Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joe Sliders Recipe

Philly cheesesteak sloppy Joe sliders take the best parts of sloppy Joes and Philly cheesesteaks and combine them into the most delicious appetizer, lunch, or dinner. Not only are these mini sandwiches easy to make, but they can also be made ahead of time, reheat well, and will be the first thing to go at your next party. "There are three aspects of this recipe you must include: American cheese, seasoned salt, and sauteed onions," says recipe developer Leah Maroney. "The American cheese gives the perfect creaminess to the sliders. The seasoned salt perfectly seasons the meat without having to add a large variety of spices, and the onions add so much flavor to the meat — so don't skip them."

Despite these necessities, Maroney says this recipe is still highly adaptable. You can always swap out the American cheese for provolone or cheddar or even spray cheese, she clarifies, but why change a classic? The bell peppers are also a tasty addition, but not necessary if you don't care for them. You can also substitute fresh bell peppers (any color works) if you don't have roasted red peppers.

These tasty sliders start with ground beef. Maroney likes to use 90% lean, sprinkled generously with seasoned salt and freshly ground black pepper. Onions and roasted red peppers are sauteed in the reserved beef fat, then topped with melty American cheese. Brioche slider rolls, coated with butter, complete the sandwiches. Maroney recommends the optional addition of sauce, such as chipotle or Russian dressing, or pickled jalapeños if you're feeling spicy.

Add ground beef, seasoned salt, and black pepper to a large saute pan and cook over medium-high heat until browned, about 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and drain off excess beef fat, if needed. Set aside.

Spread the inside of each roll with butter and brown in a separate large skillet, cut side-down.

Pushing the beef to one side of the pan, add onions and roasted peppers to the free side of the pan and cook over medium heat until softened, 2-3 minutes.

Turn off the heat and top beef mixture with American cheese slices. Let sit until cheese is melted.

Place the roll bottoms onto a serving platter and top with the cheesesteak mixture.

Place the roll tops over the cheesesteak mixture.

Serve sliders right away with chipotle sauce, if desired.

These Philly cheesesteak sloppy Joe sliders are best served immediately. However, if you have not placed the filling on the buns yet, you can always store the prepared filling in the refrigerator. Let it cool to room temperature first, then keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The cheesesteak filling reheats wonderfully in a saucepan with a little water added, and you can of course add more cheese on top.

The ground beef filling can also be frozen. Once it's cooled to room temperature, place it in a plastic storage bag, flatten it out, and freeze the bag flat. This helps it reheat faster once you're ready to enjoy. Reheat the filling in a saucepan with a little water until hot.

As for the buns, make sure to toast them right before you're ready to serve. They taste best freshly heated, and this way you won't run the risk of them drying out.

There are lots of options for substituting ingredients in this recipe. If you can't find brioche slider buns, you can use Hawaiian slider buns or small dinner rolls. Any type of soft roll will work well; harder rolls are more difficult to eat with the cheesy filling. Or, Philly cheesesteak sloppy Joe sliders make an absolutely delicious low-carb dish when the filling is served in lettuce wraps instead of bread. Gem lettuce or Boston bibb lettuce work well for this adaptation. You can also change out the ground beef for other cuts of meat. Shaved steak is an obvious option, since this is what is used in traditional Philly cheesesteaks. 

These sliders are the perfect game-day snack. But if you want to make this recipe into a full-sized meal, simply replace the slider buns with hamburger buns. The recipe will yield about 4 full-sized sloppy Joes.