Cheesy, creamy, and comforting Cheeseburger Soup is loaded with beef, golden baby potatoes, veggies, and a cheesy cream base.
The Best Cheeseburger Soup
Last winter, we shared this Sausage Potato Soup which has turned out to be one of the most popular soup recipes on this website!
It’s been so fun to see how many people have loved that recipe. One reader wrote in saying “This is the best soup I’ve made–ever!…So good. By the way, I’ve been cooking for more than 50 years. Best soup in all these years.” (Wow! Thank you!) And then, a personal favorite review, “Best soup I have ever had. Please don’t tell my mom. Lol” (Haha!)
That soup recipe was my “take” on cheeseburger soup, but since sharing it, there have also been so many questions and emails on how to make an actual cheeseburger soup–one with beef and Cheddar, not sausage and Colby Jack. So here we are! This is the best Cheeseburger Soup–I hope you all love it as much as the sausage potato version!
Quick Tip
This Cheeseburger Soup has no Velveeta! Instead we’re using real Cheddar cheese, which gives it a wonderful made-from-scratch flavor.
What Is Cheeseburger Soup Made Of?
This comforting, hearty Cheeseburger Soup Recipe combines ground beef, carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes. We then add a cheesy, cream base with sour cream and plenty of sharp Cheddar cheese. This has all the flavors you know and love in a good cheeseburger, but in soup form!
Here are a few ingredient-specific notes:
- Use sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar. Sharpness indicates a more aged cheese that will deliver a richer and more pungent flavor. If you’ve ever noticed your cheesy soups to be lacking flavor, it’s likely because the cheese wasn’t aged (or the soup needed more salt to bring the cheesiness alive!). See “quick tip” box below.
- Pick baby gold potatoes. Baby Yukon golds (also called gold, Yukon, or yellow potatoes) have a light yellow flesh, delicate skin, and an irresistible creamy flavor and ever-so-slight sweetness. The skin is so delicate, you don’t need to peel the potatoes before using (which is a huge time saver)!
- Add in a flavorful chicken stock. The better quality of stock, the better the flavor (we love Swanson®). Of course, if you have homemade chicken stock, nothing beats that!
Quick Tip
Make sure to use freshly grated sharp Cheddar so you don’t get a waxy Cheeseburger Soup (pre-grated cheese has a cellulose coating to keep it from clumping together but it also doesn’t melt as nicely in the soup).
Shortcuts
- Baby gold potatoes are a time saver since you don’t need to peel the potatoes first!
- Try freshly made mirepoix (a combination of finely chopped onions, celery, and carrots) from the produce section of the grocery store. You can even find it in the frozen vegetable section of the store; this is another huge time saver! If you don’t want to purchase this mix, you can use a food processor to quickly chop equal amounts of onion, carrot, and celery. Going the food processor route adds an extra dish, but isn’t too much more time consuming.
- Use pre-minced garlic (or a garlic press) as another time saver.
How To Make Cheeseburger Soup
This easy Cheeseburger Soup is created to be simple to make and only use two pots! Plus, no blending required. (This is a very creamy soup, but also has chunks of veggies and meat present.)
Here are our top tips for success:
- Use a hot cast iron pan to brown the ground beef. Once you add the beef, let it stand for a minute before crumbling–this will allow it to nicely sear and gain color. Color=flavor!
- Dice veggies (celery, carrots, and onion) into small, even sizes so they’ll cook quickly and integrate into the soup nicely.
- Cut the potatoes into evenly small, bite-sized pieces so they’ll boil to fork tender within 15-20 minutes as indicated by the recipe.
- Use real milk. We tried this soup with whole milk which was our favorite, but 2% and 1% also work. We don’t recommend using skim milk or milk alternatives (like soy, almond, rice, etc.), as those milks will affect the flavor and consistency.
Quick Tip
What makes a perfect soup? A really great base flavor! Just the right amount of salt and pepper, complementary spices, and well-cooked components!
Variations
- Add some spice: A touch of red pepper flakes or some ground cayenne pepper (add slowly to taste) really adds some zing.
- Make Cheeseburger Soup healthy:Use lean ground beef, fat-free or light sour cream, and 1% milk.
- Make a Cheeseburger Soup with pickles: Just add a garnish of diced pickles on top.
- Try a Bacon Cheeseburger Soup: Brown some diced bacon at the start of this recipe and remove to a plate, leaving the grease behind, Brown the beef in the bacon grease. Top bowls of soup with cooked bacon–delicious!
- Make a vegetarian Cheeseburger Soup: Swap out the chicken stock for vegetable stock (or broth) and replace the beef with Beyond Meat® crumbles (or similar brand) or omit the meat entirely.
Storage
Cheeseburger Soup Recipe Storage
- Freezing: This soup doesn’t freeze very well, because of all the dairy in it. If you want less soup, try halving the recipe.
- Reheating this soup: We recommend reheating this soup on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently. (Boiling may cause ingredients to separate.) Add a splash more milk if needed to thin. This soup is best enjoyed within 3-5 days.
What To Serve With Cheeseburger Soup
- a good crusty baguette, homemade Dinner Rolls, or soup crackers/saltines
- some kind of quick salad: our favorite everyday Salad Recipe, Garden Salad, or Italian Salad.
- additional veggies: Roasted Broccoli or Roasted Brussels Sprouts on the side
More Delicious Soup Recipes:
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup better than Panera!
- Creamy Vegetable Soup with loads of veggies
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with spaghetti!
- Potato Leek Soup with golden potatoes
- Creamy 15-Bean Soup made in the slow cooker or pressure cooker
Cheeseburger Soup
Equipment
- Large pot cast-iron optional
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 2-1/4 cups mirepoix
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 4 cups chopped baby gold potatoes see note 2
- 1 teaspoon basil flakes
- 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard powder optional
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth, see note 3
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese freshly shredded, see note 4
- 1/3 cup sour cream fat-free
- Garnish optional, see note 5
Instructions
- Place a very large pot (I recommend cast iron), over high heat. Drizzle in 1 tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add in the ground beef and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Let beef sear for a minute per side then use a wooden spoon to crumble and cook until it is completely browned through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef to a separate bowl. Drain off any grease except for 1 tablespoon. If there is no grease, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef to a separate bowl. Drain off any excess into a separate container. all but 1 tablespoon of grease. If there is no grease, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot.
- In the same pot with 1 tablespoon grease or olive oil, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced carrots, celery and onion. Season again (I add 1/2 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper). Sauté 5-7 minutes or until tender (if not diced small, you may need 7-10 minutes). Add garlic, seasonings (1 tsp dried parsley, 1 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp ground mustard), and potatoes. Sauté, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
- SIMMER: Add in chicken stock or broth and stir. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid, and cook 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender (easily pierced with a fork).
- CREAM SAUCE: Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in milk, whisking well until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to gently boil and thicken (See Note 4). Once thickened, reduce heat to lowest setting and stir in the heavy cream and sour cream. Whisk until completely smooth.
- FINISHING: Remove sauce from heat and once all soup veggies are tender, pour the milk/cream mixture into the soup and stir. Lower heat to lowest setting and return ground beef; mix through. Add in the shredded cheese. Mix gently until cheese is fully melted. Taste soup and season if needed with additional salt and pepper. Serve warm with freshly chopped parsley or thyme and bread!
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I’ve made this twice—it is exceptionally tasty; a great soup to make for company. Love your recipes, Chelsea! Thanks!
So fun to hear that! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this soup! Thanks Susie!
This soup was excellent, so hearty and satisfying! Thanks for another great recipe!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Leigh! 🙂
This was wonderful! I added a hint of pepper flakes for a little zip. I didn’t add a lot of salt because the cheese added enough! I will be using the sauce mixture for some other soups!
Delish! I’m so glad you enjoyed! 🙂