Sloppy Joe Hot Dogs (With cheese sauce) 

Say hello to Sloppy Joe Hot Dogs. We load up brioche buns with a grilled hot dog then top with homemade sloppy Joe and a gooey cheese sauce. This is how you take your hot dog game to the next level!

Ingredients You Need to Make This Recipe

How to Make Sloppy Joe Hot Dogs

Making Your Sloppy Joe

We're not opening a can-this is scratch-made sloppy Joe, and once you taste it, you'll never go back.

Here's how to do it:

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté diced yellow onion. Season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder or hit it with my All Day rub.

Once the onions are soft (about 5-10 minutes), add in your ground beef. Use a wooden spoon to break it up while it cooks. Season with BBQ rub (All Night is perfect here).

Once the beef is browned and cooked through, add in ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Stir everything together and let it simmer on low for a few minutes so the flavors meld.

You now have a homemade sloppy Joe mix that blows the store-bought stuff out of the water. Got leftovers? Use them for sliders, tacos, or just grab a spoon and go to town.

Making Cheese Sauce 

To make homemade Cheese Whiz using American cheese, start by tearing or chopping about 8 ounces of deli-style American cheese into small pieces so it melts easily.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, then stir in ½ cup of whole milk. 

Gradually add the cheese, stirring constantly until it's fully melted and smooth. If the sauce seems too thin, you can whisk in about ½ teaspoon of cornstarch to help thicken it up.

If the sauce seems too thick add a little more milk until your desired consistency. 

Grilling the Hot Dogs and Buns

Fire up a griddle or skillet and cook your hot dogs on medium-high heat until nicely browned and heated through-just a couple minutes each side.

Split your brioche hot dog buns down the center (but don't cut all the way through). Butter the inside lightly and toast them open-faced until golden.

Assembling the Sloppy Joe Dogs

Now for the fun part. Lay the toasted buns open and place your hot dogs inside.

Spoon a generous heap of your sloppy Joe mixture right on top of each hot dog. Then hit them with a nice spoonful of that melted cheese.

Optional: Garnish with chives or jalapeños if you're feeling extra. But honestly-they're perfect just the way they are.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Store any leftover Sloppy Joe dogs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, pop them in the oven at 350°F for about 5-8 minutes.

Or use the air fryer if you want that crispy edge back. Microwave works too-but you'll miss out on the crunch.

Looking for More Creative Hot Dog Recipes?

Print