Description
Seasoned ground beef simmers with garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and a creamy cheddar cheese sauce, then gets piled generously into warm French bread and baked until toasty and hot. This hearty, cheesy sandwich goes from stovetop to table in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
1 loaf French bread
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
3.5 oz white cooking wine (or beef broth)
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
10.75 oz condensed cheddar cheese soup
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Dash of black pepper
Non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and break it apart with a spoon. Cook until browned throughout, about 6–8 minutes.
3. Add minced garlic, white cooking wine, onion powder, and a dash of black pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 1 more minute. Drain all excess liquid from the pan — this step keeps the sandwich from going soggy.
4. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, condensed cheddar cheese soup, and shredded cheddar cheese. Reduce heat to low. Stir continuously until the cheese melts completely and the sauce turns smooth and creamy. Cover the skillet and remove from heat.
5. Cut the French bread into 4 equal sections. Slice each section in half vertically to create open sandwich pockets.
6. Fill each sandwich pocket with one quarter of the beef and cheese mixture. Pack it in generously.
7. Spray the outside of each filled sandwich lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Wrap each sandwich tightly in aluminum foil.
8. Place the foil-wrapped sandwiches on a baking sheet. Bake for 10–15 minutes until the bread crisps and the filling steams hot all the way through. Test one by gently unwrapping a corner — it should be steaming and fully heated.
Notes
Drain every drop of excess liquid from the browned beef before adding the cheese sauce — skipping this creates a watery filling that soaks through the bread.
Toast the inside faces of the French bread in the oven for 2 minutes before filling to create a barrier against the sauce and keep the bread firm.
Make the beef and cheese filling up to 2 days ahead and store in the fridge. Fill and bake the bread when ready to serve.
Store wrapped leftover sandwiches in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 325°F oven for 10–12 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American