sliced mushrooms with the beef.
- Sliders: spoon the filling onto sweet rolls with Swiss and mozzarella, top with crispy fried onions, brush the roll tops with garlic-onion butter and bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Swaps: about 3 cloves fresh garlic for the garlic powder, 2 tablespoons dried minced onion for the onion powder, or Italian seasoning for the thyme.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Store the filling without the buns. Refrigerate it within 2 hours in shallow covered containers; it keeps 3 to 4 days. Build the sandwiches when you serve them.
Make ahead: Make the filling, chill it, and reheat it right before serving.
Freezer: Cool the filling and freeze it in a freezer container or bag for 3 to 4 months. Don’t freeze made sandwiches; the buns get soggy. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Reheat covered in a skillet or the microwave with a splash of water or broth until it reaches 165°F, then add the cheese. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker. To keep it warm for a crowd, heat it to 165°F first, then hold it at 140°F or warmer in a preheated slow cooker.
What to Serve With Them
Serve them with potato chips, tater tots, raw veggies and dip, or a cold pasta salad. For a warm side, try easy creamy corn casserole. The filling is also good over rice or a baked potato.
More sloppy joes: Philly cheese steak sloppy joes with provolone and peppers, slow cooker Amish beef sloppy joes, or a sloppy joe cornbread casserole. For another French onion beef dinner, make French onion meatloaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ingredients in French onion sloppy joes?
Ground beef, condensed French onion soup, beef broth, flour, Worcestershire, ketchup, garlic and onion powder, thyme, provolone and buns.
Can I use onion soup mix instead of canned French onion soup?
Yes, in the slow cooker version: an envelope of beefy onion soup mix with beef broth and quick oats for 2 pounds of beef.
How do I keep the buns from getting soggy?
Toast the buns and use a slotted spoon for the filling.
Can I freeze French onion sloppy joes?
Freeze the filling only, for 3 to 4 months, and build fresh sandwiches after reheating.
What cheese goes on them?
Provolone, or gruyere, mozzarella, muenster or Swiss.
Final Notes
Brown the beef, cook in the flour, simmer until it mounds, and melt the provolone on top. If you try them with caramelized onions, tell me in the comments how they turned out.
French Onion Sloppy Joes
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound lean ground beef 93/7
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 can condensed French onion soup 10.5 ounces
- 1/3 cup beef broth beef stock, beef bone broth or low-sodium broth also work
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 brioche buns any hamburger bun works; toast them if you like
- 6 slices provolone cheese gruyere, mozzarella, muenster or Swiss also work
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling it, until no pink remains, the meat is lightly browned and a food thermometer reads 160°F. Drain any excess grease from the skillet.
- Sprinkle the garlic powder over the beef, stir well and cook for 30 seconds, until it is evenly distributed and fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the beef while stirring constantly, so the meat is evenly coated. Cook and stir for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add the French onion soup, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, onion powder, dried thyme, kosher salt and black pepper. Stir until smooth and fully combined.
- Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is glossy, saucy and thick enough to mound slightly on the back of a spoon. If it gets too thick, stir in a splash of beef broth.
- Use a slotted spoon to put the filling on the bottom half of each bun. Lay a slice of provolone on top, add the top bun and let the cheese melt slightly. Serve warm.
