Description
A quick and comforting ground beef dinner inspired by the rich, caramelized flavors of French onion soup, transformed into a handheld sloppy joe sandwich.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 recommended)
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced (about 14 oz / 400g)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup low sodium beef broth (240ml)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 packet French onion soup mix (or 2 tablespoons homemade blend)
- ½ cup ketchup (120ml)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste (start with ½ teaspoon salt)
- 4–6 sturdy sandwich buns (brioche or potato buns recommended)
- 4–6 slices Swiss cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add thinly sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Stir frequently and cook slowly for about 15-20 minutes until onions are soft, sweet, and caramelized.
- Push onions to one side of the skillet. Add ground beef and break it up with a spoon. Cook over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes until browned and no longer pink. Drain excess fat if desired, leaving about a tablespoon for flavor.
- Stir in minced garlic and French onion soup mix. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and Dijon mustard. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the beef and onions. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Lightly toast the sandwich buns. Spoon a generous amount of the beef mixture onto the bottom halves of the buns. Top with a slice of Swiss cheese if using, then place the bun tops on. For melty cheese, broil assembled sandwiches for 1-2 minutes, watching closely.
- Serve hot with your favorite sides such as oven-roasted fries or a crisp green salad.
Notes
[‘Don’t rush caramelizing the onions; low and slow cooking brings out the best flavor.’, ‘Leave a tablespoon of beef fat when browning for extra flavor.’, ‘Add a pinch of brown sugar if onions aren’t sweet enough.’, ‘Use fresh garlic for best taste; avoid jarred garlic.’, ‘Toast buns to prevent sogginess and add texture.’, ‘The filling freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before reheating.’, ‘For a lighter version, swap ground beef with ground turkey or chicken and add broth to keep moist.’, ‘Add mushrooms with onions for extra earthiness.’, ‘Broil sandwiches briefly for melty cheese.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 22
Keywords: French onion, sloppy joes, ground beef, easy dinner, caramelized onions, comfort food, quick meal