The Best Cheeseburger Soup

This hearty cheeseburger soup tastes just like your favorite burger, minus the bun! I topped my serving with zesty bread and butter pickles and homemade garlic croutons for extra oompf.

Easy Cheeseburger Soup Recipe

Disclosure before we even get started: NO! I am not pregnant. But I know who is and this post is for her.

Pregnancy brings with it lots of cravings. Weird cravings that run all across the bun-in-the-oven-baking map as noted on this amusing weird pregnancy craving list. And as nearly everyone on God’s green earth knows, at the top of that list is pickles. Pickles, that in a weird, roundabout way, was the craving that fueled my fire to create this recipe for the nearly-mom-to-be.

This recipe is part of a virtual baby shower for food blogger Jessica of How Sweet It Is, because as things go in bloggerland, we can’t always be with our bloggity pals in person to party hearty, but we do enjoy toasting to their victories and accomplishments. And there’s not much bigger accomplishment than becoming a parent.

Do I hear an, “Amen sistah!” or more appropriately, “Amen, Mama!”

So for Jessica’s soon-to-be-delivered bundle of joy, a group of bloggers are celebrating the way we do, by creating recipes for stuffing our faces. But today’s theme for Jessica’s baby shower isn’t your normal, everyday will it be blue or pink kind of shower.

No, this shower is in the theme that is frequently shared on Jessica’s blog, in the name of getting “all-trashed up” where she takes the everyday recipe and really throws it for a loop to create something special. And usually adorned with neon or sprinkles.

Jessica recently shared that she hasn’t really had many cravings with her pregnancy, and was actually looking forward to craving chocolate covered pickles—now that’s something I can see her trashing up.

The closest to chocolate covered pickles that I could stomach was this Cheeseburger Soup with a side of my spicy bread and butter pickles. Aaaannnd then, I spooned them right into the soup. Pickles on cheeseburger soup? They certainly aren’t required or even essential, but for me, I’m all about them.

I’ve shared by affection for Jessica’s blog several times here on FoodieCrush (check out her interview here) but this is the first time I’ve ever been moved by a fellow blogger to eat pickles with my soup. And I mean for anyone. And I gotta say, I LOVED it! And I owe it all to Jessica’s pregnant belly.

This recipe is based on my mother-in-law’s hamburger soup recipe. But for today, my craving for a cheesy soup was what hit the spot.

I substituted my MIL’s use of beef broth with whole milk and added cheese. She usually adds in more veggies, but since this is based on a traditional cheeseburger, I kept it a little simpler. With pickles!

What’s in This Cheeseburger Soup?

You can most likely guess the key ingredients in this creamy cheeseburger soup recipe. And although nothing can compare to biting into a juicy cheeseburger sandwiched between two toasted buns, this cheeseburger soup comes pretty dang close.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this quick soup recipe:

• Ground beef
• Garlic
• Onion
• Celery
• Carrots
• Kosher salt and pepper
• All-purpose flour
• Whole milk
• Russet tomatoes
• Canned diced tomatoes
• Hot sauce
• Sharp cheddar cheese
• Fresh parsley
• Sourdough bread
• Butter
• Garlic salt

How to Make Cheeseburger Soup

This cheeseburger soup recipe couldn’t be simpler to whip up. Brown the ground beef, then add in the garlic, onion, celery, and carrots and continue cooking until the onion has softened. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with flour.

Add the milk, potatoes, and tomatoes to the mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the cheeseburger soup bubble away until the potatoes have softened.

Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the hot sauce and cheese. Serve with homemade garlic butter croutons and of course, spicy bread and putter pickles for garnish, if you desire.

Can I Use Another Type of Ground Meat?

Technically, yes, although then this wouldn’t be authentic cheeseburger soup. But if you don’t have beef on hand or don’t eat red meat, you’re welcome to use ground chicken or turkey instead. Just note that you’ll need to add a little olive oil to the pan before browning the meat since ground poultry is much leaner than beef.

Can I Freeze Cheeseburger Soup?

I don’t recommend freezing this soup since it has a dairy-rich base and there’s a healthy amount of cheese stirred in. If you froze and reheated this soup, I’m afraid the dairy would separate and give the leftovers a funny texture.

Tips for Making Cheeseburger Soup

Be sure to use a sharp cheddar. That way you’ll need less cheese and will capitalize on max cheese flavor.

I used 85% lean hamburger. If you prefer a lighter grind, you may want to add a touch of olive oil to the pan before browning your meat so it doesn’t stick.

I add hot sauce to the soup to give it a bit of a vinegar heated kick. I prefer Chohula, but use your own favorite brand if you prefer. If you use Tabasco, decrease the amount to 1 teaspoon. And if you like it hotter, by all means add more.

Because the soup is a milk base, be sure to stir as it simmers. You don’t want a browned (aka burned) bottom of the pan. If the soup gets too thick for your liking (or if reheating) add a bit more milk to thin.

I love garlic burgers, so adding crunchy garlic buttered croutons are a tasty addition to the burger soup. But I left the ketchup out.

More Easy Soup Recipes to Make Soon

• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Pumpkin Soup with Crispy Sage
• Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup with Sausage and Kale
• Easy Hamburger Vegetable Soup
• Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup
• Slow Cooker Hatch Green Chili Verde
• Tomato Basil Soup

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats.

Print

4.84 from 25 votes

The Best Cheeseburger Soup

This hearty cheeseburger soup tasts just like your favorite burger, minus the bun! I topped mine with pickles and garlic croutons to add extra oompf.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword cheeseburger soup

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 765kcal

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef , (I used 85% lean)
• 2-3 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
• 1 small onion , chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
• 2 stalks celery , chopped (about 1 cup)
• 4 carrots , peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 3 small russet potatoes , peeled and cubed into bite size pieces (about 3 cups)
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes , drained
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce*
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese plus more for garnish

For the Toppings

• 2 tablespoons Italian flat leaf parsley , chopped
• 4 slices sourdough bread
• 3-4 tablespoons butter
• garlic salt

Instructions

• Brown the ground beef over medium high heat in a large dutch oven until it's no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• Add the pressed garlic, stir and cook for about 1 minute until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes until the onions become soft.
• Season with kosher salt and pepper then sprinkle the beef mixture with the flour. Stir and cook for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
• Add the milk, potatoes and drained tomatoes and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover the pot then cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring often, until the potatoes are soft.
• Meanwhile, slice the sourdough bread and butter one side of each slice. Sprinkle with garlic salt and broil for 5 minutes or until lightly browned and toasty. Cut into bite size pieces.
• Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the hot sauce and cheddar cheese. Adjust seasoning and garnish with parsley and the garlic butter croutons, plus more cheese and hot sauce if desired. I like mine topped with spicy bread and butter pickles.

Notes

*I prefer Chohula, but use your own favorite brand if you prefer. If you use Tabasco, decrease the amount to 1 teaspoon.

Nutrition

Calories: 765kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 822mg | Potassium: 1264mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 7808IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 547mg | Iron: 6mg

Special thanks to Ashley and Bev for pulling us all together for this special occasion.

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