Take classic sloppy joes, add some cream cheese and Colby Jack or Cheddar on top, and you have this delicious, cheesy Sloppy Joe Dip. It works in a skillet or a baking dish and is great with big scooping corn chips. You’ll chop an onion and a green pepper and grate the cheese, and everything else is simple pantry ingredients. Takes about 40 minutes start to finish!
My boys loved sloppy joes when they were growing up, and I did too, because, as a young, single mom, anything quick and cheap was on my list. I used the can of Manwich® sauce, and we could usually get two meals out of one pound of ground beef. Of course, then they became teenagers, and you know how that goes.
Anyway, this dip is a little more involved than pulling out a can of sauce, but I promise you won’t be sorry you took the extra time. The flavor is amazing, and it’s way better than the can. There’s plenty of cheese to give it a satisfying chip-and-dip experience.
Testing results for sloppy joe dip
- I tried different cheeses for this recipe (Cheddar, Monterey Jack, American) and settled on Colby Jack for the flavor. My grandkids love it.
- We’ve made this dip with ground turkey and ground chicken, and while both are ok if you’re trying to avoid red meat, we definitely prefer the real deal here.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Sloppy Joe Dip Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small sweet onion, finely diced
- 1 small green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon (¾ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon) kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 4 ounces full fat cream cheese, cubed and softened
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions, for garnish
- Scoopable corn chips or sturdy tortilla chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 small sweet onion, finely diced, and 1 small green bell pepper, finely diced. Cook until the vegetables are soft and slightly golden, about 5 minutes.
- Slide the vegetables to the edges of the skillet and add 1 pound lean ground beef to the open side of the skillet. Cook, breaking the meat into small crumbles, until no pink remains, about 5-7 minutes. Spoon off excess fat, leaving only a light coating in the pan.
- Stir the vegetables back into the beef so everything is combined. Season the beef with 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for 1 minute*. Add ½ cup ketchup, 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and glossy. Cook until the mixture is thick enough to leave a line when you drag a spoon through it, about 5-7 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add 4 ounces full fat cream cheese, cubed and softened and stir until fully melted and smooth. Stir in ¼ cup sour cream.
- Smooth the top of the dip with a wooden spoon or spatula. Sprinkle 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese evenly over the surface. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the edges are bubbling. For browned spots on top, you can broil for 1-2 minutes, watching closely to prevent overbrowning.
- Let the skillet rest for 5 minutes, allowing the dip to thicken slightly. Garnish with 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions, for garnish. Serve warm right from the skillet with large corn chips or sturdy tortilla chips. ENJOY!
