Cheesy Philly Sloppy Joes (Printable version)
Ground beef, melted provolone, sautéed peppers and onions piled into toasted brioche buns.
# What you need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend recommended)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
04 - 3.5 oz mushrooms, sliced (optional)
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
→ Sauces & Liquids
06 - ½ cup beef broth
07 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
08 - 2 tbsp ketchup
09 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
→ Spices & Seasonings
10 - 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
11 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
13 - Pinch of chili flakes (optional)
→ Dairy
14 - 1½ cups shredded provolone cheese (or mozzarella/cheddar mix)
→ Bread
15 - 4 brioche buns or soft sandwich rolls, split and lightly toasted
→ Garnishes (optional)
16 - Chopped parsley
17 - Sliced jalapeños
# How to make it:
01 - Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until evenly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add diced onion, bell pepper, mushrooms (if using), and garlic to the pan. Sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Mix well to coat the beef and vegetables evenly.
04 - Pour in beef broth, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly and the flavors meld together.
05 - Reduce the heat to low. Sprinkle shredded provolone cheese evenly over the beef mixture. Cover the pan and let the cheese melt, about 2 minutes.
06 - Stir the cheesy mixture together until well-combined and creamy throughout.
07 - Spoon generous portions onto toasted buns. Garnish with chopped parsley or jalapeños, if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- The broth reduction clings to every crumb of beef so your bun stays structurally sound longer than you expect.
- Provolone melts into the filling like a sauce rather than sitting on top, which completely changes the experience.
- It scales effortlessly for a weeknight dinner or a rowdy game day crowd.
02 -
- If you rush the broth reduction your buns will turn to mush within thirty seconds, so give it those full minutes.
- Cheese melted directly on the filling under a lid creates a completely different texture than cheese draped on top of the assembled sandwich.
03 -
- Let the beef sit undisturbed for the first two minutes of cooking so real caramelization happens before you start breaking it up.
- A pinch of smoked paprika in the filling plus an extra dusting on the buns before toasting creates a subtle smokiness people will notice without being able to identify.