Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes with peppers, onions, and provolone will make you forget canned sauce and make you LOVE sloppy joes again!
Sloppy Joes are such and easy Sandwich Recipe that always make the perfect family meal. I love this Philly Cheese Steak version as well as some of my other popular variations like Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes and Pot Roast Sloppy Joes!
Sabrina’s Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes
My Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joe recipe came together almost accidentally. I already had Philly Cheese Steak Grilled Cheese sandwiches in my weeknight dinner rotation for years, and one day I’d made a skillet of the meat filling but didn’t have sandwich bread. With just a few adjustments to make the mixture extra gooey and “sloppy,” I created this sloppy joe version, which may be even more of a crowd-pleaser.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion , diced
- 1 small green bell pepper , diced
- 8 ounces brown mushrooms , minced
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup beef broth
- 8 ounces Provolone Cheese Slices , chopped (use 6oz if you don't want it very cheesy)
- 6 brioche hamburger buns
Instructions
- Add the ground beef to a large cast iron skillet (this browns very well) and brown on medium-high heat until a deep brown crust appears before breaking the beef apart.
- Stir the ground beef and brown until a deep crust appears on about 50 or so percent of the beef.
- Remove the beef (you can leave the fat) and add the butter and the onions and bell peppers and mushrooms.
- Let brown for 1-2 minutes before stirring, then let brown for another 1-2 minutes before stirring again.
- Add the beef back into the pan.
- In a small cup mix the beef broth and cornstarch together
- Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, beef broth/cornstarch mixture into the pan.
- Cook until the mixture is only slightly liquidy (about 75% of the mixture is above liquid), 3-5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, add in the provolone cheese. Start with half the cheese and then add a bit more at a time until it's as cheesy as you like it.
- Served on toasted brioche buns.
Nutrition
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Table of Contents
Chef’s Note
EDITED: You guys are amazing! In just 7 16 30 days after my original post my readers loved this recipe so much it was re-pinned over 125,000 175,000 520,000 times. If you want to read some reviews from people who have already made the recipe, check out the “tried it” responses on this pin (then re-pin it to keep this magic going!).
Alternative Cooking Techniques
Slow Cooker
- To make this recipe in the slow cooker, add the Ingredients (minus the cheese and buns) to the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Use half the amount of beef broth.
- If the sauce is not thick add in another 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon room temperature water. Cook for an additional 30 minutes on low.
Variations
This Hamburger Helper version is the second variation of this that I ended up making a week after preparing these sloppy joes for the first time. I posted a recipe for this too, but here is a quick summary:
- Cook exactly as described except double the broth (leave the cornstarch the same).
- Do not rinse your macaroni, the starch will keep the sauce thickened.
- At the step where you’d add the cheese, instead add the macaroni.
- Stir it well together and cook for 30 seconds or until thickened.
- Add in the Provolone Cheese and stir for just a couple of seconds, and serve immediately.
The following images have been used in previous versions of this post:
Super easy, quick and delicious. My favorite things in a recipe. I used ground turkey, our preference, other than that, no other changes. Great recipe, will definitely make again.
Hi, can I make these with a normal pan?
Thanks!
Yes, absolutely.
I want to try these tonight! Is it ok to use a normal pan? I do not have a cast iron skillet?
Regular rotation in our house, but I want to try the slow cooker option. It says add everything to the slow cooker but wouldn’t you cook the beef first? Thanks!
Very good! A delicious twist to the regular sloppy joes. Definitely needs a sturdy bun or refine to eating with a fork! Mine was definitely sloppy good!
GLad you enjoyed it Jan!
Loved this!!!!
This tastes just like a philly cheesesteak! The only change I make is not using the mushrooms. (We don’t like them!) I have made this several times. It tastes even better as leftovers. This is so good with tortilla chips in place of the bun!
I cooked this ahead of time. Should I add the cheese when getting ready to serve? Also, is this freezer friendly?
Yes, Kim! add the cheese before serving. As for being freezer friendly, I would say it’s more refrigerator friendly.
Every time i say i am going to make these. Everyone tells me that it is their favorite. That is a small feat in this house. When everyone likes the same thing. The only thing i did different was substitute provolone 4 pepper jack cheese. Still haven’t figured out a side yet. Ideas whould be helpful.
So glad it’s a big hit in your house. It’s a big one in my house as well. as for sides, maybe beans, steak fries with pickles or maybe a potato or macaroni salad?
Excellent recipe. Had to use Xanthan gum, because it was all I had. Trying to do it like a grilled cheese sandwich instead, but much too “sloppy” for that. Next time I’ll do this recipe, just like an SOS. Not so much bread. Ohh, I bet this would be awesome mixed up with spaghetti squash ?
Excellent recipe. Had to use Xanthan gum, because it was all I had. Trying to do it like a grilled cheese sandwich instead, but much too “sloppy” for that. Next time I’ll do this recipe, just like an SOS. Not so much bread. Ohh, I bet this would be awesome mixed up with spaghetti squash ?
Have fun experimenting!
How much would one small onion / one small pepper measure? I’m making a big batch so got bigger veggies…
the onion would come out to approximately a quarter cup diced.
I made these tonight. I used ground turkey instead of beef. They were excited and my husband loved them.
Most importantly, he didn’t know they were made with turkey, so we will let that be our secret. I didn’t add the corn starch but should have. We ended up eaten them like open faced sandwiches because they were a little too sloppy but still excellent. I will define make them again.
Thank you, Robin, thank you for taking a chance on my recipe. so glad it as a hit!
This may be a dumb question, but if you’re making this in the crockpot, do you just add everything and cook it or should you cook the beef first?
Not a dumb question, you should always brown ground beef or any ground meat in a skillet before adding it to your slow cooker to prevent the meat from clumping up or from adding excess grease to your cooked dish.
I have made this so many times. Not only is it so easy to put together, but its so flavorful!
Amazing! I have never liked sloppy Joe’s, and have never made them for my family of 6, however this recipe looked so yummy I had to try. My 2 youngest who don’t eat hamburger at all actually liked it, so u know it’s a winner. This is my 4th recipe from this site and every one of them has been great! I even told my neighbor about this website n have her using it now as well. Thank you!
Aw Jena Thank you for your support!
Was wondering about the crockpot version. Do you brown the hamburger before you add or just raw?
Brown it first.
What a pleasant surprise! Discovered some frozen frozen ground beef and was trying to decide what to do with it to add flavor and moisture. This was a find that exceeded my expectations! I slowed down the recipe cooking to get the onions, peppers, mushrooms and my addition of fresh jalapeños nice and soft and but still full of moisture. Turned up the heat for last 30 seconds to get some good browning on them. Then added some extra broth (but not extra con starch), garlic and Worcestershire sauce when adding the previously cooked (and bland!) ground beef and let it simmer on low until it was mostly absorbed. Turned a rescue meal into a a flavor filled, cheesy keeper that I will be sharing with everyone! Thank you!
Keeping this in the rotation. This recipe was quick and easy to make. My family loved it. We have to figure out what was missing, but it was still good.
Can you use water instead of broth? I don’t have any broth in my house.
Broth truly helps the flavor in this dish, but its possible.
I used stir fry beef because I didn’t have any ground beef. My family loved it and I’ve made it several times. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
The recipe mentions macaroni and that confused me because the actual recipe makes no mention of macaroni ????
Hi, Our recipe does not mention macaroni in the ingredients at all.
That’s mentioned if you want to make “Hamburger Helper” style 🙂
This recipe has been our favorite of all the other similar recipes out there.
Amazing recipe. Tasted just like Philly cheesesteak. Thank you
This was nice but I read not to drain the beef and it was too greasy. I would try again and drain the beef or use ground turkey and definitely use a sub roll or brioche hot dog buns as the mixture did not stay on the roll. My mixture was thin did not really thicken up but was yummy. Thanks!
I swear I cannot find one recipe on this website that doesn’t make me think “I cannot believe I made something this amazing.” My picky family raves over EVERYTHING… and this Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joe did not disappoint. I am thankful everyday that I went down the Pinterest rabbit hole that led me to Dinner then Dessert. Sabrina, thank you again for another 5-star dinner for my family.
Thank you so much Katie!
We love this recipe and have recently started making it with Impossible ground, which is great, too. Thanks for an easy mea everyone loves!!
Great recipe and easy to make! Loved it!!!! Used Brioche bread as suggested which is one of my faves, so of course it was delicious and …sloppy for sure! Next time, I will try serving hoagies … with the bun, might be able to keep more of the goodie from falling out. Would that make them “not-so-sloppy-Joe’s”?!? ?
Hoagies could help, less cheese could too. But this is a messier than average sloppy joe!
Made these and they were delicious! Did the stove top recipe, but have a ques about the crock pot method. Do you add the cheese the last 30 min?
Yes!
Made these last night and they were as good as they were sloppy. Excellent.
So glad you loved them!
Not my fave… It didn’t taste at all like Philly cheese steak. Too sweet for my taste. I will try again without adding ketchup. That being said my MIL and husband really liked it!
This was amazing!! Thank you!
Can you freeze this to do as a freezer meal?
Yes, you can easily freeze this. Just make it like normal except for adding the cheese. Add the cheese once it’s thawed and reheated.
Sabrina, can Velveeta or a nacho cheese sauce be substituted for Cheese Whiz?
Of course 🙂 Enjoy!
Have mercy this is good! I’m really picky when using ground beef, but this has really changed my mind. Will be making this any more times. Everyone loved it.
This was delicious! I was going to make sloppy Joes for dinner, then stumbled across this game changer! I used chicken stock instead of beef, because that’s what I had in the pantry. Then placed on a butter toasted Franz gluten free bun. My husband loved it and even my 21 month old was asking for more. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
I love it when the whole family enjoys the meal. Thanks for coming back to let me know.
Hubby really liked this recipe…so it’s a keeper.
Another Fabulous Recipe! Made it as written, only added some crushed chili peppers for a little heat and I pre toasted the inside of the bread for extra enforcement. Not one sandwich fell apart. The entire family loved your Philly cheese steak sloppy Joe’s recipe so much that They’ve begged me to make it again this weekend! Thank you
Yay! Happy to know it’s such a hit, Christine.
This was a great recipe! It was quick and easy and had a nice flavor! I had all the ingredients in hand which was even better! I actually used ground Turkey rather than beef. Yum!!
So easy when you already have all of the ingredients.
Delicious!
I highly recommend trying this recipe I thought it was fantastic!!! Whole family loved it!!!
Thanks, Kim!
Wow! My better half is usually the cook so after years of not cooking I tried this tonight. It’s a winner! I did not use mushrooms but my ground beef was 1.4 pounds. Outstanding and fool proof too. He doesn’t like sloppy Joes but did love this. Leftovers were taken to my daughter and they loved it too! I plan on trying more of your recipes!
That’s so wonderful, Nancy! Glad to know it was such a hit.
These were pretty tasty, I added some cayenne for a bit more spice. I would serve them on a crusty roll next time though, because it made the Brioche way too soggy.
This did not taste like a Philly Cheese steak. The worcestershire along with the beef broth over powered the dish. I’m not a fan of cheese whiz which is on the authentic Philly Cheese steak.
If I were to make this again I’d just saute the beef, peppers, onions and mushrooms with salt & pepper add Land O Lakes American cheese then add to a nice toasted buttered brioche bun.
Made this tonight and it will definitely be in our dinner rotation. I made it exactly as written. Hubby loved it. So yummy. Thanks so much
When making it in the slow cooker do you brown the beef first?
Yes 🙂
What could be substituted for the green pepper, otherwise flavor and prep was perfect for a quick meal. Thanks
You could always use a red or yellow bell pepper or just leave it out all together if you’d like.
I love sloppy Joe’s from the can but my hubby doesn’t. When I came across this recipe I had to try it as this sounded like something he’d like it. He does. And so do I. I followed the recipe exactly. And for once, I didn’t taste test (very unusual for me) so my first taste was when we sat down to eat. Oh my. It was Yum!!! The flavors are great. This is definitely going into our rotation and I’m also going to start trying some of your other variations of sloppy Joe’s.
Yay! I’m so happy to know it was a hit, Teresa.
Where’s the cheesewiz?
You could definitely add it instead of the provolone or even with the provolone, if you’d like. Enjoy!
Love this! Easy and delicious
Hubby loved it and he’s a picky eater although my grocery store was out of mushrooms, so will make this again & add it next time!
This recipe is simply fantastic! It was easy to follow, uses common ingredients and the outcome is pure magic! I will never buy canned sloppy Joe sauce again. This is my new favorite and it will be in the rotation for dinners for sure. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kelly.
Made this for supper today and WOW! It’s AMAZING! We did lightly toast the bread. I wouldn’t change anything!!
Thank you Shelly!