Cheeseburger Soup is everything you love about a cheeseburger turned into a thick, creamy bowl: browned ground beef, tender potatoes, carrots, celery and onion in a rich cheese broth, finished with a spoonful of sour cream. It is made on the stovetop in one saucepan plus a small skillet, serves 8, and takes about 80 minutes from start to finish.
How to make it: Brown and drain the beef, soften the vegetables in butter with basil and parsley, then simmer the beef and potatoes in chicken broth until tender. Stir in a quick butter-and-flour roux, turn the heat to low, melt in the cheese with the milk, and move the pot off the burner before the sour cream goes in.
Why You’ll Love It
- Thick and hearty: a pound of beef and 4 cups of potatoes make it a full meal, not a starter.
- Real cheeseburger flavor: beef, melted cheese and onion, with room for all the burger toppings.
- Feeds a crowd: 8 servings from one pot, with leftovers for lunch.
- Simple method: brown, sauté, simmer, thicken, melt. Nothing fussy.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: One pound. The leaner the beef, the better, and drain the grease well after browning so the soup isn’t greasy.
Onion, carrots and celery: Three quarters of a cup each. Shred the carrots and dice the celery so they soften in the same 10 minutes as the onion.
Dried basil and parsley flakes: A teaspoon of each, cooked with the vegetables so their flavor spreads through the broth.
Garlic: Two cloves, pressed or minced, added at the end of the sauté.
Butter and flour: Four tablespoons of butter, divided: one for the vegetables and three for the roux with 1/4 cup of flour. The roux is what makes the soup thick.
Chicken broth: Three cups. Beef broth or vegetable broth also work.
Potatoes: Four cups, peeled and diced, about 1 3/4 pounds. Russets are sturdy and usually don’t turn mushy in soup; yellow or red potatoes work too, as long as you don’t overcook them.
Processed cheese loaf: Twelve ounces, cubed. It melts smooth and leaves the soup thick and creamy. Pepper jack processed cheese gives it a mild kick.
Milk and sour cream: One and a half cups of milk with the cheese, and 1/4 cup of sour cream stirred in off the heat for a little tang.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3/4 cup onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup carrots, shredded
- 3/4 cup celery, diced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 3/4 pounds)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 12 ounces processed cheese loaf, cubed (plain, or pepper jack for a little heat)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup sour cream
How to Make Cheeseburger Soup
1. Brown the beef. In a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Drain the grease and set the beef aside.
2. Cook the vegetables. In the same pan over medium heat, cook the onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon of the butter until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Simmer the potatoes. Add the broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
4. Make the roux. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes, until bubbly. Stir it into the soup, bring to a boil and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
5. Add the cheese. Reduce the heat to low. Add the cheese, milk, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the cheese melts. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the sour cream.
How to Keep Cheeseburger Soup Thick, Creamy and Smooth
A great cheeseburger soup is thick enough to coat a spoon and smooth all the way through. It goes wrong in three ways: too thin, grainy cheese, or curdled sour cream. Each one has a simple fix built into the method.
Cook the roux until it bubbles. Melt the butter, stir in the flour and keep stirring for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is bubbly. Then stir it into the soup and let it boil for 2 minutes. That short boil is what thickens the broth, so don’t skip it.
Turn the heat to low before the cheese. Once the soup has thickened, lower the heat before the cheese and milk go in, then stir until the cheese has melted. Gentle heat melts it evenly.
Pull the pan from the burner before the sour cream. Sour cream stirred into a bubbling pot can curdle. Off the heat, it blends in smooth.
Cut the vegetables small. Shredded carrots and finely diced celery and onion turn tender in the same 10 minutes of sautéing, so every spoonful is soft vegetables, potatoes and beef in a creamy broth rather than crunchy chunks.
Choose the cheese for the texture you want. Processed cheese keeps the soup thick and creamy. Shredded cheddar or Colby jack gives more classic cheese flavor but a thinner base.
Drain the beef well. Grease left in the pan floats on top of the finished soup. Lean beef and a good drain keep the broth clean.
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Soup is thin | Cook the roux until bubbly, then boil the soup 2 minutes after adding it |
| Sour cream curdled | Stir it in only after the pot is off the burner |
| Cheese is lumpy | Lower the heat and keep stirring until it melts |
| Greasy top | Use lean beef and drain it well after browning |
| Mushy potatoes | Use russets and check them at 10 minutes |
Tips for Success
Which potatoes are best?
Russets. They are sturdy and usually hold their shape in soup. Yellow or red potatoes work too; just check them early so they don’t overcook.
Can I use shredded cheese?
Yes. Use 2 cups of shredded cheddar or Colby jack in place of the processed cheese. The soup will taste more like sharp cheese but will be a little thinner.
How do I make it spicier?
Use pepper jack cheese, or add red pepper flakes or paprika. Start with a pinch or 1/4 teaspoon and taste as you go.
How do I make bun croutons?
Cut a sesame-seed hamburger bun into cubes and toast them on a baking sheet in the oven for a few minutes, watching closely so they don’t burn. A skillet on the stovetop works too; toss the cubes until golden brown. They soak up the cheesy broth like a burger bun.
Is there a slow cooker version?
Yes. For a hands-off pot with the same comfort-food feel, make our creamy potato and hamburger soup made in the crockpot.
Variations
- Bacon and mustard: crisp 3 slices of chopped bacon first and cook the vegetables in the pot. Brown 1 pound of 90/10 beef, then stir in 2 tablespoons of yellow mustard, a drained 16-ounce can of diced tomatoes and 3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth and simmer 10 minutes. On low heat, stir in 2 cups of shredded cheddar, 1 cup of half-and-half and 3 tablespoons of flour until thick, 12 to 15 minutes. Top with the bacon, more cheddar, dill pickle slices and toasted sesame seeds.
- Cheddar and cream cheese: blend 4 ounces of cream cheese and 2 cups of milk with some of the hot vegetables until smooth, then melt shredded cheddar into the pot.
- Other meats: ground turkey, chicken, Italian sausage or venison in place of the beef. Cook ground turkey and chicken to 165°F.
- More vegetables: add mushrooms, bell peppers or canned tomatoes.
- Different broth: beef broth or vegetable broth in place of chicken broth.
- Sour cream swap: use cream cheese in place of the sour cream to keep it rich and thick.
Toppings
Top each bowl the way you’d dress a burger:
- Crumbled bacon
- A dollop of sour cream
- Chopped onion
- Dill pickles
- Oyster crackers or saltines
- Croutons, or cubes of a sesame-seed bun toasted until golden
- Crushed chips
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate soup within 2 hours: divide a big pot into smaller, shallow containers so it cools quickly. Eat it within 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for 3 to 4 months.
Freezing: FSIS lists cream sauce among the foods that don’t freeze well and says cream that freezes slowly can separate and look curdled, so the texture may change. Freeze it in small portions so it freezes fast, and thaw it in the refrigerator.
Reheating: warm it on the stove, stirring often, and bring it to a rolling boil, as FSIS advises for soups. Don’t reheat it in a slow cooker. If it has thickened in the refrigerator, stir in a splash of milk or broth.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with crusty bread or a simple green salad. For more burger flavor in a bake, try Pioneer Woman cheeseburger pie or low-carb bacon cheeseburger casserole. If soup is on the menu all week, rotate in creamy baked potato soup, quick and easy taco soup and slow cooker steak soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cheeseburger soup made of?
Browned ground beef, potatoes, onion, carrots and celery simmered in chicken broth, thickened with a butter-and-flour roux, then made creamy with cheese, milk and a little sour cream. Dried basil and parsley season it.
Why did my cheeseburger soup curdle?
Usually because the sour cream went into a pot that was still over the heat. Take the soup off the burner before stirring the sour cream in.
Can I use cheddar instead of processed cheese?
Yes. Use 2 cups of shredded cheddar or Colby jack. The flavor is sharper and the soup a little thinner.
How do I thicken cheeseburger soup?
Make sure the roux cooks until bubbly and the soup boils for 2 minutes after you add it. Processed cheese also keeps it thicker than shredded cheese.
What vegetables are in cheeseburger soup?
Onion, carrots, celery and potatoes. For more, add mushrooms, bell peppers or canned tomatoes along with the other vegetables.
Can I freeze cheeseburger soup?
You can, for 3 to 4 months, but the creamy base may separate a little after thawing. Freeze small portions and thaw them in the refrigerator.
What goes on top of cheeseburger soup?
Burger toppings: bacon, sour cream, chopped onion, dill pickles, crackers, croutons or toasted bun cubes.
Final Notes
Have the roux ready before the potatoes finish so the soup moves straight from simmering to thick and creamy. If you make it, tell me in the comments which toppings you piled on.
Classic Cheeseburger Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 3/4 cup onion chopped
- 3/4 cup carrots shredded
- 3/4 cup celery diced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups potatoes peeled and diced, about 1 3/4 pounds
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 12 ounces processed cheese loaf cubed; plain, or pepper jack for a little heat
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Instructions
- In a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Drain the grease and set the beef aside.
- In the same pan over medium heat, cook the onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon of the butter until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes, until bubbly. Stir it into the soup, bring to a boil and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the cheese, milk, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the cheese melts. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the sour cream.
