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Creamy Cheeseburger Soup is a delicious and comforting soup that combines the flavors of a classic cheeseburger with the warmth of a hearty bowl of soup. Made with lean ground beef, bacon, potatoes, veggies and cheese, and garnished with your favorite burger toppings.
Be sure to try my Pasta Fagioli Soup next!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Classic Cheeseburger Flavors – From the simple seasonings to the hint of mustard to the bacon and cheddar cheese combo, this soup has everything you’d expect of a classic burger.
- Hearty and Filling – With ingredients like potatoes, ground beef, and veggies, this soup is cozy and satisfying any day of the year.
- One-Pot Wonder – The whole soup is made in one pot from start to finish, which means less mess and less dishes to wash.
Ingredients Notes
- Ground Beef – I highly recommend lean ground beef (85% or higher). A fattier grind like chuck would add too much grease to the soup, resulting in an unpleasant texture. You could also use ground turkey in place of ground beef.
- Heavy Cream – Half & Half could replace the heavy cream. Whole milk can be used but will result in a much thinner broth. Do not use skim milk, as it easily separates during heating.
- Russet Potatoes – Waxier potatoes like red or yukon gold, can be used in place of the russets, but are not as highly recommended. They are not as starchy as russet potatoes and the soup may not be as thick.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese – You can use other easily melting cheeses in this soup like Monterey jack, gouda or Velveeta.
How To Make Cheeseburger Soup
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Cook bacon until crisp: Cook the bacon until it’s crispy, and transfer it to a plate. Save some of the bacon grease for using later.
Cook the ground beef: Brown the ground beef in the same pot, then transfer to another bowl and wipe out the grease with paper towels.
Saute vegetables: Cook the onion, carrot and celery in a little of the bacon grease, then add garlic and seasonings.
Make a roux to thicken the soup: Add flour to coat all the vegetables and cook for a few minutes.
Simmer broth and potatoes: Add the chicken broth and mustard, bring to a boil, then add the potatoes and simmer until they are tender.
Add remaining ingredients: Whisk in the cream, then stir in the cheese until it’s completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat and add the ground beef back to the pot.
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowl and top with garnishes like bacon crumbles, chopped pickles, chopped onion and extra shredded cheese.
Toppings Ideas!
A soup like this needs some fantastic garnishes. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Diced dill pickles
- Shredded cheese
- Diced tomato
- Chopped onion (green or red)
- Toasted hamburger bun croutons
- Sour cream
Expert Tips
Cheese – Be sure to shred the cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent that prevents smooth melting.
Velveeta – If you want to use a cheese that’s guaranteed to melt and not separate, try Velveeta.
Ground beef – The leaner, the better. Fattier grinds will make your soup greasy. Opt for at least an 85% or 90%, and drain off as much grease as possible.
Remove the pot from the heat source when adding the cheese. If the soup base is too hot, the cheese will separate. Set the pot aside, and let it cool for a few minutes, then add the cheese in small handfuls, stirring in completely each time.
Add some crunch – Cut up a few hamburger buns and make croutons for this soup. My Homemade Croutons recipe will show you how!
Try These New Soup Recipes Next
- Chicken Corn Soup
- White Chicken Chili
- 7 Can Soup
- Creamy Chicken Potato Soup
- Slow Cooker Steak Chili
- How To Make Chicken Broth
Cheeseburger Soup
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion small dice
- ½ cup shredded carrot
- 2 ribs celery small dice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 6 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 3 medium russet potatoes peeled and cubed ½”
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- Extra shredded cheese, diced pickles, and sliced green onion for garnish
Instructions
- In the bottom of a large dutch oven, saute the bacon over medium low heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy, about 5-8 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel. Remove bacon grease and reserve.
- Turn heat up to medium high and add in the ground beef and cook until browned, trying not to break the beef apart too much. Drain and remove beef to a bowl. Use a paper towel to remove excess grease from the bottom of the pot.
- Add in 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon grease and 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the onion, carrot and celery and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the flour coating all of the vegetables and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in the chicken broth and mustard and bring to a boil. Add in the potatoes and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Reduce pot to a simmer and whisk in the cream.
- Stir in the cheese until melted and combined with the soup, add in the ground beef. Do not let soup come to a boil after adding in the cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Scoop into bowls and top with extra shredded cheese, bacon crumbles, parsley, chopped pickles and chopped green onion.
Notes
- For storing: Transfer cooled soup to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Freezing: While you technically *can* freeze this soup, it doesn’t reheat well. If you plan to freeze, make sure not to overcook the potatoes and thaw completely before gently reheating.
- Cheese – Be sure to shred the cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent that prevents smooth melting.
- Velveeta – If you want to use a cheese that’s guaranteed to melt and not separate, try Velveeta.
- Ground beef – The leaner, the better. Fattier grinds will make your soup greasy. Opt for at least an 85% or 90%, and drain off as much grease as possible.
- Remove the pot from the heat source when adding the cheese. If the soup base is too hot, the cheese will separate. Set the pot aside, and let it cool for a few minutes, then add the cheese in small handfuls, stirring in completely each time.
