There's something incredibly comforting about a hot, buttery grilled cheese sandwich, and this Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese takes that classic favorite to a whole new level. Crispy golden bread, gooey melted cheddar, and rich, savory sloppy joe filling come together to create the ultimate quick and satisfying comfort food. If you already love classic grilled cheese sandwiches and sloppy joes, combining the two is an easy decision.
Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Lunch, Dinner, Main Course
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 10 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 1 sandwich
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Buttery, cheesy, savory, rich, hearty, and comforting
- 🍚 Best Served With: French fries, potato chips, coleslaw, dill pickles, tomato soup, salad, onion rings, or fresh fruit
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes! Prepare the sloppy joe filling up to 3 days ahead and simply assemble and grill when ready to eat.
Summarize and Save This Content On
The crispy buttered bread holds everything together while the melted sharp cheddar perfectly complements the sweet and savory sloppy joe filling, creating one unforgettable sandwich. Whether you're using leftover sloppy joe meat or making it fresh, this easy recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, hearty lunches, or whenever you're craving a cheesy, family-friendly meal in minutes.
Since it's usually just my husband and me at home, I almost always make a batch of my old fashioned sloppy joe recipe or a double batch of my Big Mac sloppy joes for dinner one night. The leftovers never go to waste because they're the perfect way to make these crispy, cheesy Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese sandwiches the next day. Honestly, we look forward to them just as much as the original meal!
If you enjoy easy comfort food recipes like this, be sure to try my sloppy joe sliders and juicy and cheesy chicken melt. Serve this sandwich with crispy potato salad and cream cheese mac and cheese for a meal your whole family will love.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Quick, easy, and budget-friendly: Made with just a few simple ingredients and ready in about 10 minutes, this sandwich is perfect for busy lunches, easy dinners, or using up leftover sloppy joe filling.
- The ultimate comfort food: Crispy buttery bread, gooey melted sharp cheddar, and hearty sloppy joe meat come together for a rich, cheesy sandwich the whole family will love.
- Easy to customize: Switch up the bread, cheese, or sloppy joe filling, add your favorite toppings, or serve it with soup, fries, chips, or a salad for a meal everyone can enjoy.
Ingredients
One of the best things about this recipe is how simple it is. With only four basic ingredients, you can turn leftover sloppy joe filling into an incredibly satisfying grilled cheese that's crispy, cheesy, and packed with flavor.
- Thick-cut sandwich bread: Holds up well to the hearty filling while becoming beautifully crisp and golden.
- Butter: Creates the rich, crispy exterior every great grilled cheese needs.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Melts beautifully and adds bold flavor that pairs perfectly with sloppy joe meat.
- Prepared sloppy joe meat: The hearty, savory filling that transforms an ordinary grilled cheese into something extra special.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Switch the cheese: Try American, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, pepper jack, Colby Jack, provolone, smoked gouda, Havarti, or Swiss for a different flavor and melt.
- Change the bread: Texas toast, sourdough, brioche, potato bread, white bread, whole wheat, rye, or artisan bread all work wonderfully.
- Add extra flavor: Layer on crispy bacon, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, dill pickles, jalapeños, banana peppers, or sliced tomatoes before grilling.
- Make it spicy: Stir hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, diced jalapeños, hot BBQ sauce, chipotle peppers, spicy jalapeno hot sauce, hot honey BBQ sauce, or cayenne pepper into the sloppy joe filling, or use pepper jack cheese.
- Create a deluxe sandwich: Add a fried egg, onion rings, avocado slices, barbecue sauce, garlic butter, or a sprinkle of Parmesan on the outside for an extra-special grilled cheese.
How to Make Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese
Don't let the simple ingredient list fool you-this sandwich delivers incredible flavor in just a few easy steps.
Step 1: Prepare the bread and start sandwich assembly. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Heat a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Place one slice of bread in the skillet, butter-side down. Top with one slice of cheddar cheese.
Step 2: Add sloppy joe sauce. Top cheese with the warm sloppy joe mixture.
Step 3: Finish sandwich assembly. Place remaining slice of cheddar cheese and then second slice of bread on top, butter-side up. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown.
Step 4: Flip and Finish: Carefully flip the sandwich with a spatula. Gently press down and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the bread is crisp and golden brown and the cheese is completely melted. Slice in half and serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- Warm the sloppy joe filling: Hot filling helps the cheese melt quickly and keeps the sandwich evenly heated.
- Cook over medium heat: A moderate temperature allows the bread to become perfectly golden while giving the cheese enough time to melt without burning.
- Don't overfill the sandwich: Too much sloppy joe mixture can make the sandwich difficult to flip and cause the filling to spill out.
- Use freshly shredded or quality sliced cheese: It melts more smoothly and creates the best gooey texture.
- Serve immediately: Grilled cheese is always at its crispiest and cheesiest right off the skillet.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy pizza grilled cheese and Italian grilled cheese.
Storage Directions
This sandwich is best enjoyed fresh off the skillet while the bread is crisp and the cheese is perfectly melted. If you have leftovers, here's the best way to store and reheat them.
Refrigerator: Store cooled leftover sandwiches in an airtight container or wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Wrap the cooled sandwich tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil or place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for the best texture.
Reheat: Warm in a skillet over medium-low heat or in an air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes until the bread is crisp and the filling is heated through. Avoid microwaving if possible, as it can make the bread soggy.
Make Ahead: Prepare the sloppy joe filling up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate. When ready to eat, simply assemble the sandwich and grill until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Serving Suggestions
- Perfect with soup: Pair with tomato soup, vegetable soup, beef soup, crockpot hashbrown potato soup, or cream of potato and leek soup for a cozy meal.
- Classic comfort meal: Serve with crispy French fries, potato chips, sweet potato fries, or onion rings.
- Fresh side dishes: Balance the richness with grandma's coleslaw, deviled egg macaroni salad, potato salad, Mexican street corn pasta salad, or a simple green salad.
- Favorite toppings: Serve with dill pickles, pickle spears, sliced onions, jalapeños, extra sloppy joe sauce, or your favorite dipping sauce.
- Complete the meal: Add skillet mac and cheese with bacon, jalapeno mac and cheese, cowboy baked beans, slow cooker corn on the cob, corn pie, roasted vegetables, or a Caesar salad for a hearty lunch or dinner.
Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese Recipe FAQs
Use warm-not overly saucy-sloppy joe filling, avoid overfilling the sandwich, and cook over medium heat so the bread becomes crisp and golden.
Yes! Use a large skillet or griddle to cook several sandwiches at once, flipping each carefully once the bread is golden brown.
More Grilled Cheese Recipes
If you love crispy, buttery grilled cheese sandwiches loaded with melty cheese and delicious fillings, here are a few more Kitchen Divas grilled cheese recipes you'll definitely want to add to your menu.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 slices thick cut sandwich bread
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 slices sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup prepared sloppy joe sauce with meat warm
Instructions
- Butter one side of each slice of bread. Heat a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Place one slice of bread in the skillet, butter-side down.
- Top with one slice of cheddar cheese, the warm sloppy joe mixture, and the remaining slice of cheddar cheese.
- Place the second slice of bread on top, butter-side up. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown.
- Carefully flip the sandwich with a spatula.
- Gently press down and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes until the bread is crisp, golden brown, and the cheese is completely melted. Slice in half and serve immediately.
Notes
- Warm the sloppy joe filling: Hot filling helps the cheese melt quickly and keeps the sandwich evenly heated.
- Cook over medium heat: A moderate temperature allows the bread to become perfectly golden while giving the cheese enough time to melt without burning.
- Don't overfill the sandwich: Too much sloppy joe mixture can make the sandwich difficult to flip and cause the filling to spill out.
- Use freshly shredded or quality sliced cheese: It melts more smoothly and creates the best gooey texture.
- Serve immediately: Grilled cheese is always at its crispiest and cheesiest right off the skillet.
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