Cheeseburger Soup

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Rich, thick, and full of flavor this is the best Cheeseburger Soup Recipe you’ll ever try. This warming, comforting soup is a family favorite (even picky eaters love it!) and leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day!

If you are a big fan of cheeseburgers, you will want to give these Cheeseburger Puffs a try as well. They are so stinkin’ good and such a great appetizer that everyone loves.

Overhead view of a bowl of cheeseburger soup

An Easy Kid-Approved Soup

If you’re looking for an easy dinner that the kids will not only approve of but absolutely love, you have to try this Easy Cheeseburger Soup! It has the best elements of a cheeseburger – ground beef, lots of cheese, and bacon – in soup form. It’s simple to throw together and a great way to sneak in some extra veggies for dinners. It’s a warming, comforting dish that’s perfect for chilly evenings or a pick-me-up anytime!

The soup is so thick, rich, and full of flavor that even those picky eaters who may not enjoy soup will just devour this. My youngest usually refuses to eat soup and I caught him licking the bowl when I made this.

Another perk of this easy soup recipe? It makes plenty for leftovers and it tastes even better the next day! This is a great soup to reheat for lunch or even freeze for nights when you just don’t have time to pull anything new together.

Ingredients You Will Need:

This easy soup recipe is made with just a handful of ingredients – including your favorite cheeseburger ingredients!

  • Ground Beef – You can also use ground turkey
  • Onion and Celery – I finely chop these so the kids will never know.
  • Diced Tomatoes – Canned is best to use.
  • Chicken Broth – This will be the base.
  • Potatoes – Peeled and diced.
  • Cheese – You can use all cheddar, but we like to add in a bit of Velveeta for a smooth texture.
  • Butter, Flour and Milk – These three all help to thicken the soupand creamy the extra creamy, smooth texture.
  • Sour Cream – Gives the soup a bit of zing.
  • Bacon – The bacon just takes this soup over the top.
Cheeseburger soup process images

How To Make Cheeseburger Soup

Here’s how to make this easy comfort food dinner.

  • Cook the beef. Brown the ground beef (or turkey) and cook with the onions and celery until tender.
  • Make the broth. Add in the broth, tomatoes, and potatoes. Cook until tender. In a separate pan, cook the flour and butter and bubbly then stir into the soup.
  • Add remaining ingredients. Stir in the cheese, milk, and sour cream until melted and blended.
  • Serve. Serve into bowls and top with bacon and extra cheese.
Overhead view of a bowl of cheeseburger soup

Tips for Success

Here are a few tips to help you make the perfect cheesy hamburger soup!

  • Drain excess grease. I typically use ground turkey in this recipe. However, 90% lean ground beef can be used and keeps the soup from become overly greasy. If you use meat with a higher fat content, make sure to drain the excess grease.
  • What’s the best cheese to use? We like to use Velveeta cheese, because it makes this soup extra creamy. You can substitute shredded cheddar cheese if Velveeta is not your thing and it will turn out fine. It just won’t be as creamy.
  • What type of potatoes should I add? Any type of potato will work with this recipe, as long as you peel and dice them into even pieces. Russet is a personal favorite because they don’t absorb water and become mushy as other types of potatoes do.
  • Reduce the heat when adding sour cream. When you stir in the sour cream, reduce the heat a bit to avoid any curdling of the dairy.

Recipe Variations & Add-Ins

Here are some ways to switch up this cheesy hamburger soup recipe.

  • Use a different protein. We usually use ground turkey but ground beef is the obvious protein for a cheeseburger chowder. However, you can also use ground sausage or a mix of sausage and beef.
  • Add more veggies. We keep things simple with just onions and potatoes but if desired you can add carrots and other veggies.
  • More seasonings. For a more flavorful soup, you can add in some basil or parsley. Red pepper flakes would also add a little kick of heat.
  • Cream cheese instead of sour cream. For a creamier, richer soup base you can use cream cheese instead of sour cream.

Serving Suggestions

We like to serve this cheeseburger chowder with some croutons made of hamburger buns as a fun topping for this soup. You can cube some sesame buns or your other favorite burger buns and pop them in the oven for a few minutes. You can also toast them in a skillet. Just keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t burn.

We also top our soup with some extra shredded cheese and bacon…because why not? Extra cheese and bacon make everything better!

Angled view of cheeseburger soup

Can You Freeze Cheeseburger Soup?

Yes, as long as you used fresh ground beef or turkey that was fresh and not frozen before cooking, this soup can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Allow it to cool completely then transfer to freezer-safe bags or other containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat on the stovetop and bring to a boil.

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover cheeseburger soup will stay fresh for up to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop for best results, reheating slowly to avoid any curdling of the sour cream, or pop it into the microwave. I always add some extra cheese the second day and you may want to add some salt or pepper too.

Spoon lifting a bite of cheeseburger soup

More Easy Soup Recipes:

Overhead view of a bowl of cheeseburger soup
5 from 6 votes

Cheeseburger Soup

Rich, thick, and full of flavor this is the Best Cheeseburger Soup Recipe you'll ever try. This warming, comforting soup is a family favorite (even picky eaters love it!) and leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day!
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef or turkey
  • 1/2 cup onion diced
  • 1/2 cup celery diced
  • 1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon parsley flakes dried
  • 4 tablespoons butter divided
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 4 1/2 cups potatoes peeled and diced
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 cups Velveeta cheese cubed cheddar can also be used
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 4 slices bacon
  • shredded cheddar cheese for topping

Instructions

  • Brown the ground beef in a saucepan. Drain and set aside.
  • In the same saucepan add 1 T butter and add onion, diced celery, and parsley flakes. Saute until tender.
  • Add the broth, potatoes, Red Gold tomatoes, and beef and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
  • Cook the bacon in a frying pan then set aside. Add remaining butter (3 T) and add the flour in the same pan. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
  • Stir in the cheese and milk. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Then stir in 2 Tablespoons of sour cream until blended.
  • Garnish with crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese.

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Serving: 8g | Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 618mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Calcium: 304mg | Iron: 3mg

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3 comments on “Cheeseburger Soup”

  1. Beth Bosshart

    5 stars
    This was amazing! Had everything but the celery, but I’ve never had that on any of my cheeseburgers (lol).
    Super easy, super tasty! Thanks! This is a keeper!