Chopped Cheese Recipe (Bodega Style) (2024)

Learn how to make this chopped cheese recipe at home in less than 10 minutes. Easy to make and you can customize it as per your taste!

Looking for more delicious sandwich recipes? Try Mexican torta, Italian beef sandwich, and hot honey chicken sandwich.

Are you a huge fan of New York City’s chopped cheese sandwich? I grew up eating this as a special weekend treat, and now, I can make it at home with it just as tasty as any Bodega or sandwich shop. So, without further ado, let’s begin!

What is chopped cheese?

The chopped cheese sandwich was first introduced in New York City and sold in local small grocery stores or tuckshops, known as bodegas. Thanks to its popularity, this simple and delicious sandwich soon became incredibly popular in other areas, too.

So, what is it? Well, it’s a quick sandwich (basically a burger) with beef patties, American cheese slices, and toppings such as lettuce and tomatoes. The “chopped” part refers to the hamburger meat being finely chopped before the cheese is added on top (see my recipe video below!).

Here are some reasons why I LOVE this recipe-

• Quick. You can prepare it in less than 20 minutes, including the prep and cooking time.
• It’s easy to make. The ingredients are simple, and the chopped meat can be prepped in advance.
• Authentic. It tastes EXACTLY like an authentic chopped cheese sandwich.
• Easy to customize. Do you like spicy food? Do you want more salad? This recipe is easy to customize; you can add spicy seasonings to the patty or some spicy condiments as toppings.

Ingredients (and substitutions)

• Bread. Hoagie buns, hero buns, or, if you are stuck, even a hot dog roll. Regardless of what bread you use, ensure it is fluffy on the inside and crusty on the outside.
• Butter.Do not use oil to fry the meat: it must be unsalted butter!
• Onion. Finely chopped to mix into the beef.
• Beef.Either lean or standard ground beef work (85/15 or 90/10). Do not use extra lean ground beef, as I’ve found it to be a little flavorless and also quite dry. You can also use another kind of ground meat like ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
• Salt and pepper. To taste.
• Garlic powder. Adds some garlic flavor without needing actual garlic.
• American cheese.Traditional chopped cheese sandwiches use American cheese, but any you have on hand work.I’ve tried it with Pepper Jack cheese and gooey mozzarella cheese.
• Mayonnaise.To spread in the buns.
• Iceberg lettuce and tomatoes.Must-have fresh salad ingredients.

How to make a chopped cheese

I’ve includedstep-by-step photosbelow to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to therecipe cardat the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Prepare the buns. Start by dividing the buns from the middle and toasting them. Spread some mayonnaise on both sides.

Step 2- cook the ground beef. Take a non-stick pan, add butter to saute onions, and push them to a side.Next, add the ground beef patty to the pan, and don’t break it. Season it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat both sides for 2-4 minutes. Slowly break the patty, mix with sauteed onions, and cook until there is no pink beef in the middle.

Step 3- Chop the meat and add cheese. Now, divide the meat into four equal portions. Cover each portion with American cheese, and cook until the cheese melts.

Step 4- Assemble. Transfer each portion to toasted buns, top with tomatoes and shredded iceberg lettuce, and serve!

Make ahead and storage info

Chopped cheese tastes the best when made fresh, but you can make the meat filling in advance:

To Store: Place leftover cooked beef in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To Freeze:Place the filling in an airtight container or ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to two months.

Frequently Asked Questions

More delicious ground beef recipes

• No bean chili
• Taco bowls
• Homemade taco meat
• Salisbury steak