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Our sloppy joe grilled cheese sandwich is made with sweet, tangy, saucy beef tucked between two slices of buttery, golden, toasty bread, smothered in melty cheese. It’s messy, indulgent, and perfect for lunch! Just have a napkin handy.
So good it should be illegal? Maybe.
Two Comfort Classics, One Epic Sandwich
I’ll never forget my first sloppy joe.
I mean, I was 21 years old with a toddler at home (I started young on the babies, but was late to the game on the saucy beef sandwiches) and my coworker would wonder aloud before leaving for work what she was going to fix for dinner.
She very often decided upon sloppy joes and I was always left wondering what exactly a sloppy joe was.
Let’s just say that once I figured it out, we ate sloppy joes at least once a week for many months after that.
Eventually I started making my own sauce (see my homemade sloppy joes, I’m sorry, but they’re so much better than a can) and now about 20 years later, I’m still making sloppy joes as often as humanly possible.
There’s just something so divine about the sweet, tangy, messy goodness of it all.
Add in buttery toasted bread and some pepper jack cheese? Honestly, I’m surprised these haven’t been banned for being too delicious.
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:
Comfort Food Combo: Sloppy joes + grilled cheese = total happiness.
Quick and Easy: Perfect for busy nights or when you just want something delicious ASAP. Use leftover sloppy joes or make ’em fresh. It’s quick either way.
Customizable: Go wild with your favorite cheeses, breads, or add-ins. Hello, pickles? I see you and I love you.
Basic Ingredients:
You’ll just need 4 ingredients for this simple sloppy joe sandwich recipe:
- Bread
- Butter
- Cheese
- Sloppy Joe Meat
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step:
Butter one side of each slice of bread.
Place two slices of bread in a hot skillet, butter side down, and top with cheese.
Spoon the warm sloppy joe mixture over one piece of bread and keep cooking until the cheese is melty.
Place the piece of bread with the melty cheese over the sloppy joe mix and keep cooking until golden brown on both sides.
My Favorite Skillet!
Cast iron skillets are my favorite! They heat so evenly, get piping hot for searing, and nothing is better than bacon fried in a cast iron skillet.
Make It a Meal!
Sloppy Joes are a quick and easy recipe for lunch or dinner and they go well with just about anything! You can serve these sandwiches with all kinds of sides. Some good choices include:
- Air Fryer French Fries + Fry Sauce
- Crockpot Corn on the Cob
- Mac and Cheese
- Broccoli Salad
- Homemade Coleslaw
MORE SLOPPY JOE RECIPES!
Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 recipe homemade sloppy joes see notes
- 12 slices sandwich bread
- 6 tablespoons butter softened
- 8-10 ounces shredded cheese see notes
Instructions
- Make the sloppy joes as instructed or reheat leftovers. Start with warm sloppy joe meat or the middle of the sandwich may not heat through properly.
- Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread.
- Place two slices of bread, butter-side down, in the skillet and top each piece with a enough cheese to cover the bread fully. Spoon the sloppy joe mixture onto one piece of bread and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese has started to melt and stick to the bread.
- Place the bread with the melted cheese over the piece of bread with the sloppy joe mixture to form a sandwich and cook, flipping as needed, until cheese has fully melted and the sandwich is golden on both sides.
- Repeat with remaining sandwiches, keeping cooked sandwiches warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.
Devilish Kitchen says
What a great idea! Can’t wait to try this!
Kelly says
These look so perfect! Swooning over that golden, buttery crust you’ve got going on! I grew up on Sloppy Joes and grilled cheese – LOVE the idea of combining the two!
Lotus Food Gallery says
Amazing recipe today I am going to try this recipe….
Adina says
I’ve heard of Sloppy Joe before, seen pictures on blogs, but never had it myself. They look so mouthwatering… I am sure I would love them, not to mention my kids… definitely something my son would want to eat on a regular basis.
Karly says
Oh, you have to try a sloppy joe. They’re so good and such an easy meal!
Tracy | Baking Mischief says
I love both of these things separately. Can’t even imagine how good they’d be together. Totally drooling right now!
Amy | The Blond Cook says
Two of my favorite foods here… sloppy joes + grilled cheese = LOVE! Can’t wait to make this, thank you! 🙂