Open Faced Sloppy Joes – Wahlburger Copycat Recipe
This recipe recreates Wahlburger’s popular Open Faced Sloppy Joes, featuring a savory ground beef mixture topped with creamy canned cheese sauce and crispy homemade onion straws, all served over toasted Texas toast. It’s a hearty and flavorful dish perfect for a comforting meal.
- Prep Time: 40 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Sloppy Joes:
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 cup diced onions
- 3/4 cup tomato puree
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Canned cheese sauce, as needed
- Texas toast, as needed
Burger Sauce:
- 3/4 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp sweet pickle relish
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Onion Straws:
- 1 large onion, sliced thin
- 1–2 cups buttermilk
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- Oil for frying (enough for deep frying)
Instructions
- Prepare Onion Straws: Place thinly sliced onions in a large bowl and cover them with 1-2 cups of buttermilk. Allow them to soak for about 30 minutes to tenderize and add flavor.
- Heat Oil: Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy pot to 350°F (175°C) for frying the onion straws. Ensure the oil is hot enough for proper frying.
- Coat Onions: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, paprika, pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Working in small batches, remove the soaked onions from the buttermilk, toss them in the flour mixture thoroughly to coat, then carefully place them into hot oil. Toss occasionally to ensure even browning.
- Drain Onion Straws: Fry until golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried onion straws to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Repeat the process with remaining onions and set aside.
- Cook Ground Beef: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef with diced onions until browned and fully cooked. Drain any excess fat.
- Add Sloppy Joe Sauce: Stir in tomato puree, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to the beef mixture. Simmer gently until thickened and flavors meld, about 10-15 minutes.
- Prepare Burger Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together mayo, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, vinegar, and pepper until combined. Set aside.
- Toast Bread: Toast Texas toast slices until golden and slightly crispy on the edges. This can be done in a toaster or on a skillet.
- Assemble Open Faced Sloppy Joes: Place toasted Texas toast on plates. Spoon generous amounts of the sloppy joe beef mixture over the toast slices. Drizzle or dollop canned cheese sauce over the beef.
- Top with Onion Straws and Sauce: Add a handful of crispy onion straws on top of the cheese sauce, then drizzle some burger sauce over or serve on the side for added flavor.
- Serve: Serve immediately while warm and enjoy this hearty, flavorful open-faced sandwich.
Notes
- Be sure oil is at proper temperature (350°F) before frying onion straws to ensure crispiness and prevent sogginess.
- You can adjust sweetness and tanginess in the sloppy joe sauce by modifying the amount of brown sugar and vinegar.
- The canned cheese sauce adds a creamy texture, but you can substitute with homemade cheese sauce if preferred.
- Leftover sloppy joe mixture can be refrigerated and reheated later for easy meals.
- For a spicier kick, add a dash of hot sauce or cayenne powder to the sloppy joe mixture or burger sauce.
- These open-faced sloppy joes pair well with a side of coleslaw or a simple green salad.
Keywords: Open Faced Sloppy Joes, Wahlburger copycat, sloppy joe recipe, onion straws, comfort food, American sandwich, ground beef sandwich
