Chopped Cheese Recipe Nyc Bodega Style

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!

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. This is the kind of sandwich I like to make my family on busy weeknights… and it’s SO fun to eat. Authentic. It tastes EXACTLY like the ones you’d find in a bodega or sandwich shop (trust me, I ate a LOT of chopped cheese). Easy to customize. I mean, it is an elevated hamburger, so do as you please.

Ingredients needed

Beef. Either lean or standard ground beef works (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. Butter. To fry the hamburger. Onion. Finely chopped to mix into the beef. Kosher salt and black 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. Shredded lettuce, mayo, ketchup, hoagie rolls, and tomatoes. Must-have chopped cheese fix-ins.

How to make a chopped cheese

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. The chopped cheese sandwich was first introduced in New York City (notably Harlem and the Bronx) 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 basically a hamburger on a hero roll, featuring beef patties, American cheese, 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!). “This was the best chopped cheese sandwich recipe! I didn’t make any changes, and the results were fabulous. Going to try it in different buns.” – Mel

Arman’s recipe tips

Use other bread, including a baguette, crisped-up hot dog buns, or sub rolls. Switch out the beef for ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork. Use hamburger patties instead of making the ground beef mixture from scratch. Other cheese options include mozzarella cheese, Pepper Jack, and provolone.

Storage instructions

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.