NY Chopped Cheese Sandwich

One of the quintessential New York eating experiences is chowing down on an authentic Chopped Cheese Sandwich made fresh from a local corner store Bodega. The Chopped Cheese is truly a hallmark dish of NYC, and while maybe not celebrated as greatly as the Pizza, Cheesecake, or Bagel, is a dish you must try when visiting NY. For those not based in the city there’s some good news, as our simple recipe will show you how to make an amazing NY Chopped Cheese Sandwich at home!

What is a NY Chopped Cheese Sandwich?

The best way to describe this Sandwich is it’s kind of like a Cheeseburger but served in a roll instead of a Burger Bun. Each Deli / Bodega in NY will have their own version of this recipe, so there is not one ‘true’ Chopped Cheese recipe to go by, however there are some common ingredients that are consistent in this dish

The primary ingredients are seasoned Ground Beef that is fried on the grill until charred and brown. The Beef is then topped with several pieces of classic American Cheese which slowly melts and oozes into the Beef

Once it’s begun to melt, the Cheese is then simply mixed through the Beef. The name Chopped Cheese comes from this step, where the Cheese is somewhat ‘chopped up’ by using a spatula as it’s combined with the Ground Beef

The Cheese and Beef combination is then transferred straight into a fresh bread roll which is filled with your typical salad ingredients (usually Lettuce, but also sometimes Tomatoes and Onions are included) along with a generous slathering of Mayonnaise

The Sandwich is then rolled right in baking paper or foil and cut in half before being served to the hungry customer. The flavors are reminiscent of a classic Cheeseburger, but the NY Chopped Cheese Sandwich does still stand out as its own unique dish

How to make our version of a NY Chopped Cheese Sandwich

We have kept our recipe quite traditional, with all the aforementioned ingredients and techniques adopted. However, when making this Sandwich we tried experimenting with a few different ingredients to find the best tasting Chopped Cheese that worked for us. We think our Sandwich is a fantastic rendition, and one that can easily be made at home

For the Beef, you want some flavor there, so we recommend opting for an 80/20 or 75/25 Ground Beef. This is the percentage of Beef to Fat (so 80/20 is 80% Beef, 20% Fat). The fattier the Beef, the more flavor

Our twist to the dish is we begin the frying by grilling some finely diced Yellow Onions until they are caramelized, then press the Ground Beef down on top of them until that also chars. Grilled Onions add a beautiful sweetness which, just like Burgers, work’s amazing in a Chopped Cheese Sandwich

Season your Beef a lot!

An authentic NY Chopped Cheese Sandwich is loaded with flavor, so aggressively season your Beef as it cooks. We use a classic combination of Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, and a little Smoked Paprika. You can also add a bit of spice with Cayenne Pepper if you like

Once the Beef has cooked through completely it’s time to add the Cheese. There is of course, no substitute for classic American Cheese. The melting qualities of this Cheese are second to none, and is what gives a Chopped Cheese its signature flavor and texture

For ratios, we went with 1 slice of Cheese for every 100g (3.5 oz.) of Beef. For 3 heaped sandwiches, 500g (17.5 oz.) will be enough Beef, so that means 5 slices of American Cheese are needed

Lay the Cheese on top of the Beef and allow it to melt slightly. At this point, chop it all up with a spatula and really give the Cheese a good mix through. You want the Cheese to be as evenly dispersed through the Beef as possible. Taste it for seasoning and it’s ready!

Building the NY Chopped Cheese Sandwich

Now, bread is another important part of the Chopped Cheese. The good news is there is also no one style of Bread that is used. Each Bodega has their own style, and you can just as easily see a Hoagie Roll used as you will a round Kaiser Roll

My recommendation, use whatever Roll you enjoy. The only caveat is I highly suggest using large rolls. This is a hearty Sandwich, and you can pack a lot of ingredients in there. We opted for a long roll as they’re easy to pack in loads of ingredients and roll it up in bakers paper

Start by slicing your bread open but just keeping the ends intact. Then, layer in your Sauce followed by Lettuce and finely diced Tomatoes. Mayonnaise is the classic Sauce, but our recommendation is to combine Mayo and Ketchup

Then, load up the Sandwich with what seemingly is too much Beef. Press the beef down using the spatula and then close up the Sandwich. Roll it all up in foil or butchers paper and then cut right through the center. You’re NY Chopped Cheese Sandwich is now ready to eat!

When in NYC, where is the best place to get an authentic Chopped Cheese?

If you want to do some research then we definitely recommend you check out the Gotham Foodie Blog article on Chopped Cheese. It’ll go into detail on all the best Chopped Cheese in and around the city. In all honesty though, I recommend literally going to your closest bodega and trying one there!

That’s the beauty about the food in NYC, and especially Bodegas. Each one offers their own unique twist on classic NY dishes such as the Chopped Cheese, Bacon, Egg, and Cheese (BEC), and classics like Chicken Cutlet Sandwiches. Try a few of them and see which ones you like! They’re such an affordable and delicious way to eat your way around the city, and it’s an experience that is totally unique to NYC

NY Chopped Cheese Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 Yellow Onion, finely diced
• 1 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
• 500g Ground Beef
• 2 tsp. Onion Powder
• 2 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper
• 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
• 5 slices of American Cheese
• 4 large, long Bread Rolls
• 1 cup of shredded Lettuce
• 3 Tomatoes, finely diced
• 2 tbsp. Mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. Tomato Ketchup
  
  

Instructions

1. Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat with the Vegetable Oil then add the Onions. Sauté for 5 – 6 minutes until browned, then add the Ground Beef
2. Press the Beef down into the pan over the top of the Onions and cook without breaking it up for 5 minutes to char the Beef
3. Season the Beef with Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Salt, Pepper, and Smoked Paprika. Break up the Beef using a spatula and cook until browned throughout
4. Place the American Cheese slices on top of the Beef and let sit for 2 – 3 minutes, allowing the Cheese to melt. Then, chop it all up using a spatula and mix well, ensuring an even distribution of Cheese within the Beef
5. Cut a slice through the middle of the Bread, leaving it just intact. Add the Sauce, Lettuce, and Tomatoes and then heap in more Beef than you think you should
6. Press down on the Beef using the Spatula and then roll the Sandwich closed. Wrap the Sandwich in bakers paper or aluminum foil and then cut through the middle. Serve immediately
   
   

Recipe Notes

• This recipe will be enough to produce 3 – 4 stacked Sandwiches
• The Beef to Cheese slice ratio is around 1 / 100g. So, 1 slice of American Cheese for every 100g (3.5 oz.) of Beef
• You can add some heat to the Sandwich with the addition of Cayenne Pepper to the seasonings
  
  

Making a homemade NY Chopped Cheese Sandwich is a fun way to experience the culinary delights of this institutional New York Bodega dish. The combination of flavors are simply wonderful, making for a tasty and hearty meal that’s perfect for lunch or dinner

For more tasty sandwich recipes just like this one, check out some of our favorite dishes here:

• Tamarind Glazed Fried Chicken Sandwich
• Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwich
• Chicken Parm Sandwich
• Pulled Pork Sandwich
  
  

Happy Cooking!