This hot beef sandwich recipe is made with deliciously seasoned ground beef, onions, and peppers in a tomato sauce with two types of cheese and baked in the oven until the buns are hot and toasty.
If you ever come to Texas, one of the first things you’ll notice is that we tend to put a southwestern spin on almost every dish we make. You’ll find jalapeno cornbread, zesty mac and cheese with a kick of heat, and even potato salad that’s cool and creamy but leaves your tongue just a bit hot. That Tex-Mex spin that tastes so good with just about anything is what I applied to my hot beef sandwiches. These delicious sandwiches take the classic sloppy Joe and infuse it with even more spicy, hot goodness to create a fusion of flavors that you won’t be able to get enough of. I love making these for specially family lunches and dinners, and I’ll always bring them to backyard parties and potlucks.
Hot Beef Sandwich
These sandwiches start with ground beef, chopped onions, bell peppers, and diced jalapenos. Then, I combine them with a zesty tomato sauce loaded with bold spices and shredded pepper jack cheese, for a delicious Tex-Mex twist. Finally, I toast hamburger buns and top them with Colby jack cheese and the beef mixture to create hearty, delicious sandwiches that are everything we love about sloppy Joes and then some!
Why You’ll Love This Hot Beef Sandwich Recipe
- It’s a hearty, cheesy, super-flavorful, and delicious comfort food recipe with a twist on the classic sloppy Joe recipe.
- It’s a great weeknight dinner that will quickly become a family favorite.
- You can easily adjust the heat of this recipe to make a meal that everyone in the family will love.
Hot Beef Sandwich Ingredients
The ingredients for these sandwiches are simple, and they’re all easily found at your local grocery store. Like almost all of my recipes, there’s nothing fancy here!
- Lean ground beef
- Onion
- Green bell pepper
- Jalapeño
- Cloves garlic
- Garlic salt
- Chili powder
- Paprika
- Black pepper
- Cumin
- Cayenne pepper
- Tomato sauce
- Pepper jack cheese
- Colby Jack cheese
- Melted butter
- Ball Park Tailgaters Hawaiian Sweet Buns (or your favorite buns)
- Mayonnaise
How to Make This Hot Beef Sandwich Recipe
This recipe is super easy and comes together incredibly quickly. You’ll have delicious, hearty sandwiches in just a few minutes and with just a few simple steps.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
Step 2: Cook the Ground Beef
Cook the ground beef, onions, bell peppers, and jalapenos in a large skillet over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink and the onions and pepper are tender. Drain the mixture and return it to the pan. Add garlic and all seasonings and cook for another 2 minutes.
Step 3: Make the Spicy Beef Mixture
Add the tomato sauce and shredded pepper jack cheese, and cook until the cheese is melted.
Step 4: Grill the Buns
Spread mayonnaise on the top and bottom of each of the buns. Then, grill them over medium-high heat in a large frying pan until lightly browned. Place the bottom of the buns on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 5: Make and Bake the Sandwiches
Add a generous amount of the beef mixture to the bottom buns, then top with sliced Colby jack cheese and the top bun. Brush the tops of the buns with melted butter and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Only cook the ground beef until it’s no longer pink. Overcooking the beef will make it rubbery and flavorless.
- Don’t cook your meat on heat any higher than medium. You want the pan hot enough to thoroughly cook the beef without being so hot that it dries out.
- It’s important to grill the buns before adding the ground beef mixture. It will keep the buns from getting soggy.
Variations
- You can use ground pork, turkey, or even chorizo in place of ground beef.
- For a mild version, omit the jalapenos and cayenne pepper.
- Make these sandwiches using toasted Texas toast or French rolls.
What to Serve with Hot Beef Sandwiches
These delicious sandwiches are a spicy, Tex-Mex take on sloppy Joes, so they’re perfect with classic sides like:
- French fries
- Sweet potato fries
- Potato chips
- Baked beans
- Coleslaw
- Mac and cheese
- Potato salad
Recipe FAQ
What goes with hot beef sandwiches?
These sandwiches are essential spicy sloppy Joes, so they’re perfect with all the classic sides that you love with the classic sandwich.
What is the classic hot beef sandwich?
In this context, the classic hot beef sandwich is the sloppy Joe.
Why do you grill buns before adding sandwich meat?
Grilling the buns serves two purposes. First, it adds extra flavor along with a toasted texture. Second, it prevents the buns from getting soggy from the moisture in the filling.
How long will beef sandwiches last in the fridge?
The filling will last for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze leftover beef sandwiches?
You sure can. The meat filling will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Hot Beef Sandwiches
First and foremost, never store pre-made sandwiches if you can get away with it. Instead, store the meat mixture in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Then, heat up the meat mixture when ready to make more sandwiches.
To heat the mixture, place it in a skillet over medium-low heat and cook until heated through.
Try This Delicious Hot Beef Sandwich Recipe Today
This hot beef sandwich recipe is rich, hearty, and delicious. It’s also super easy to make which is a huge bonus. With so much beefy, cheesy flavor and being so easy to make, this is a great recipe you’ll want to try. And once you do, I know you’ll feature it heavily in your lunch and dinner menu rotation for a long, long time.
More Delicious Sandwich Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Sub Sandwich – An ultimate sandwich recipe that is loaded wit roast beef, pastrami, turkey, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, and relish.
Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese – A delicious combination of two different types of sandwiches made right into one. A cheesy sandwich loaded with cheesesteak, bell peppers, and onions.
Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwich – A light, crunchy, and delicious chicken salad recipe that is served on a fluffy croissant.
And, this Best Chicken Sandwich from Deliciously Seasoned. A copycat Chik-Fil-A recipe that is hand battered, fried, and then served on homemade buns.
Hot Beef Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 8 ounce tomato sauce
- 3 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded
- 8 slices Colby Jack cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 8 Ball Park Tailgaters Hawaiian Sweet Buns, or your favorite buns
- ½ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside.
- In a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat, add ground beef, onions, bell peppers, and jalapenos. Cook until meat is no longer pink and onions and peppers are tender. Drain and return to the pan.
- Add garlic and all the seasonings. Stir and cook for two additional minutes.
- Next, add tomato sauce and pepper jack cheese, stir until melted.
- Spread mayonnaise on the top and bottom on each of the buns.
- In a large frying pan over medium high heat, grill the buns until lightly browned (this helps keep the liquid from soaking into the buns). Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Add beef mixture generously on the bottom buns, top with sliced Colby Jack cheese, and finally, the top bun.
- Brush melted butter over the top buns and bake for 12-15 minutes.
- Carefully remove from the oven and enjoy!
Nutrition
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