10 minutes prep to these tasty Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes! Made with ground beef, peppers, and onions in a smokey, thick sauce, topped with melty cheese! A ground beef Philly cheesesteak, if you will!
A messy mashup that breaks the mold and takes the traditional Sloppy Joe to new levels!
It’s a recipe the whole family will love! I know our family sure did! This ground beef Philly cheesesteak recipe is easily cut in half or smaller families or doubled for a game day party crowd!
Why You Will Love Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
- The Ultimate – Enjoy a fun twist on the classic flavors of the sloppy joes recipe and Philly cheesesteak sandwich – a family favorite!
- 30 Minute Meal – Ane pan with real ingredients.
- Comfort Food – At it’s best! Our family couldn’t get enough of these last night! They have been on repeat!
I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, use the Jump to Recipe to head straight there!
Ingredients for Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes
- Olive oil | Use olive oil to saute the onions and garlic.
- Onion & Garlic | Add diced onions and garlic, garlic powder or jarred garlic may also be used. I prefer yellow onion, but you can use red or white.
- Bell Peppers | Get that classic pepper flavor for the Philly cheesesteak with green pepper and red pepper.
- Ground beef | I use grass-feed, lean ground beef for this recipe! NOM!
- BBQ sauce | Try my Homemade Barbecue Sauce or use your favorite storebought sauce.
- Beef broth | I use organic beef broth or beef stock, do not use condensed beef broth (too salty). I also add organic Beef Better Than Bouillon giving it great seasoning and flavor! Try it in these Smash Burgers too!
- Worcestershire sauce | A classic flavor in Philly Cheesesteaks!
- Salt & pepper | Add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Cheese | I prefer shredded Monterey Jack cheese, which melts best in this dish. Try other faves like provolone and pepper jack cheese.
- Buns | I like Brioche Buns, but any hamburger buns will work, or keep it low-carb and skip the buns.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make Ground Beef Philly Cheesesteak
In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil, onions and bell peppers to saute for about 5-7 minutes until they become soft. Then, add the garlic and stir for around 30 seconds.
Next, push the veggies to the side of the large skillet (or remove them if you need more room) and cook the ground beef until it’s no longer pink. As it cooks, break it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, then stir together with the onions and peppers.
Pour in the barbecue sauce, broth, bouillon, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper, stirring everything together until well combined. Let the meat mixture simmer for about 10 minutes to thicken the sauce and allow the flavors to meld.
Finally, stir in the shredded cheese just before serving to enjoy it as melty as possible. Top the buns with the cheesy beef mixture, and dig in!
Fresh Tips
- Before adding more ingredients, drain the excess grease from the ground beef if preferred.
- For the most melty cheese, be sure to shred or grate the cheese from a block of cheese. Pre-shredded cheeses have anti-caking ingredients in them which actually can prevent them from melting.
Love Philly Cheesesteaks? Try my popular traditional cheesesteak sandwich or these Philly Cheesesteak Sliders. And if you are looking for regular sloppy joes, try my rich and thick Bacon Sloppy Joes.
Want to make these Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes in the Slow Cooker?
First, brown the ground beef in a skillet, then add the ingredients to a slow cooker. Leaving out the buns and cheese, cook the recipe on LOW for about four hours or on HIGH for two to three hours.
Then, thicken the sauce with a cornstarch and water slurry, if desired, and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. Mix in the shredded cheese in the last 15 minutes, then keep it warm until ready to serve, or add to the buns and enjoy!
You’ll love this mash-up if you enjoy authentic Philly cheesesteak sandwiches! You should also try my Low-carb Philly Cheesesteak Casserole Recipe and Philly Cheesesteak Sliders – Yum!
Substitutions and Variations
- Mozzarella cheese, white American cheese, or a slice of provolone cheese are also excellent choices for this recipe. A traditional Philly cheesesteak uses Cheez Wiz.
- Add a satisfying crunch with a toasted brioche bun, by placing the buns cut side up on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown.
- If you like buttery toasted buns, in a clean skillet, melt a tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat. Place the buns, cut side down on the melted butter, and let stand to toast for a couple of minutes.
- For a variation, you can add mushrooms with the onions and peppers to the beef mixture.
- If preferred, swap the brioche bun for a Hoagie roll or hamburger buns. Or make minis with Hawaiian King roll slider buns.
- A dash of hot sauce is a great way to bring some heat to the saucy sandwiches.
- Replace the ground beef with ground turkey for a healthier alternative.
- Dairy-Free Sloppy Joe’s | Either leave the melted cheese off or replace it with your favorite dairy-free cheese!
Low-Carb Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and keto when you leave out the buns and optional cornstarch. Double-check your Worcestershire sauce and purchase sugar-free BBQ sauce.
Storage Tips
Refrigerate – Save the delicious leftovers without the buns in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Or frozen for up to 3 months!
Reheating – To enjoy again, heat the sloppy joe Philly cheesesteak filling in a skillet on the stove, adding a splash of water to moisten the ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! Cool the sloppy joe mixture completely, place it in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat the filling by thawing in the fridge overnight, then heating over medium heat on the stove.
Some delicious side dishes are tater tots, french fries, potato salad, potato chips, white rice, roasted veggies, or a crisp salad.
Essentially, a Sloppy Joe, named after its creator, Joe in Sioux City, is a saucy meat sandwich made with loose ground beef, onions, tomato sauce, and other seasonings on a hamburger bun.
An authentic Philly cheesesteak consists of thinly sliced steak, chopped, and topped with cheese and sometimes onions and peppers.
What to serve with Sloppy Joe Philly Cheesesteaks
Best Sides for Ground Beef Philly Cheesesteak
Especially if you’re serving a crowd, you’ll want a side dish to pair with the saucy sandwich. Try my Italian Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Creamy Apple Coleslaw, Air Fryer Steak Fries Recipe or Cowboy Baked Beans with bacon!
Best Ever Cowboy Baked Beans
BEST EVER Cowboy Baked Beans are the perfect hearty side dish for your summer BBQ, Father’s Day, Picnic or July 4th celebration!
Easy Air Fryer Steak Fries
Experience the delicious crispiness of air fryer steak fries – golden wedges with a perfect balance of crunch and tenderness. Elevate your meal or snack time with these irresistible treats.
Easy Creamy Apple Coleslaw Recipe
This easy crunchy Apple Coleslaw is made with simple, fresh ingredients and only takes a few minutes to toss together!
Delicious by itself, add some protein or serve on your favorite BBQ sandwich or slider.
Best Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe
This Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad recipe is loaded with chicken, bacon, vegetables, ranch dressing, and perfectly cooked farfalle pasta.
Best desserts to serve with sloppy joes
Because every 30 minute meal, needs a great dessert! Try a few of these gems below:
Easy Old-Fashioned Butter Pound Bundt Cake Recipe
This Kentucky Butter Cake is simply delicious and ridiculously easy! You can’t mess it up! Rich buttery pound cake drenched in a vanilla sauce and if desired, served with Vanilla Bourbon Caramel sauce.
Easy Strawberry Brownies Recipe with Frosting
Got 5 minutes? Make these easy Strawberry Brownies with luscious strawberry frosting – I think of these more as strawberry blondies, soft, fudgy brownies but made with strawberry cake mix instead!
Great for Valentine’s day, Mother’s Day, Easter, birthday parties, well really anytime you are craving strawberries!
Best Copycat Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
This classic Crumbl chocolate chip cookie recipe is a perfect copycat of the real thing. Packed with milk chocolate chips, this no-chill copycat Crumbl cookie recipe will become a family favorite. Learn how to make these incredibly popular cookies right at home!
More Delicious Beefy Sandwich Recipes
- Beef Tenderloin Sandwiches Recipe
- Best Tender Crockpot London Broil Recipe
- New England Steak Bomb Sandwich Recipe
- Cheeseburger Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls (30 Minute Meal)
- Easy Roast Beef Sliders Recipe on Hawaiian Rolls
I hope you loved this ground beef philly cheesesteak recipe — if you did, would you share your creation on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest? And be sure to comment below!
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 small green bell pepper diced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed, or replace with 1 teaspoon garlic powder or jarred garlic
- 2 pounds lean ground beef I used grass-fed 90/10
- ⅓ cup BBQ sauce store-bought or homemade
- 1 cup beef broth not condensed beef broth, it's concentrated and too salty
- 1 teaspoon beef better than bouillon or a beef bouillon cube
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded, best if hand shredded, packaged cheese doesn't melt fully
- 6 Brioche Buns or keep it low-carb and skip the buns
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until warm. Add the onion and bell peppers and saute until the veggies become soft, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic (3 cloves) and saute for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Push the onions and peppers off to the side of the pan, and cook the ground beef (2 lbs) until no longer pink, breaking it with a meat chopper or wooden spoon as it cooks and blending it with the onions and peppers.
- Add the bbq sauce (⅓ cup), broth (1 cup), bouillon (1 tsp), Worcestershire (1 TBL), salt (1 tsp), and pepper (½ tsp), and stir everything together to combine it well. Allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes while the sauce thickens and the flavors meld.
- Just before serving, stir in the shredded cheese (8 ounces). Top each bun with the beef mixture and enjoy! *If desired, toast buns with a little butter in a pan/griddle or place cut side up on the baking sheet and toast at 350° F (175° C) for 3-5 minutes.
Notes
Storage Tips
Refrigerate – Save the delicious leftovers without the buns in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Or frozen for up to 3 months! Reheating – To enjoy again, heat the sloppy joe Philly cheesesteak filling in a skillet on the stove, adding a splash of water to moisten the ingredients. Variations & Substitutions- I prefer using grass-fed lean ground beef, such as 90/10. If you use a high-fat percentage, drain off the grease after cooking it.
- The thickness of the sauce could depend on the fat content in your meat. If the sauce is too thin, you can thicken it with cornstarch. Mix 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of room temperature water. Stir it into the sauce after the 10-minute simmer time.
- Use your favorite BBQ sauce or try this homemade sauce.
- The ‘Better Than Bouillon’ adds depth of flavor to the sauce, and this paste version is tastier and better for you than the dried cubes, I used this in my Smash burger recipe.
- Traditionally, a Philly Cheese Steak is served with provolone cheese; I’ve changed it up to Monterey Jack in this recipe. Feel free to get creative with the cheese and use your favorite.
Nutrition
Tim
Made these with my son, and we both loved it. Two thumbs up.
Thank you so very much Tim!!!
Nikki
These are so good and have a lot of flavor! A great weeknight meal!
So glad you liked them, thanks Nikki!
Lynn B Spencer
It’s a family favorite…especially with the guys! And so easy!
Yes!!
Laura Ashley Johnson
My family LOVED this and have already asked for me to make these again. THANK YOU for an easy dinner win!
So glad they loved it! Love helping families with a dinner win!
jules
You’ve combined my favorite flavors into the most amazing recipe. They’re delicious!
So glad you loved it!!
Kate
These sloppy joes smelled amazing as it cooked, and tasted even better!
Thanks so much Kate!
Sisley
I’d never had a sloppy joe before but I am hooked! What a dish.
Yay! Made a sloppy Joe fan! Thanks!
Liza
Brilliant recipe! We love Sloppy Joes in this family, and we all agree that this tasty Philly Cheese Steak twist is our new favorite!
Yay!!! Love that you loved them!
Beth
You are a mad genius! I made them last night, and they were amazing. These are really the best of two amazing flavors.
Thank you so much, Beth! So glad you enjoyed them!!
Donalyn
Sloppy Joes are the perfect weeknight meal and this version is just amazing. Thanks for a great recipe!
You are so welcome!