Cheeseburger Soup is a creamy, cheesy, cozy soup recipe that’s really easy to make for weeknight dinners. The combination of savory ground beef, bacon, Velveeta cheese, potatoes, and veggies makes for a satiating and comforting meal. The flavor is so good, even the kids will love it!
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What’s in this Easy Cheeseburger Soup Recipe?
Bacon, cheese, ground beef, Velveeta, and potatoes come together to create a creamy soup that tastes just like your favorite cheeseburger!
- Ground Beef: Lean ground beef is the perfect choice for a cheeseburger, and for this soup! I prefer 90%-95% lean ground beef.
- Bacon: Adds a salty, umami flavor.
- Velveeta: Adds that classic cheeseburger flavor!
- Vegetables: Onion, carrot, and celery form a mirepoix for the base of this easy soup.
- Spices: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt add rich, full-bodied flavor to this soup.
- Garlic: Adds an earthy flavor.
- Potatoes: These help to create a rich and filling soup. I like Yukon Gold potatoes, since they’re not too waxy or too creamy.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds even more umami flavor and richness.
- Mustard: Adds a slightly acidic and spicy note to the soup.
- Chicken Broth: The perfect broth for a light and creamy soup. You can use water or beef broth instead.
- Butter + Flour: This combo helps thicken the soup.
- Milk: Creates a creamy texture.
Pro Tip: Add some pasta in during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking time to fill this out even more.
Variations on Velveeta Cheeseburger Soup
There are so many fun ways to change up this cheesy ground beef soup!
You could switch out the ground beef for ground turkey, chicken, pork, or Italian sausage.
Feel free to add more vegetables, like mushrooms, bell peppers, or canned tomatoes.
To make spicy cheeseburger soup, add some cayenne pepper to the spice mix or try adding in some chopped jalapeño peppers.
For cheeseburger macaroni soup, leave out the potatoes and instead add some macaroni in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking time.
You can also swap out the Velveeta for regular cheddar cheese, or try a different cheese, like Colby, Swiss, or American.
Absolutely! You can swap the ground beef for an equal amount of ground turkey or chicken! Or, try ground pork or Italian sausage!
One bowl of cheeseburger soup contains approximately 692 calories.
Nope! While I love Velveeta for its ease of use and thickening properties, you can use shredded cheddar cheese instead. The texture and thickness of the soup will be different, though.
You sure can! Simply brown the ground beef, sauté the vegetables, and throw all of the ingredients in your crockpot for 2-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low, until the potatoes are tender. Thicken with the flour/butter/milk mixture in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Absolutely! This cheeseburger soup recipe freezes well for up to 3 months.
How to Store and Reheat
This easy cheeseburger soup is a great make-ahead recipe because the flavor continues to develop as it sits. Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
How to Freeze Cheeseburger Potato Soup
Freeze cheeseburger soup whole or in individual portions in airtight containers or Ziplock bags for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This cheeseburger soup is the perfect hearty meal. I like to top mine simply with some more shredded cheese and green onions, but you could also add more crumbled bacon, caramelized onions, or bacon croutons.
Pair this with a light Greek salad, green goddess salad, or kale Caesar salad and some freshly-baked dinner rolls at your next family dinner.
Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 carrot chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning store-bought or homemade
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 4 Yukon gold potatoes peeled and chopped into chunks (about 3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ tablespoons mustard
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth plus more if needed.
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (¼ stick)
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups milk
- 2 cups shredded Velveeta cheddar cheese plus more for topping
- Chopped green onion for topping
Instructions
- Cook the bacon until crispy in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.6 slices bacon
- Remove the bacon from the pot, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble when cooled.
- Add in the onion, carrot, celery, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt. Cook for a few minutes until softened.1 onion, 1 carrot, 2 ribs celery, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon ground paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add in the garlic and cook for another minute.3 cloves garlic
- Add in the ground beef and cook until browned. Drain any excess grease.1 pound lean ground beef
- Stir in the potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and chicken broth.4 Yukon gold potatoes, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1½ tablespoons mustard, 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer. Cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Whisk in the flour.⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- Then, gradually pour in the milk while whisking the mixture until smooth. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens.1½ cups milk
- Stir in the cheese. Then, pour the cheese mixture into the soup and stir.2 cups shredded Velveeta cheddar cheese
- Let the soup sit for a few more minutes to allow it to thicken.
- If needed, add more chicken broth to thin out the consistency.
- Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Top with bacon crumbles, cheddar cheese, and green onion.Chopped green onion
Video
Becky’s Tips
- I recommend using lean beef (90/10 or 95/5) for this recipe. If using 80/20, make sure to drain the fat before adding the potato
- If you don’t have ground beef on hand, ground pork, turkey, or chicken (or Italian sausage) would also work!
- If your pot is on the smaller side, you can brown the ground beef in batches. If the pan is too crowded, the beef will steam instead of browning.
- I’m adding a diced Yukon gold potato for even more texture and substance, but russet or red potatoes would also work– or substitute the potato for ditalini or macaroni!
- You could use water or beef broth in place of the chicken broth.
- You can use freshly shredded cheddar cheese in place of the Velveeta.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
Unbelievable how much the back of mouth flavour was Cheeseburger.
A big hit with my grandsons