Philly cheesesteak sloppy joes combine two classic sandwiches: crusty, well-browned ground beef with caramelized onion, green pepper and mushrooms in a savory Worcestershire and beef broth sauce, with melted provolone folded right in, piled onto toasted brioche buns. They’re ready in 30 minutes and make 6 sandwiches.
How to make them: Brown the beef hard in a cast iron skillet until it reaches 160°F, then set it aside. Sauté the onion, pepper and mushrooms in butter until caramelized. Return the beef, add ketchup, Worcestershire, salt and pepper, and thicken with beef broth mixed with cornstarch. Off the heat, fold in chopped provolone and spoon onto toasted buns.
Why You’ll Love Them
- Cheesesteak flavor, sloppy joe ease: no thin-slicing steak.
- 30 minutes: one skillet for the filling.
- Cheesy filling: provolone melts into the beef so every bite is gooey.
- Kid-friendly: less sweet than classic sloppy joes, but just as fun.
What Is a Philly Sloppy Joe?
It’s a mashup: the loose ground beef filling of a sloppy joe, seasoned like a Philly cheesesteak. Instead of the sweet tomato sauce of a classic sloppy joe, the beef simmers in a savory broth and Worcestershire sauce with the cheesesteak’s sautéed onions, peppers and mushrooms, then gets melted provolone, the classic cheesesteak cheese.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: 1 pound lean beef. Letting it sit undisturbed in a hot pan builds a deep brown crust.
Vegetables: 1 small onion, 1 small green bell pepper and 8 ounces of minced brown mushrooms, sautéed in 2 tablespoons of butter.
Sauce: 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 cup beef broth and 1 tablespoon cornstarch to thicken, plus salt and pepper.
Provolone: 8 ounces, chopped and folded in off the heat.
Buns: 6 brioche hamburger buns, buttered and toasted.
More recipes you might like
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced
- 8 oz brown mushrooms, minced
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup beef broth
- 8 oz Provolone cheese, sliced and chopped
- 6 brioche hamburger buns, toasted
How to Make Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
1. Brown the beef. In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef undisturbed until a deep brown crust forms. Break apart and continue cooking until fully browned and 160°F.
2. Sauté the vegetables. Remove the beef from the skillet, leaving the fat. Add butter, then onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Sauté without stirring for 1-2 minutes, then stir and cook until caramelized.
3. Make the sauce. Return the beef to the skillet. Add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. In a small cup, mix beef broth and cornstarch; add to skillet and stir until sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Melt in the cheese. Turn off the heat and fold in the chopped Provolone cheese, stirring until melted and creamy.
5. Toast the buns. Toast the brioche buns under a broiler or in a toaster oven. For added flavor, butter the insides of the buns before toasting.
6. Serve. Spoon the beef mixture generously onto the toasted buns. Serve warm and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
- Don’t stir the beef too soon. Leaving it alone in a hot cast iron pan gives you the browned, steak-like flavor.
- Caramelize the vegetables. Let them sit before stirring so they brown, not steam.
- Mince the mushrooms. Finely chopped, they blend into the beef and add savory depth.
- Add cheese off the heat. Provolone melts smoothly without turning greasy.
- Toast the buns. A buttered, toasted bun holds up to the saucy filling.
Why Cast Iron?
A cast iron skillet holds a lot of heat, so the ground beef sears instead of steaming and forms the dark, crispy bits that make it taste like griddled cheesesteak meat. Any heavy skillet works, but avoid crowding it; if your pan is small, brown the beef in two batches. The browned bits left in the pan flavor the vegetables and the sauce.
Which Cheese Is Best?
Provolone is the classic Philly cheesesteak cheese and melts into a creamy, mild filling. White American cheese is the other traditional choice and melts even smoother. For a bolder bite, use sharp white cheddar, or stir in a little cream cheese for an extra creamy filling.
Variations
- Spicy: add red pepper flakes or jalapeños to the vegetables.
- Cream cheese: stir in a few ounces with the provolone for a creamier filling.
- Shaved steak: use thin-sliced steak instead of ground beef.
- Hoagie rolls: serve it on toasted hoagie rolls for a true cheesesteak feel.
- Lettuce wraps: skip the buns for a lighter meal.
Another sloppy joe dinner to try is Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole, ready in about 30 minutes.
Another sloppy joe to try is Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes, made with ground turkey and vegetables in about 25 minutes.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftover filling within 2 hours and eat it within 3 to 4 days. Reheat on the stove with a splash of broth until hot, to 165°F, and toast fresh buns.
What to Serve With Them
Serve them with fries, potato chips, coleslaw or a green salad.
More cheesesteak and beef dinners: Philly cheese steak casserole, cheese steak tacos with buffalo fries, slow cooker pepper steak, slow cooker steak soup, easy cowboy casserole and French onion meatloaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Philly sloppy joe?
A sloppy joe made with cheesesteak flavors: ground beef, onions, peppers, mushrooms and melted provolone.
Which cheese is best for sloppy joes?
Provolone for the cheesesteak version; white American or cheddar also work.
What is the difference between sloppy joes and sloppy janes?
Sloppy janes usually use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef.
Can I make them ahead?
Yes. Make the filling ahead and reheat it gently; add the cheese when reheating if you like.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Final Notes
Brown the beef hard, caramelize the vegetables and fold in the provolone off the heat. If you try them on hoagie rolls or with jalapeños, tell me in the comments how they turned out.
Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
Want This Recipe Later?
We'll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef for filling
- 2 tbsp butter for sautéing
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 small green bell pepper diced
- 8 oz brown mushrooms minced
- 2 tbsp ketchup for sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce for sauce
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp cornstarch for thickening
- 1 cup beef broth for sauce
- 8 oz Provolone cheese sliced, chopped
- 6 brioche hamburger buns toasted
Instructions
- In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef undisturbed until a deep brown crust forms. Break apart and continue cooking until fully browned and 160°F.
- Remove the beef from the skillet, leaving the fat. Add butter, then onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Sauté without stirring for 1-2 minutes, then stir and cook until caramelized.
- Return the beef to the skillet. Add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. In a small cup, mix beef broth and cornstarch; add to skillet and stir until sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and fold in the chopped Provolone cheese, stirring until melted and creamy.
- Toast the brioche buns under a broiler or in a toaster oven. For added flavor, butter the insides of the buns before toasting.
- Spoon the beef mixture generously onto the toasted buns. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Made this recipe? Tap a star to rate it.
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
