Creamy Cheeseburger Soup
Creamy cheeseburger soup with ground beef, potatoes, and melted cheddar in one pot. All the flavor of a cheeseburger in a cozy, 45-minute soup.
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Cheeseburger Soup takes everything good about a burger night, the beef, the cheese, the soft potatoes, and turns it into one pot of soup the whole family will actually finish. It’s the dinner I make when it’s cold out and nobody wants a salad.
Ground beef gets browned and drained first, then simmers with onion, carrot, celery, and diced potatoes in broth until everything’s tender. A quick milk-and-flour roux thickens the pot, and a big handful of shredded cheddar melts in at the end for that classic cheeseburger flavor.
The trick is temperature. Once the cheese goes in, the soup should stay at a gentle simmer, not a boil, or the cheese can turn grainy and separate instead of melting into a smooth, creamy base.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Real cheeseburger flavor in a bowl. Ground beef, cheddar, and a touch of mustard give it that classic burger taste.
- One pot, minimal cleanup. Everything simmers together in the same pot from start to finish.
- Kid-approved. It’s basically a cheeseburger they eat with a spoon, and mine ask for seconds.
- Ready in about 45 minutes. Faster than a drive-thru run once everyone’s home and hungry.
Cheeseburger Soup Ingredients
Shred your own cheddar off a block if you can. Bagged shredded cheese is coated in starch to keep it from clumping in the bag, and that same coating can leave the soup a little grainy instead of silky.
- 1 lb ground beef (85/15)
- 1 tbsp butter, for sautéing
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1/2 cup carrot, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 3 cups Yukon gold potatoes, diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp butter, for the roux
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
Recipe Variations
- Swap half the cheddar for pepper jack if you want a little heat.
- Stir in a cup of frozen peas or corn with the potatoes for extra vegetables.
- No Yukon golds on hand? Red potatoes work the same way, just leave the skins on for extra texture.
How to Make Cheeseburger Soup
- Brown the beef: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no pink remains, about 6-7 minutes. Drain the excess grease and set the beef aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: In the same pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened.
- Simmer the soup base: Add the potatoes, broth, basil, salt, pepper, and browned beef back to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Make the roux: In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the milk until smooth.
- Thicken and add cheese: Stir the roux into the soup pot and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until slightly thickened. Reduce heat to low, stir in the cheddar and mustard, and stir until melted. Don’t let the soup boil once the cheese is in, or it can turn grainy.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and serve hot, with extra shredded cheddar on top if you like.
Recipe FAQs
Why Did My Cheeseburger Soup Turn Grainy?
It’s almost always heat. Once the cheese goes in, keep the soup on low and stir gently. A hard boil after the dairy’s added is the fastest way to break the texture.
Can I Use Pre-Shredded Cheese?
You can, but a block of cheddar you shred yourself melts smoother. Bagged shredded cheese is coated in starch to prevent clumping, and that same coating can leave the soup slightly grainy.
What Potatoes Work Best?
Yukon gold or red potatoes hold their shape well in soup. A starchy russet works too, it’ll just break down a bit more and thicken the broth further.
Can I Make This Ahead?
The soup base through the simmer step holds well in the fridge for a day or two. Make the roux and add the cheese fresh when you reheat, since dairy that’s been chilled and reheated once already is more likely to separate.
What Should I Serve with Cheeseburger Soup?
Crusty bread or dinner rolls for dipping, and a simple green salad. It doubles fine in a large pot, just make the roux in two batches so it blends in smoothly.
Cooking Tips
- Shred your own cheddar off the block. It melts into the soup far more smoothly than the pre-shredded kind.
- Cut the potatoes into small, even pieces so they cook through at the same rate as the rest of the vegetables.
- Whisk the roux constantly while it cooks so it doesn’t clump before it goes into the pot.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The soup thickens as it chills.
To freeze: Freezing isn’t ideal, dairy-based soups tend to separate once thawed. If you want a freezer stash, freeze the soup before adding the roux and cheese, then finish those steps fresh after reheating.
To reheat: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of milk or broth to loosen it back up.
How to Serve Cheeseburger Soup
A warm, crusty roll or a side salad rounds out the bowl. This is one of the recipes in our 30 Easy Ground Beef Dinners collection, and more quick, budget-friendly ground beef dinners for busy weeknights are on the way.
Loved This Recipe?
Cheeseburger Soup turns a burger night into a cozy, one-pot dinner the whole family will ask for again.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
Cheeseburger Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef 85/15
- 1 tbsp butter for sautéing
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1/2 cup carrot diced
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 3 cups Yukon gold potatoes diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp butter for the roux
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
Instructions
- Brown the beef: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no pink remains, about 6-7 minutes. Drain the excess grease and set the beef aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: In the same pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened.
- Simmer the soup base: Add the potatoes, broth, basil, salt, pepper, and browned beef back to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Make the roux: In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the milk until smooth.
- Thicken and add cheese: Stir the roux into the soup pot and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until slightly thickened. Reduce heat to low, stir in the cheddar and mustard, and stir until melted. Don’t let the soup boil once the cheese is in, or it can turn grainy.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and serve hot, with extra shredded cheddar on top if you like.
