Description
Hearty sloppy joes with texas toast create a messy, delightful dinner that brings comfort to hungry families. Melted cheese, savory beef, and crispy toast combine for an irresistible meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
Vegetables:
- ½ cup (80 g) diced onion
- ½ cup (75 g) diced green bell pepper (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce and Seasonings:
- 1 cup (240 ml) tomato sauce
- ¼ cup (60 ml) ketchup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Bread and Cheese:
- 8 slices of Texas toast or thick-cut bread
- 4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 cup (120 g) shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Sizzle ground beef in a spacious skillet over medium-high heat, methodically crumbling the meat while it transforms from pink to rich brown.
- After beef reaches a deep caramel color, carefully eliminate any surplus grease, ensuring a lean protein base.
- Incorporate finely diced onions, vibrant bell peppers, and minced garlic into the skillet, letting the aromatics dance and soften for approximately 4 minutes.
- Pour in a harmonious blend of tomato sauce, tangy ketchup, molasses-like brown sugar, umami-rich Worcestershire sauce, smoky paprika, and a whisper of salt and pepper.
- Reduce the temperature to a gentle simmer, allowing the mixture to gradually thicken and meld flavors, stirring occasionally for 12-15 minutes until the sauce reaches a luxurious, clingy consistency.
- While the sloppy joe mixture develops its robust character, toast Texas-style bread slices until golden and crisp, creating a sturdy foundation for the sumptuous meat mixture.
- Generously ladle the simmered beef blend atop the toasted bread, ensuring each slice receives a hearty portion of the savory, complex sauce.
Notes
- Toast both sides of the Texas toast until golden brown and crispy for maximum flavor and texture contrast with the saucy meat.
- Drain ground beef thoroughly to prevent excess grease, ensuring a cleaner, more concentrated sloppy joe mixture that clings better to the bread.
- For a leaner version, substitute ground turkey or plant-based meat alternative while maintaining the same robust seasoning profile.
- Add a sprinkle of shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese on top of the meat for an extra layer of creamy, melty goodness that complements the tangy sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg