Chopped Cheese Potato Bowls
Chopped Cheese Potato Bowls
Sometimes the best recipes happen by accident. I was craving a chopped cheese sandwich one night, but—go figure—we were out of bread. Instead of running to the store, I grabbed some potatoes and tossed them in the air fryer. What I ended up with? A new family favorite: chopped cheese potato bowls.
This twist on the classic NYC chopped cheese sandwich has all the flavors you love—seasoned beef, melted American cheese, crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, ketchup, and mayo—but layered over crispy, seasoned potatoes instead of a hoagie roll. And honestly? I might like it even better this way.
If you’re unfamiliar with chopped cheese sandwiches, they’re a NYC bodega classic. Traditionally made with seasoned ground beef, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and ketchup on a toasted hoagie roll, they’re the East Coast cousin of a cheeseburger-meets-cheesesteak. So if the toppings sound surprising, don’t worry—they’re exactly what belongs here. Of course, feel free to customize your bowl with pickles, hot sauce, or whatever your heart desires. And while you are here, check out my very popular Taco Potato Bowls as well as some other great recipes:
Arroz Con Pollo (Cheesy Chicken and Rice)
Slow Cooker Cheesy Ground Beef and Potatoes
Quesaritos (Taco Bell Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients
For The Potatoes:
- 2 pounds yellow potatoes (chopped) – russets also work great and feel free to peel them if you like. I like to leave the skins on
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Fire & Smoke Society Onion Butter seasoning (if you can’t find this, just use any seasoning blend that you like!)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Chopped Cheese:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Kinder’s Buttery Burger Blend
- 6–8 slices American cheese (I used white, but yellow is fine!)
Toppings:
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Ketchup
- Mayonnaise
Instructions:
Start by chopping your potatoes into bite-sized pieces. I used yellow potatoes with the skins left on for texture and flavor, but any type of potato will work—peeled or unpeeled. Toss them in a large bowl with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then season generously with Fire & Smoke Society’s Onion Butter blend, paprika, and black pepper. I didn’t measure exactly, but a little over a teaspoon of each did the trick.
Give everything a good toss so the potatoes are fully coated in oil and seasoning. Then place them in the air fryer at 400°F for about 25 minutes, shaking once or twice to ensure even crisping. If you don’t have an air fryer, put them in the oven at the same temperature. They may require just a little more cooking time!
While the potatoes are doing their thing, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add one diced yellow onion and let it cook down for about 5 minutes until soft and fragrant. Next, add in your ground beef and break it up with a spatula. Season the beef with garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and Kinder’s Buttery Burger Blend. Let it cook until browned, then drain off any excess grease.
Once your beef is cooked and seasoned to perfection, layer slices of white American cheese right on top. I used 7 slices, but feel free to adjust based on how cheesy you want it. Just let it melt on top of the meat.
Build Your Bowls
- Start with a generous scoop of crispy potatoes
- Top with a heaping spoonful of cheesy beef and onions
- Add shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes
- Drizzle with ketchup and mayo (yes, both!)
I served these bowls with corn on the cob, but they’re hearty enough to stand on their own. Definitely adding this to the “accidentally genius” recipe list.
If you do make this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating! I love hearing from you and it helps so much! Thank you!
Chopped Cheese Potato Bowls
Ingredients
For the Potatoes
- 2 lbs Potatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces I used yukon golds, but any variety will work
- 1-2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1-2 tsp each Fire and Smoke Society Onion Butter Seasoning, Paprika, Black Pepper I didn't measure exactly, just make sure the potatoes are well coated
For the Chopped Cheese
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Yellow Onion, Diced
- 1 tsp each Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Black Pepper, Kinder's Buttery Burger Blend seasoning
- 6-8 slices American Cheese Slices, white or yellow
Toppings
- Shredded Lettuce
- Diced Tomatoes
- Ketchup
- Mayonnaise
Instructions
- Toss chopped potatoes with olive oil and seasonings. Air fry at 400°F for 25 minutes, shaking halfway through.
- In a skillet, sauté diced onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add ground beef, seasonings, and cook until browned. Drain grease.
- Lay American cheese slices over beef and let melt
- Add crispy potatoes to each bowl, top with cheesy beef, then garnish with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mayo.
This sounds delicious! Ground beef is listed in the instructions, but not the list of ingredients. Is it 1 pound of ground beef? Thank you.
So sorry about that! Yes it is 1 pound! I will fix that now. thank you!