Crock Pot Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes are great for dinner idea! This slow cooker recipe is super easy to make and perfect for feeding a crowd, with very little prep involved. Plus, it’s full of savory Philly cheesesteak flavor!
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A Mouthwatering Combo of Two Family Favorites!
During the holidays (let’s be honest, anytime), I use my Crock-Pot Slow Cooker every chance I get. As someone who loves cooking for friends, there’s honestly nothing better than being able to relax and catch up while my slow cooker does the work! These Crock Pot Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes bring together two of my favorite family meals in one: Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches and Homemade Sloppy Joes.
This is delicious and low-key, hands-free comfort food that’s loaded with flavor and mouthwatering texture. These easy sloppy joe sandwiches are my go-to meal for casual dinner parties, holiday entertaining, game day… Really, whenever we’re craving something saucy and savory.
This Dish Is…
- Crazy easy. It doesn’t get better than a dump-and-go crock pot recipe. Just prep ahead, then leave your dinner to cook itself! No oven, and hardly any clean-up.
- Crazy delicious. Two savory, saucy sandwiches come together in a single crock pot. Enough said!
- Perfect for a crowd. Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes are an easy, hands-free dinner to make when having company over. This recipe makes a big batch, so no one leaves hungry!
- Easy to scale. Not feeding the masses? Scale the recipe back to enjoy as an easy weeknight meal with the family.
What Ingredients Do I Need?
So, what’s in a Philly cheesesteak sloppy joes sauce? I’ve rounded up the short list of ingredients below, and be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full details:
- Lean Ground Beef: I recommend using the leanest ground beef you can find. This way your crock pot sloppy joes won’t turn out overly greasy.
- Bell Peppers: Of course, you’ll need the classic green bell peppers that you’d find in Philly cheesesteak. For extra color, I add a combination of sliced red and yellow bell peppers, too.
- Onion: Thinly slice a large white onion.
- Steak Seasoning: Use your favorite brand of steak spice from your local spice aisle.
- Brown Gravy: Any ready-made brown gravy or gravy mix will work.
- Tomato Paste: The combination of tomato paste, steak seasoning, and gravy really recreates the flavors of both a Philly cheesesteak and Sloppy Joes.
- Cornstarch: Optional, to thicken the sauce.
- Provolone Cheese: I top my Philly cheesesteak-inspired sloppy joes with a slice of melty provolone cheese.
How to Make Crockpot Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
Once your veggies are prepped, this recipe is virtually hands-free:
- Chuck all the ingredients into your Crock-Pot® Slow Cooker. Don’t bother breaking up the beef or anything for now, you’ll do that a bit later on.
- Set the pot to cook for 4-6 hours on high, or 8-10 hours on low.
- Break up the ground beef about halfway through the cooking time. Use a wooden spoon so that you don’t scratch the crock.
- Serve. Load your saucy Philly cheesesteak sloppy joes between toasty hamburger buns and top them with Provolone slices, and dig in! Check out the section further down for easy sides.
Can I Make This on the Stove?
Yes, this sloppy joes recipe can be made on the stove instead:
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet, add the remaining ingredients.
- Simmer for 15 -20 minutes, covered.
- Add a splash of water or broth if the meat mixture seems dry during the simmering stage.
Tips and Hacks
Some bonus tips and tricks when making sloppy joes in the crock pot:
- Use very lean ground beef. Make sure to use extra lean ground beef when making this recipe. Ground turkey is also a good lean alternative. As you won’t be draining the ground meat, it’s important that the meat has the least amount of fat possible.
- Thicken with cornstarch. If you find that your sloppy joes are on the runny side, spoon out some of the liquid and mix this with cornstarch to form a slurry. Pour it back into the Crock-Pot and cook for another 45 minutes-ish, or until the sauce is thickened to your liking.
- Don’t serve on buns, serve your Philly cheesesteak sloppy joes as chili with chips or Fritos!
- Serve sloppy joes over another starch, like mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice.
Side Dish Ideas
There are SO many options when it comes to serving Philly cheesesteak sloppy joes. Here are some easy sides that share the table whenever I make it for the family, or for a hungry crowd:
- The Ultimate Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- Butter Swim Biscuits
- Easy Homemade Crescent Rolls
- Fluffy Sour Cream Cornbread
- Spicy Frito Corn Salad
- Homemade Fall Cole Slaw
Storing and Reheating Crockpot Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
This sloppy joes recipe makes a large batch, so feel free to halve it if you’re just feeding the fam. Leftovers are also easy to store airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days. Simply reheat portions in the microwave, or in a skillet on the stove.
If you do make a big batch, see below for how to freeze sloppy joes for longer storage.
Freezer-Friendly Storage
Once your Philly cheesesteak sloppy joes have cooled, seal the mixture in an airtight container or gallon freezer bag. These sloppy joes can be kept frozen for up to 30 days. Whenever you’re ready to serve, thaw the sloppy joes in the fridge overnight, then reheat them on the stove (or place them back into the crock pot!).
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Crock Pot Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Crock Pot
- Cuisine: American
Description
Crock Pot Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes are great for casual entertaining! This slow cooker recipe is super easy to make and perfect for feeding a crowd. Plus, they’re full of savory Philly cheesesteak flavor!
Ingredients
- 4 pounds very lean ground beef
- 2 red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 2 green or yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
- 1 large onion, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons steak seasoning
- 1/2 cup brown gravy
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- *optional – 2 tablespoons corn starch
- sliced Provolone cheese
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into your 5-6 quart Crock-Pot®.
- Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours. Halfway through the cooking process break up the ground beef with a wooden spoon.
- If the liquid is too thin, remove 2 – 3 tablespoons of liquid from the Crock-Pot® and combine it with 2 tablespoons of corn starch. Pour this back into the Crock-Pot® and stir. Cook for an additional 45 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Serve on hamburger buns with a slice of Provolone cheese.
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PIN for later:
I’m going to attempt this with no tomato paste and adjustments — my friend Carol is allergic to tomatoes and if I can make this friendly to her, I’d like to share it. We’re making it when my pepper-hating daughter is away for the weekend. Some things I’ll try–squeezing excess water from the peppers/onions before crocking them (if there’s less water to start with, there’s less chance of needing to thicken). Oh, and I’ll maybe use half the water when I make the brown gravy from a mix (I hate jarred/canned gravy). So less water there, too. This is an amazing idea and it’ll be on my blog next week.
This is an abomination. There is not one thing about this that is like a cheesesteak. Please do not call these “Philly Cheesesteak” sloppy joes. This may fly in New Jersey, but you’d get snowballs thrown at you for this in Philly.