Easy Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese recipe! The perfect lunch or family dinner that tastes amazing. Everyone will love this comfort food.
Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Grilled cheese sandwiches are comfort food for me!!! We love making these once the weather finally cools down after a hot summer!! John was craving some of my Tomato Basil Soup, so I whipped these ultimate Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese sandwiches up with a batch of soup!
John was skeptical about how well sloppy joes in a grilled cheese would work, but like usual, he loved the meal!!
There is just something so comforting about anything made with Sloppy Joes. My friend, Brett from This Mama, loves making Sloppy Joe stuffed peppers that look amazing.
Growing up, I always looked forward to Sloppy Joe night for dinner. There is just something about having dinner with the word sloppy in it.
As a kid, it makes you think about food fights and making a mess. As an adult, it feels like you get to be a kid again for a few minutes.
Ingredients
Here is a quick overview of the simple ingredients for making epic Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese Sandwiches! The printable recipe card at the bottom of the post includes specific measurements and step-by-step instructions.
- Bread
- Leftover Sloppy Joes
- American Cheese/cheddar cheese
- Butter
Equipment Needed
- Frying Pan
- Spatula
Preparation and Storage
Make Ahead: This make-ahead recipe is an excellent use of leftover Sloppy Joes!
Storage: For the gooey cheese alone, it’s best to enjoy your Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheeses made-to-order. However, leftovers are safe to consume if refrigerated in an airtight container and consumed within three days.
Freezing/How to Freeze: Cooked Sloppy Joe mixture stored in an airtight, freezer-safe container freezes safely for up to three months.
How to Reheat: When you’re ready to assemble your Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese sandwiches, thaw the leftover meat overnight in your fridge and reheat on the stovetop using your skillet.
Recipe Variations
Substitutions: I used organic whole wheat, but any sandwich bread you like works in this meaty grilled cheese dish! Texas Toast bread would be a hearty option that would stand up well against Sloppy Joes. Similarly, feel free to mix up the cheese and even pair it with your Sloppy Joes if you use flavored leftovers.
The sloppy joes can be adapted to use ground turkey, ground chicken, or a meat substitute.
Add in green pepper,, garlic powder, chili powder, or worcestershire sauce for additional flavor.
Vegetarian Option + Vegan Option: Vegetarians and vegans should use plant-based Sloppy Joe meat mix. Vegans should also replace American cheese with a non-dairy alternative.
Gluten-Free: Sloppy Joes are generally gluten-free, but make a gluten-free version at home or buy one labeled gluten-free if you want to avoid gluten. Gluten-free eaters should also use gluten-free bread.
Smaller Serving Size + Larger Group/More Servings: Our written recipe yields four servings. Scale it up or down, depending on your desired quantity.
Make it Spicy: Spice up your grilled cheese Sloppy joe by adding some hot sauce or chopped jalapeño peppers to the filling.
Sugar-Free: This recipe contains 4 grams of sugar per serving. Use sugar-free bread and Sloppy Joe mix to make it sugar-free.
Tips for the Best Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- Don’t have leftover Sloppy Joes? While you can get it canned at the store if you’re low on time, Sloppy Joe mix is homemade and EASY – you’ll only need 1 pound of ground beef browned and drained, ¼ cup of organic ketchup (more or less to taste). 2 teaspoons of mustard, and one teaspoon of brown sugar. We also have yummy and flavor-packed CrockPot Buffalo Sloppy Joes.
What to Serve with Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Pair the hearty, meaty, and gooey Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese Sandwich with hot soup, chili, or lighter fare like a salad, depending on your appetite.
Here are some menu pairing suggestions to make it a meal.
Soups + Chilis: CrockPot Stuffed Pepper Soup, CrockPot Tomato Tortellini Soup, CrockPot Bacon Corn Chowder, CrockPot Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon, CrockPot French Onion Soup, CrockPot Vegetarian Chili, CrockPot Cabbage Roll Soup, CrockPot Split Pea Soup
Salads: Black-Eyed Pea Salad, Ambrosia Salad, Broccoli Bacon Salad, Kidney Bean Salad, Pear Salad, Sauerkraut Salad, Green Jello Salad, Orange Dreamsicle Salad, Easy Watermelon Salad, Broccoli Slaw, Kale & Apple Potato Salad
When to Serve
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Sloppy Joe Night
- Potlucks
- Family and Friend Gatherings
Great Sloppy Joe recipes
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Don't miss all of our favorite Sloppy Joe Sides
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Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 8 slices Bread
- 2 Cup Sloppy Joe’s
- 4 slices American cheese
- Butter
Instructions
- Sloppy Joe mix is homemade and EASY – 1 pound of ground beef browned and drained, ¼ C. of organic ketchup (more or less to taste). 2 tsp. of mustard and 1 tsp. of brown sugar.
- Preheat a medium-size frying pan (or griddle) or medium heat. Generously butter the outsides of your bread slices. Lay 2 slices of the bread butter side down and top with 1 slice of cheese.
- Add about ¼ of a cup of Sloppy Joe mix and top with another slice of cheese. Top with the second slice of bread, butter side up and let brown on the bottom.
- Carefully flip when browned and allow the other bread slices to brown evenly on the other side.
- Remove from the pan and let set a minute or 2 and cut each sandwich in half. Serve by itself or with chips or soup to make a meal.
Kitchen Tools
- Frying Pan
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe originally shared on October 14, 2014. Updated September 2020, September 2023
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