Julie Clark
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Easy Cheeseburger Soup
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For a hearty and delicious meal that’s quick to make, try our our recipe for easy cheeseburger soup. Perfect for a cozy night in.
Cheeseburgers are a beloved American classic, but have you ever considered turning your favorite fast food sandwich into a delicious and comforting soup? When you are craving a cheeseburger but it’s soup season, this try this Easy Cheeseburger Soup.
This hearty soup is packed with ground beef, potatoes and melted cheese. And we top ours with homemade croutons, perfect for using up those leftover hamburger buns. It’s a perfect meal for chilly nights or when you’re in need of a quick and easy dinner option. The whole family will love it.
About this Easy Cheeseburger Soup Recipe:
- Flavor: So I left the ketchup out (I could not stomach that in soup 😬), but otherwise it has the flavors of a cheeseburger. Cheddar cheese, ground beef and even potatoes to mimic those fries that go so well with burgers. For a tangy topping, add chopped pickles along with the savory homemade croutons.
- Texture: This soup is loaded with texture, but the veggies cook up soft and tender and the base of the soup is slightly creamy. The cooked and crumbled ground beef makes the soup easy to eat.
- Method: This soup cooks on in a soup pot on the stovetop. You’ll need just one pot.
What is the best cheese to melt in soup?
My favorite cheese to melt in soup is Velveeta cheese. It’s smooth, creamy and delicious. Many people would rather not use process cheese, so for that reason, I use sharp cheddar cheese in this soup.
Buy a block of sharp cheddar cheese and shred it before adding to the soup. Fresh shredded cheese melts more smoothly. The key to a smooth, cheesy soup is to add just a little bit of shredded cheese at a time, stirring between each addition so that the cheese melts, then add a little bit more.
It’s also important to not overheat the soup. Add the cheese right at the end of the cooking and remove it from the heat as soon as the cheese is melted in.
Ingredients
- If you prefer, you can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the ground beef.
- Russet potatoes work best. I like the way they slightly crumble into the soup. It adds to the creaminess. Yukon Gold potatoes are my second choice.
- The sour cream is optional. It adds to the flavor, but isn’t 100% necessary.
- It may seem odd to use evaporated milk, but it holds up better to the heat than a fresh dairy milk.
How to Make Easy Cheeseburger Soup
- Add ground beef, onion, carrots, and celery to a large dutch oven over medium heat. Cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbled. Drain off any grease.
- Add in all of the seasonings.
- Then add the potatoes and stock. and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the evaporated milk until smooth.
- Then drizzle the slurry slowly into the soup, stirring constantly.
- With the burner still on low, continue to cook and stir while the soup thickens. Add the cheese, a handful at a time, stirring between each addition.
- Stir in the sour cream if you’d like to add it.
Recipe Variations
- Add a dash of hot pepper sauce for some heat. A jalapeño pepper would work well, too.
- Top the soup with diced dill pickles for an authentic cheeseburger flavor.
- Love bacon cheeseburgers? Add cooked & crumbled bacon to the soup. 🤤
- If you like broccoli cheddar soup, add steamed broccoli florets to the soup at the end. Cauliflower is delicious in this soup as well.
- Replace the ground beef with Italian sausage for a pop of flavor.
- Try a different cheese such as Gruyere, Colby or pepper jack.
What to pair with cheeseburger soup?
All of the toppings that go on a cheeseburger? Make a salad out of them to serve with this soup. Try a traditional side salad with your favorite veggies. Or you can make a Caesar salad or Greek salad.
Storage Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave as you need.
I don’t recommend freezing this soup. Dairy based soups don’t freeze well and can often separate after defrosting and reheating.
Easy Cheeseburger Soup
For a hearty and delicious meal that's quick to make, try our our recipe for easy cheeseburger soup. Perfect for a cozy night in.
Servings 8
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ¾ cup chopped onion
- ¾ cup shredded carrots
- ¾ cup chopped celery
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 4 cups cubed potatoes peeled
- 4 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 can evaporated milk 12 ounces
- 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup sour cream optional
Instructions
- Add ground beef, onion, carrots, and celery to a large dutch oven over medium heat. Cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbled. Drain off any fat.
- Add in all of the seasonings.
- Then add the potatoes and stock. and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the evaporated milk until smooth.
- Then drizzle the milk slowly into the soup, stirring constantly.
- With the burner still on low, continue to cook and stir while the soup thickens. Add the cheese, a handful at a time, stirring between each addition.
- Stir in the sour cream if you'd like to add it.
- Then serve in bowls and garnish with homemade croutons and freshly snipped parsley.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the soup serving 8, with 1 serving being ⅛ of the soup. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Calories: 493kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 704mg | Potassium: 1021mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2661IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 462mg | Iron: 3mg
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Trying this recipe tonight and love your site and every recipe I’ve ever made but that recurring Clorox ad forcing me to rotate my screen with your page blocked made it a real challenge to get through. Prep time increased by 10 minutes as a result, lol. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Sounds delicious