Best Chopped Cheese Sandwiches (New York Style Beef Chopped Cheese Recipe)

New York City’s Chopped Cheese Sandwich with chopped beef burgers, melted gooey cheese, caramelized onions, topped with tomatoes and shredded lettuces, and hugged by a toasted hero roll. This is the classic way to make the iconic NYC chopped cheese. It reminds me of Philly cheesesteak, but even better!

This quick and easy chopped cheese is one of my favorite sandwiches for a simple lunch. You can make them at home in less than 30 minutes! It tastes just like the authentic chopped cheese sandwich from NYC.

My family loves sandwiches and burgers like Travis Scott Burger, Zinger Burger, and this delicious chopped cheese sandwich. This recipe is so easy to make and incredibly satisfying.

What is Chopped Cheese?

The chopped cheese sandwich originated from small one-stop shops known as bodega in New York City.

A Chopped Cheese is basically a burger turned into a sandwich. It starts with beef burger patties and onions, which are chopped up while on the grill into small pieces.

American Cheese slices are added on top and melted before the mixture is transferred to a hero bun and dressed with the toppings of your choosing (typically lettuce and tomatoes). It’s a quick and delicious on-the-go meal.

Ingredients for Chopped Cheese Sandwich

• Burger Patties or Ground Beef: If you make burger patties from scratch with ground beef, we recommend 80/20 ground chuck beef for a moist, juicy burger. This ground beef is 80% lean, 20% fat – perfect for burger patties that won’t dry out, but aren’t too fatty, either.
• Oil: For frying the onions. You can use vegetable oil or olive oil.
• Onion: It Adds caramelized flavor to the sandwich.
• Salt and Pepper: For seasoning.
• American Cheese: We recommend using American cheese for an authentic taste. Alternatively, you can use other types of cheese such as cheez whiz, mozzarella, or cheddar cheese.
• Hero Rolls: Use hero rolls for the best result, but you can substitute hoagie buns or other bread rolls. Looking for bread that’s crusty on the outside and soft on the inside.
• Mayonnaise: Spread a thin layer on the bread to boost the flavor of the sandwich.
• Ketchup: This recipe calls for ketchup, which adds a nice sweet and tart flavor to the sandwich.
• Tomatoes: Adds some healthy nutrition and bright color to the sandwich.
• Iceberg Lettuce: We love to use iceberg lettuce for this recipe. Feel free to use another type if you wish.

The Best Cheese for Chopped Cheese Bodega Sandwich

Most bodegas from NYC use American cheese in their chopped cheese sandwiches. It’s considered the best choice as it melts much better than other cheese.

You can use other types like Cheez Whiz or provolone. Even mozzarella will work for this recipe. Just make sure to cut slices thin enough that they will melt completely.

What Kind of Bread Should I Use for NYC Chopped Cheese?

The quality of the bread is crucial to chopped cheese enjoyment. I recommend using the traditional hero bun or hoagie roll which is soft and fluffy on the inside, but slightly crusty on the outside.

How to Chop Burgers?

The key to chopping your burger patties is to let them cook for a few minutes so they’re easy to cut through.

This is especially important if you’re using a frozen patty as the bodegas do. A steel spatula will be the easiest. You’ll need to chop it up lengthwise and widthwise until it looks like ground beef.

Now, if you’re wondering, “why not just use ground beef?”, you absolutely can! For bodegas to cook quickly, the burger patties are already portioned out. But if you’re at home cooking for the family, this recipe can totally be made using ground beef, and you may even have some leftovers!

How to Make Chopped Cheese

Step 1: Prepare the Bread

• Slice hero rolls 3/4 of the way through with a serrated knife.
• Toast the buns on a large skillet or grill pan.

Step 2: Make the Filling

• Sauté diced onions until caramelized. Set aside.
• Season the patties with salt and pepper. And cook them for about 4 minutes or until the bottom is nicely browned.
• Flip the burger and cook for 1 minute.
• Use 2 steel spatulas to chop the burger into small pieces.
• Add the cooked onions and keep chopping and stirring.
• Divide into 4 even portions and top each with 2 slices of cheese and turn off the heat so the cheese can melt properly.

Step 3: Assemble the Sandwich

• Spread a thin layer of mayo on the hero roll. Drizzle ketchup on top.
• Use a steel spatula and carefully transfer the filling into each roll.
• Add sliced tomatoes and shredded iceberg lettuce on top of the filling. Serve warm and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Chopped Cheese

• Toast the bread: Toasting the bread will prevent it from getting soggy when you add on all the condiments. Either pop it in the toaster or place the sliced faces down onto the skillet before you add in your burgers.
• Chop the burger patties, NOT the cheese: While the name might imply the cheese itself is chopped, you’ll find yourself in a pretty literal sticky situation if you chop up patties with cheese on them. The best practice is to chop up the beef, arrange it in a pile in the skillet in a similar shape to your bun and then add the cheese on top.
• You can make it spicy: Bodegas have all the fixings to customize your Chopped Cheese, so don’t forget you can do that at home too! Add some of your favorite spicy seasonings to the ground patty, or top off your sandwich with some spicy condiments.

FAQ About Chopped Cheese

What’s the Difference Between Chopped Cheese and Cheesesteak?

The main difference between chopped cheese and cheesesteak is the cut of the meat. In a way, chopped cheese is almost like a burger meets cheesesteak. While the meat in a chopped cheese is finely chopped, a cheesesteak is made up of thinly sliced beef. Cheesesteaks are also usually made with either Provolone cheese or Cheese Whiz.

How to Store Chopped Cheese

If you have leftovers, you can let cool down to room temperature first. Then place the sandwich into individual zip-loc bags. Store them in the fridge and they’ll last for 4-5 days.

You can also store it in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Can I Make It Ahead of Time?

The chopped cheese is best served hot and we recommend making it right before serving. But if you’d like to meal prep ahead of time, follow the storage guide above and reheat using the oven until cooked through.

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I hope you like this recipe. If you try it, please comment below and let me know how your Chopped Cheese Sandwiches turn out!