For a fun twist on cheeseburgers try these cheeseburger sub sandwiches! The seasoned beef is combined with cheddar cheese for a rich filling ready for all of your favorite toppings. This is sure to be your next family favorite!
This quick and easy dinner is perfect for the family meal rotation and will have everyone running to the table! No grilling required, these cheeseburger subs are a year-round alternative to classic cheeseburgers.
Skillet meals are great for busy weeknight dinners. Try these Ground Pork Tacos or this Thai Basil Beef and Green Beans stir fry for some other speedy and delicious options.
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Ingredients
The list of ingredients for the cheeseburger filling is pretty short, but there are loads of toppings that you might want to add. Check out the ideas below.
I include ingredient notes here when I think they’ll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
For the filling:
- Lean (90%) ground beef: Using lean beef makes prep easy so that you don't have to drain the fat from the skillet. What remains is the the right amount for building the sauce.
- All-purpose flour: This is used to thicken the filling. This way, your beef doesn't fall out of the bun and it stays moist and coated with flavor.
- Beef broth: Along with the flour and cheese this helps build a saucy gravy to coat the ground beef.
- Worcestershire sauce: Full of umami, this ingredient adds rich flavor to the filling.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: I love the deep flavor of sharp cheddar, but feel free to swap it with mild cheddar, pepper jack for a little spice, or swiss if you want a flavor twist.
- Brat or sausage rolls: You want a roll that is heftier than a hot dog bun so that it can hold all of your filling and toppings. A french roll would also be a great option.
For the special sauce:
- Mayonnaise: Mayo helps to build a creamy base for the special sauce.
- Barbecue Sauce: I love the smoky notes and sweetness to balance out the salty cheese and bacon.
- Apple cider vinegar: The acidity helps to cut through the rich filling.
Toppings:
- Bacon, ketchup, sliced tomato, shredded lettuce, mustard, pickles, avocado, you name it! If you'd put it on a cheeseburger you can add it to these cheeseburger subs.
Prepare the Toppings and Special Sauce
Gather up your ketchup, mustard, and pickles and prep your veggies. I love finely shredded iceberg lettuce on top of my subs for that crisp, cool crunch. I think tomato slices tuck easily into the side of the rolls, but diced tomatoes are great for sprinkling over the top as well.
Crisp up the bacon in a skillet over medium heat and drain it on paper towels or a brown paper bag. Drain the fat and wipe out the skillet for cooking the filling.
For maximum filling and toppings, scoop out the excess bread from your rolls and toast them to warm them up.
For the special sauce, gather the mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, onion powder, and apple cider vinegar.
Whisk to combine and serve in a small bowl or add the sauce to a squeeze bottle for easy use.
Prepare the Cheeseburger Filling
Start by browning the beef over medium-high heat in the same skillet as you used for the bacon. Then add in the flour and cook it for one minute, stirring to coat the beef.
Add in the beef broth and stir, scraping the bottom of the skillet, for 3 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce and cook for about 3 more minutes.
Add the cheese and stir to combine and melt the cheese into the sauce.
Set the filling aside and off the heat.
Build your Best Sandwich
I like to bring the rolls stuffed with the filling to the table on a platter and let everyone build their best subs with their favorite toppings.
Substitutions
This recipe has plenty of flexibility with the ingredients to suit special dietary needs or preferences. Change the variety of toppings to suit your family or guests and make the changes to the filling noted below.
- Make it Vegetarian - Substitute plant-based beef crumbles or ground beef for the standard ground beef. Soy sauce is a good swap for the Worcestershire sauce. Use vegetable stock in place of the beef stock. Omit the bacon or use a vegetarian substitute.
- Make it Dairy Free - Use vegan shredded cheese in place of the sharp cheddar.
Make Ahead Options
If you know that you'll need this dinner in a hurry, you can make the cheeseburger filling ahead of time and simply warm it up in the microwave or stovetop. A bit of water or additional beef broth or stock may be needed to loosen up the filling.
Much like this Antipasto Salad, you can have all of the veggies chopped and toppings prepared ahead of time and have dinner on the table in about 10 minutes.
Storage
Store the toppings separately in air-tight containers in the refrigerator. The cheeseburger filling can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Top tip
Use precooked bacon to really speed up the prep time for these subs. Just a minute or so in the microwave and you have crispy bacon ready to top your sandwich!
FAQ
Absolutely! You can easily double (or triple) this recipe to feed a crowd and have a toppings "buffet" with some other creative options. Display all of the standard burger condiments and toppings for guests to use. Make ultimate cheeseburger subs by offering avocado slices, pepperoncini, blue cheese crumbles, crispy fried onions, and more!
Yes, if you'll be eating them shortly after preparation. Wrap the cheeseburger subs in parchment and slice them in half for easy eating. Then wrap the whole sandwich in foil to keep it warm. They make great handheld dinners when wrapped this way.
I love to make tis an easy meal, so I stick with potato chips and maybe some veggie sticks. French fries, potato salad, cole slaw, fruit salad, or baked beans would make great sides too.
More Quick Stovetop Recipes
These are all great options for big flavor in short order.
Try It and Share
I hope you try these cheeseburger subs and share the recipe with family or friends. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
Recipe
Quick and Easy Bacon Cheeseburger Subs With Special Sauce
Ingredients
Cheeseburger Sub Filling
- 1 lb lean ground beef (90% lean )
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 5 oz. shredded sharp cheddar
- 6 brat or sausage rolls (or other sandwich rolls)
Toppings
- 6 slices bacon
- 4 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
- 1½ cups iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 4 tablespoon yellow mustard
- ¼ cup sliced pickles
Special Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup barbecue sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Prepare the cheeseburger sub toppings.
- Grill or warm the rolls and split them down one side. Scoop out the extra bread inside the roll if desired.
- Stir together the special sauce ingredients in a small bowl and spread on both sides of the rolls.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it reaches the desired level of crispness. Drain on a kitchen towel or paper bag and dispose of the bacon drippings.
- Wipe out the skillet and then brown the ground beef over medium-high heat and break into small pieces. When no liquid remains, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the beef broth and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan, for 3 minutes.
- Add in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce and cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir in the cheese until melted and set the mixture aside.
- Fill each roll with the meat filling and top with bacon and any other desired toppings. Serve immediately.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts caculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Cassie @ Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says
Share your favorite toppings for these cheeseburger subs and please ask if you have any questions about the recipe.
Natalie says
Made this tonight and the whole family agreed it was 5 stars! Easy to pull together for a weeknight. Great flavor in the meat and the special sauce, we all loved it and will add this into our regular rotation. Thank you!
Cassie Waltman says
Yay! So glad it was a hit with you and the gamily. Thanks for giving it a try!