Name: Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: ½ cup leftover sloppy joes; 2 Thick slices of cheddar or marble cheese; 2 slices of bread (I used Rye, I like the thinner bread for grilled chese); 1 tbsp butter

This Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese is the deliciously messy comfort food crossover you’ve been waiting for. It combines the gooey, cheesy goodness of a classic grilled cheese with the rich, savory flavour of sloppy joe meat. Perfect for a no-fuss, all-flavour dinner or anytime you want to just shake things up!

Sloppy joe grilled cheese cut in half stacked on a black plate.

Your New Favourite Way to Eat Grilled Cheese

I just love grilled cheese.

I also love stuffing random things inside grilled cheese (hello, Denver Grilled Cheese Sandwich!). Because what doesn’t go with toasted cheese and bread?

It was a perfect rainy morning, and this grilled cheese was definitely in order.

I used our favourite Slow Cooker Beef & Lentil Sloppy Joes recipe, because I love the added nutritional value of the lentils. I don’t cook lentils a lot, but I love to add them to soups and dishes like sloppy joes because they blend in so well with the other flavours. And I love the way the sweet and sour barbecue flavour from these sloppy joes complements the sharp cheddar cheese.

I also love that they’re made in the slow cooker. Because who doesn’t love their slow cooker?!

Ingredients for Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese

Leftover sloppy joes: Straight from the fridge works best. Try my Beef & Lentil Sloppy Joes recipe!
Cheddar or marble cheese: Get the thick slices for the best melt.
Bread: I love using rye bread, but any of your favourite sandwich bread will work.
Butter: Just enough to get that perfect golden-brown crust.

What’s the best heat level for making grilled cheese?

For the perfect grilled cheese, I recommend cooking it on medium-low to medium heat. This is the sweet spot that gets your bread golden and crispy right as the cheese becomes perfectly gooey and melted.

Sloppy joe grilled cheese stacked on black plate with pickles on the side.

Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese Variations

There are all kinds of ways to make grilled cheese. So why not mix it up a bit? Here are some delicious variations to try out:

Spice it up: Add a layer of jalapeños or a dash of your favourite hot sauce to the sloppy joe meat for a spicy kick. Pepper Jack cheese would also be a great swap for the cheddar!
Add some crunch: Include a handful of crispy fried onions or pickles on top of the sloppy joe filling for an extra layer of texture. Mmm.
Switch up the sauce: Try a different style of BBQ sauce in your sloppy joe mix. A smoky hickory or a sweet honey BBQ would totally change the flavour profile.
Go gourmet: Use breads like sourdough or brioche and swap the cheddar for something like Gruyère or smoked Gouda for a fancier version of this classic comfort food.

How to Store Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese

This sandwich tastes best fresh off the skillet, but if you have leftovers, you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, just pan-fry it with a little butter or pop it in the toaster oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes until it’s crispy and gooey again. Whatever you do, don’t microwave it — it’ll make the bread all soggy!

Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese

written by Ashley Fehr

The perfect way to use up leftover sloppy joes! An easy weeknight meal.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Ingredients

▢ ½ cup leftover sloppy joes
▢ 2 Thick slices of cheddar or marble cheese
▢ 2 slices of bread, I used Rye, I like the thinner bread for grilled chese
▢ 1 tbsp butter

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Spread butter on one side of each piece of bread. Place one piece of bread, butter side down in the frying pan.
Place on slice of cheese on the piece of bread. Top with leftover sloppy joes (cold works best, so that you can spread it evenly without it sliding out). Top with remaining slice of cheese and piece of bread, butter side out.
Heat pan over medium to medium-high heat and cook until the first side is golden brown. Flip sandwich and cook until the second side is equally golden brown.

Nutrition

Calories: 548cal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 37g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 112mg, Sodium: 443mg, Potassium: 388mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 371IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 108mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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