Cheesesteak-Style Sloppy Joe Flatbreads Recipe

When you just can't decide (or agree) on what to make for dinner, a combination of dishes may just be your answer. Not only do combination dishes, like this supreme pizza grilled cheese, offer up a little variety to the indecisive eaters of the world, but they also help liven up the same old dinner creations into something a little more exciting.

For this easy dinner recipe, not two but three comfort foods collide. Philly cheesesteaks, pizza, and the classic sloppy joe combine to create cheesesteak-style sloppy joe flatbreads — a meal you can make in less than 20 minutes. Recipe developer Kate Shungu says, "These flatbreads are such fun take on comfort food. You have ground beef in a sweet and tangy sauce, tender bell peppers and onions, and plenty of cheese on top of crispy flatbreads." She also loves the balance that this recipe strikes between using homemade components and store-bought ones. As Shungu explains, "The store bought crusts keep it easy, it's kid-friendly (for kids at heart too, wink-wink), and can be prepared quickly. It's a total dinner win."

Before you can enjoy your flatbread creations, you'll need to make sure you have all the required ingredients on hand. Ground beef, green bell pepper, and onion are sauteed until tender, and then coated with a sweet and tangy sauce made with ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, chili powder, and salt. The mixture is piled onto flatbreads, sprinkled with provolone cheese, and baked to perfection. 

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place the flatbreads on a sheet pan.

Place the ground beef, diced bell pepper, and diced onion in a large skillet over medium heat.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is cooked through and the peppers and onions are soft, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir in the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, water, chili powder, and salt.

Divide the mixture between the two flatbreads.

Top evenly with the shredded provolone.

Bake for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Flatbread is one of those endlessly adaptable workhorses of the kitchen — a blank slate ready to take on whichever toppings you desire. As you're brainstorming toppings, you'd be wise to think globally, as the flatbread is common to many cultures worldwide. Italy has the piadina, India has naan, and of course, Mexico has the tortilla, which is arguably the most famous flatbread in the world.

Your favorite pizza toppings are an obvious (and always delicious) choice for topping a flatbread. A medley of cheeses, melted into a flatbread and topped with another flatbread create a delightful take on grilled cheese. Flatbread is just asking to be transformed into a Cuban sandwich. Thinly sliced roast beef, giardiniera, and melted mozzarella is a nod to the Chicago-style French dip. And how about some pastrami, melted Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut on top for a reuben-style flatbread? The options are endless for this adaptable and lovable carbohydrate. 

Not only is flatbread adaptable, but this very recipe for cheesesteak-style sloppy joe flatbreads can be changed in numerous ways to suit your tastes. Want to keep things on the lighter side? Use a very lean ground beef, or substitute ground turkey for the ground beef. Decrease the meat by half and double the bell pepper and onion for a veggie-forward dinner. You can even swap the ground beef entirely for lentils or tempeh to create a dish that vegetarians will devour. 

If you can't find flatbread, substitute naan or pita. Melted mozzarella works well in place of the provolone. You get the idea — this quick and easy dinner can be adapted to suit your tastes, your family's preferences, or simply whatever you have on hand in your kitchen. For the side, a leafy green salad is the perfect accompaniment. Or make this dinner even heartier with some frozen tater tots, crisped up in the oven. As evidenced by this sloppy joe and taters casserole, they are the perfect match.