These Open Face Burgers resemble homemade sloppy joes but taste more like your traditional cheeseburger recipe! They’re perfect for a quick dinner recipe on busy weeknights and loved by kids and adults alike!
If you’re looking for a quick ground beef dinner, a creative way to use leftover hamburger buns, or simply a new family-friendly meal to add to your rotation, these open face burgers are worth trying.
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They’re also a fantastic way to stretch ingredients and make a hearty meal without spending a lot of money. In today’s world, finding dinners that are both affordable and family-approved can feel like a challenge, which makes recipes like this even more valuable. Simple, affordable, and everyone actually eats them; what more could you ask for in a recipe?
Why You’ll Love These Open Face Burgers
I’ll be honest with you; I almost didn’t post this recipe because the photos aren’t too appetizing. I mean, aside from the fact that photography is a weak point with me, it’s just not a photogenic food!
But I decided to go ahead and share this open-faced burger recipe anyways for a couple of reasons:
- They’re perfect for an easy, cheap, and quick dinner
- It’s a great way to use up leftovers
- The ground beef mixture can be made ahead of time and frozen for easy freezer meals
- It’s a great way to sneak veggies in with its endless variations
- They’re the nostalgic vibe of sloppy joes with all the flavors of a tasty cheeseburger
- No need to fire up the grill with this stovetop recipe
Whether you call them open face burgers or cheeseburger sloppy joes, we’ll just let your family call them whatever they want after they get hooked on them!
Ingredients You’ll Need
One of the great things about these open face burgers is that they use simple ingredients that many families already have in their kitchen. There’s nothing fancy required, yet the finished dish delivers all the comforting flavors of a classic cheeseburger. Here’s what you’ll need to have dinner ready in no time:
- Ground Beef
- Onion
- Cornstarch
- Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Cheddar Cheese
- Burger Buns
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Oregano
- Salt and Pepper
Tips and Tricks for the Best Open Face Burgers
Ingredients Substitutions
Delicious Variations
Serving Suggestions
How to Store and Reheat
Open Face Burgers FAQs
How to Make Open Face Burgers
Start by heating up a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 pound of ground beef and 2 tablespoons of chopped yellow onion. Cook, occasionally stirring, until the meat is no longer pink.
Then add the following ingredients to your ground beef mixture:
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 plum tomatoes, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Mix it all together well and cook for about 5 minutes or until it’s slightly thickened. The cornstarch will help it thicken up, so it isn’t all runny when you try to add it to your hamburger buns.
Then add about 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese to your meat mixture and stir until it’s melted. Remove from heat and set aside for a couple of minutes.
Take 4 hamburger buns and split them in half. On a baking sheet, lay your hamburger buns cut side up. Then spoon your hamburger mixture evenly over all 8 bun halves.
Top each with about 1 tablespoon of cheddar cheese grated.
Put in the broiler until cheese melts. You want to be really careful watching them while you’re broiling because it only takes about 30 seconds to go from “oh my gosh, they look perfect!” to “oh crap, they’re burnt and now we have no dinner!”.
I put my oven rack about 6-8″ from the heating coils and 4 minutes was perfect for me. Your meat is already hot; you just want to toast up those buns and melt that cheese!
Substitutions and Tips for Open Face Cheeseburgers
- If you don’t feel like chopping an onion for only 2 tablespoons, you can substitute it with 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder what I like to do, though, is to buy a bag of frozen chopped onions. It comes in handy for your favorite recipes like this that don’t need an entire onion!
- You can also substitute the minced garlic for 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- I adore tomatoes and put them in everything, but you can always leave them out if you aren’t a fan. If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, you can use a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes instead (drained).
- Recipes like this are perfect for adding in extra veggies. I’ve added chopped mushrooms, diced green pepper, grated carrots, and even chopped spinach before! Fried onion rings can also be added for an additional flavor and texture.
- You can really use whatever flavor of cheese you prefer for this recipe. Swiss cheese would work well in this dish as well. You can even skip the shredded cheese on top and just put a slice on top to melt.
- We have 4 people in our family, so if I buy hamburger rolls for one meal, there are always some leftovers! This is a great recipe to use them up before they go bad! I’ve even used hot dog rolls for this recipe! Just tear them apart down the middle and pile the meat mixture on top the same way.
- If you want to make these ahead, the meat mixture freezes beautifully. Follow the directions to cook it through in the skillet . Let cool and then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Although, if you have a vacuum sealer, you can get even longer out of it! This is great to have on-hand for a quick, last-minute meal!
Looking for more Dinner/Lunch recipes
Check out these dinner/lunch recipes! Whether you’re in a rush or just want something different, these recipes will have you cooking in no time.
- Crack Zucchini Bites
- Pesto Chicken Roll-ups
- Melt In Your Mouth Chicken
- Pesto Caprese Baked Chicken
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Grilled Ham and Pear Sandwich
- Shrimp Cakes with Lemon Tartar Sauce
- Irish Bangers and Onion Gravy
Baked Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 2 Tbsp. Onion chopped
- 2 tsp. Cornstarch
- 2 Plum Tomatoes diced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tsp. Oregano dried
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 4 Hamburger Rolls
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook ground beef and diced onion over medium heat. Stir occasionally and cook until meat is no longer pink.
- Sprinkle cornstarch over cooked meat and stir in. Add diced tomatoes, garlic, Worestershire sauce, oregano and salt. Stir well to combine and cook for about 5 minutes or until it is slightly thickened.
- Add 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese and stir well to combine. Cook for another minute or so until the cheese is melted.
- Split the hamburger buns in half. Place the split buns on a cookie sheet with the cut side up. Divide the meat among the 8 halves of the buns. Top each one with 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese.
- Broil for about 4 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Wrapping Up
With just a handful of simple ingredients, these open face burgers show how with just a few minutes of cooking time, you can create a meal that’s hearty, satisfying, and packed with classic cheeseburger flavor. Whether you’re feeding a busy family, looking for an affordable weeknight dinner, or simply trying to use up ingredients you already have on hand, this recipe delivers all the flavor without the fuss.
One of the best things about this dish is how easy it is to make your own. Try swapping the cheddar for Swiss, pepper jack, or mozzarella. Add sautéed mushrooms and onions for extra flavor, or top your burgers with crispy bacon for an indulgent twist. You can even use ground turkey or chicken if you’re looking for a lighter option. The possibilities are nearly endless, which means this recipe never has to feel repetitive.
I always love hearing how readers customize recipes, so if you make these open face burgers, be sure to leave a comment and share your favorite variations. Did you add extra toppings? Try a different cheese? Turn them into a family favorite? Your ideas might inspire other readers to put their own spin on the recipe.
I hope these open face burgers become a regular part of your dinner rotation and help make busy weeknights just a little bit easier and a lot more delicious. Happy cooking!
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
Looking for more new ways to use ground beef? Check out these simple and delicious recipes!
- Easy Crockpot Meatballs Appetizer
- Cheesecake Factory Copycat Meatloaf
- Classic Lasagna
- Chili Mac Casserole
- Shepherd’s Pie
