Craving your own New York style chopped cheese sandwich, but can’t make it to a bodega to buy one? This quick and easy chopped cheese sandwich recipe is the best way to make it at home quickly and easily. You’ll love this seasoned ground beef sandwich coated with melted American cheese on a toasted hero roll, all topped off with tomato, lettuce, ketchup, and mayo.
Chopped Cheese Sandwich
This is literally the easiest and tastiest sandwich. This NYC-style chopped cheese sandwich is sort of a burger, sort of a sandwich, and 100% mouthwatering and delicious. This sandwich is a classic NY delicacy that originated in bodegas in the Bronx and Harlem.
The beef is seasoned and cooked perfectly, the creamy American cheese melts onto every chunk of beef, the sauteed onions add the perfect texture and flavor, the crisp lettuce and juicy tomatoes add freshness, and the creamy tangy combination of mayo and ketchup just take the flavors to the next level in the soft, toasted hero roll.
This sandwich is melt-in-your-mouth good and will quickly become a family favorite. It’s the ultimate comfort food.
Definitely be prepared for everyone to ask you to make this simple meal again and again! This famous New York chop cheese sandwich recipe is quick and easy, and it really is as good as it sounds.
Ingredients:
Hoagie Rolls: These rolls are soft and fluffy, but they’re still sturdy enough to hold all of the filling. You can also use hot dog rolls if that’s all you can find.
Butter: Toasting the rolls with butter gives them the best taste and texture, and cooking the onions in butter gives them the best flavor.
Yellow Onion: Sauteed onions add a subtle sweetness that balances out the savory beef, and it adds another layer of texture.
Ground Chuck Beef: Using 80/20 ground beef (meaning it contains 80% lean meat and 20% fat) gives you the best, most flavorful, juiciest results. If you use less than 85/15 your beef will likely taste a bit dry.
Sea Salt, Black Pepper, and Garlic Powder: Salt enhances all of the other flavors in this dish, pepper adds a bit of spice that helps balance out the richness of the beef, and garlic powder adds an aromatic, savory flavor.
American Cheese: This is the classic cheese choice for a chopped cheese sandwich. It’s creamy and melts easily, which makes it perfect for this sandwich.
Iceberg Lettuce: This adds a fresh, crisp layer of flavor and texture, which helps balance out the rich flavors in this meal.
Beefsteak Tomato: This adds a fresh, juicy, flavorful layer to this dish. They’re a little bit sweet, and a little bit tangy, which helps balance out the rich flavors.
Ketchup and Mayo: The combination of mayonnaise and ketchup creates a creamy, tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with this sandwich.
How To Make Chopped Cheese Sandwich
Prepare the rolls: Start by spreading butter on your hoagie rolls and toasting them until they’re golden brown. Set them aside for later. (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)
Prepare the filling: In the same pan, melt some butter and saute your onions until they start to turn translucent. Add your ground beef to the pan, season it, and let it sear.
Chop the beef into chunks and mix with the onions.
Melt the cheese: Once your beef and onions are cooked, divide them into portions that match the shape of your buns. Top each portion with American cheese and cover until the cheese is fully melted.
Assemble the sandwich: Spread mayo on both the top and bottom sides of your toasted buns. Load the bottom bun with your cheesy beef and onion mix, top with lettuce and tomato, and add a dollop of ketchup to the top bun. Press the two halves together, and serve. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
Pro Tips
- Use 80/20 Beef: For the best flavor and juiciness, I really recommend using 80/20 ground chuck beef. It’s the perfect ratio of meat to fat for this dish. I definitely wouldn’t recommend using anything leaner than 85/15, or you run the risk of your beef tasting dry.
- Don’t Skip Toast the Buns: Toasting your hoagie rolls with a bit of butter until they’re golden brown gives them a bit of a crunch and elevates the flavor.
- Use American Cheese: For a classic chopped cheese sandwich, you need to use American cheese. It’s so melty, ooey-gooey, and absolutely perfect in this sandwich. If you don’t like American cheese, you can experiment with other cheeses, like cheddar or provolone, but it won’t be quite the same.
- Season Well: Don’t be shy with your seasoning. I sometimes even double the amount of seasoning that I have listed in the recipe card, but I tend to like things heavily seasoned, so I’ve written the recipe card to match what most people prefer. Feel free to season to taste!
- Don’t Rush: Even though this is a relatively quick and easy recipe, make sure you don’t rush the cooking process. Letting the onions properly saute and the beef brown makes such a big difference in the finished flavor.
What Is The Difference Between Chopped Cheese And Cheesesteak?
These two sandwiches are both near and dear to my heart. They’re sort of similar, but distinctly different. A chopped cheese sandwich is a New York sandwich made with ground beef that’s been chopped up on a griddle, mixed with caramelized onions, topped with American cheese, and finished off with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and ketchup. On the other hand, a cheesesteak is a Philadelphia sandwich made from thinly sliced steak, sliced onion and bell pepper, and topped off with melted provolone cheese or Cheez Whiz.
Is A Chopped Cheese Just A Burger?
It’s kind of similar to a deconstructed burger, but it really tastes more like a mixture between a burger and a cheesesteak. As it cooks, the ground beef gets chopped up (thus the name), and caramelized onions get mixed in. Then it’s topped with melted American cheese, and finished off with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mayo on a toasted bun.
Why Is It Called Chopped Cheese?
The name refers to the fact that the beef gets chopped up on the griddle as it cooks. After it sears for a bit, it starts getting chopped up into chunks before mixing it with the sauteed onions and coating it with cheese.
What Is Usually On A Chopped Cheese?
The main ingredients of a classic chopped cheese sandwich are ground beef, sauteed onions, melted American cheese, and a toasted hero roll. Then it’s all topped off with mayo, ketchup, lettuce, and tomatoes. It’s a super flavorful, easy, and delicious sandwich!
What Kind Of Cheese Can I Use If I Don’t Have American Cheese?
American cheese is definitely the classic choice for a chopped cheese sandwich, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can try using any cheese that melts well. Cheddar, provolone, mozzarella, or even pepper jack would all work.
Make Ahead Instructions
You can make the beef and onions in advance and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, just reheat the filling in a skillet, melt the cheese on top, and assemble your sandwiches.
Storing And Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat it in a skillet over medium heat until it’s warmed through.
Keep In Touch
I’d love to hear what you thought of this recipe in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime
Sandwich And Burger Recipes
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out all of our other sandwich and burger recipes. Some reader favorites are:
- Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
- Ham and Cheese Sliders
- Travis Scott Burger
- Cheeseburger Sliders
- Black Bean Burgers
- Breakfast Sliders
BEST Chopped Cheese Sandwich Recipe {NYC Bodega Sandwich}
Make a quick and easy New York style chopped cheese sandwich at home when you can’t make it to a bodega to buy one.
Ingredients
Buns:
- 4 hoagie rolls (submarine buns)
- Softened butter (optional)
Filling:
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 medium yellow onion (sliced thin)
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck beef 80/20 (medium ground beef)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 slices thick American cheese
Toppings:
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 beefsteak tomato (cut into 1/4” thick rounds)
- Ketchup (to taste)
- Mayo (to taste)
Instructions
- Spread a thin layer of butter on the cut side of the Hoagie buns all the way to the edges.
- Heat a large lidded nonstick skillet between medium to medium-high heat (you’ll use the lid later). Place the buns buttered side down and toast until golden brown. Check after a minute, then monitor every 10 seconds until they’re golden brown. Remove the buns from the pan, and set aside. You can cover them with a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm if you'd like.
- Add the Tablespoon of butter to the pan, and swirl to melt and coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onions and saute until they start to turn translucent (about 4 minutes), then move them over to one side of the pan.
- Next, add the ground beef to the pan as one large hamburger patty. Season the top side with half of the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Allow the beef to sear for 3-4 minutes, then flip over and sear for another 3 minutes.
- Begin to chop the beef up into chunks, using the bottom edge of a spatula. Once broken up, sprinkle the remaining salt, pepper, and garlic powder over the beef, and start mixing in the onions. Continue to cook until the beef is no longer pink (about 5 minutes). Drain off and discard the grease, then return the skillet back to the stove.
- Divide the beef and onions into 2 long equal portions in the pan that match the width and shape of the bun.
- Remove the pan from the heat, then place 4 slices of American cheese on top of each mound, cover with a lid, and let it rest until the cheese has fully melted (about 2 minutes).
- Spread mayo on both the top and bottom sides of the buns. Spread half of each mound of beef on the bottom half of one bun, top with lettuce and tomato, then add ketchup to the top half. Repeat with the remaining buns.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 906Total Fat: 44.7gCarbohydrates: 59.8gFiber: 3gSugar: 10.3gProtein: 63.1g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
I hope you and your family enjoy this authentic New York City chopped cheese sandwich as much as I do. It’s a quick, easy, and delicious sandwich that’s perfect for any meal!
