Cheeseburger Soup Recipe

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Rich and hearty and oh so good, our simple Cheeseburger Soup is easy to make. This soup is loaded with beef, potatoes and vegetables, and garnished with cooked bacon, onion, shredded cheddar cheese and even pickles for the total cheeseburger experience!

This cheeseburger soup recipe is the perfect summer to autumn recipe! If you’re like me and are still grilling on the weekends before the cold weather takes hold, you’re already halfway to an amazing pot of cheeseburger soup! Grill up your favorite hamburgers and make 3 or 4 extra burgers to use in this soup. No worries if you don’t have a grill! Simply sauté ground beef in a large Dutch Oven and you’re well on your way to a creamy, hot bowl of this delicious soup.

The perfect soup for your cheeseburger lover!

You probably know at least one person in your life who loves a juicy cheeseburger. Personally, I know several, myself included! This is the best recipe to make for your cheeseburger loving folks. We start with previously grilled, leftover hamburgers then crumble them up to add to the soup.

The base is made with chicken broth, potatoes, onions, celery and carrots. These are the classic flavor makers when it comes to delicious soups. Once the vegetables are tender, the crumbled burgers, milk and cheese are added and warmed until thick and creamy. It’s really that easy to make with the unforgettable taste of home!

Do you have to use grilled hamburgers?

No, you don’t have to use previously grilled hamburgers for this cheeseburger soup recipe. However, I think you’ll really like the flavor and love having this part of the recipe prepped ahead of time. Using leftover grilled hamburgers gives the ground beef a more authentic cheeseburger flavor.

There are many restaurants and diners that use grilled burgers in their cheeseburger soup and chili recipes too. If you don’t have a grill or it’s snowing outside, simply brown the beef until no longer pink in a soup pot, Dutch oven or skillet. For added flavor, brown some bacon in the pan first, then drain off all the grease. Leave the crusty bits of bacon to flavor the ground beef – you won’t be sorry!

Can you make cheeseburger soup in the slow cooker or crockpot?

Yes. You have plenty of options to make this soup your own. If you want to make cheeseburger soup in the crockpot or slow cooker, you can! Simply grill the burgers ahead of time or brown a pound of ground beef in a skillet. Drain the fat and add the chopped cooked beef to the slow cooker or crockpot. Add the broth, vegetables and part of the milk. Set the slow cooker on low and cook for 4 hours.

Once the potatoes are tender turn the slow cooker to high. Add a slurry made with the remaining milk and cornstarch and the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir and cook until the soup is thick and the cheddar cheese is melted.

Can we use other kinds of cheese to make cheeseburger soup?

Absolutely! Velveeta cheese is a popular choice for cheesy soup recipes, but I encourage you to think outside the box here. Try adding half cheddar and half applewood smoked Gouda, hot pepper or Buffalo flavored cheese. You’ll want to pick something that melts beautifully and will contribute to the creamy texture of the cheeseburger soup.

Guess what else you can do with this amazing cheeseburger soup recipe!

You can make it your own by adding shredded rotisserie chicken, ground turkey or even broccoli in place of the ground beef. This base is a great jumping off point for so many chowder-like soups. Check out our Buffalo Chicken Chowder recipe; I think you’ll want to make it next! You might also like to turn this creamy base recipe into a steaming bowl of Salmon Chowder or our Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup. You’re going to love this soup! Enjoy

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5 from 4 votes

Cheeseburger Soup

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Yield: 8

Course: Main, Soup

Author: Tricia

PRINT RECIPE

Creamy, hearty and delicious with all the flavors we love in a juicy cheeseburger!

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef or 4 previously grilled hamburgers
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 small-medium stalks celery diced
• 2 large carrots peeled and shredded or diced
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 4 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
• 1 32-ounce container low sodium chicken broth (about 4 cups)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups whole milk or half-and-half, divided
• 3 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese good quality - not pre-shredded

For serving (optional):

• bacon cooked and chopped
• fresh parsley leaves
• dill pickles chopped
• red onion minced
• rustic bread croutons, or toasted buns, cubed
• additional shredded cheddar cheese
• hot sauce
• diced tomatoes
• Ranch dressing drizzle
• cream cheese or sour cream

Instructions

• In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, brown the ground beef until cooked through leaving some large chunks, drain. Alternately, crumble four (quarter-pounpreviously grilled hamburgers and set aside.
• Add the butter to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until melted. Add the celery, carrots and onion and sauté until crisp tender, about 10-12 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another minute or until fragrant.  Add the potatoes, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly, and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• In a small bowl whisk the cornstarch into 1 cup of the milk (or half-and-haluntil blended.  Gradually stir the slurry into the soup.  Bring it to a boil again and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly add the shredded cheddar cheese and the remaining cup of half-and-half. Cook and stir gently until the cheese is melted. Add the cooked ground beef and heat the chowder until steaming but not boiling. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
• Serve immediately garnishing each bowl as desired.

Recipe Notes

If the soup is too thick, add a little water, broth or milk to thin.

Use any combination of cream, milk or half-and-half but I recommend at least using whole milk. All half-and-half works well.

Leftover weekend grilled hamburgers are great for this soup. The charred, grilled flavor adds another dimension to this hearty, cheesy chowder.

If you’re garnishing the soup with bacon, cook it in the Dutch oven or soup pot first. Drain/remove the grease from the pot but don’t wipe out the crusty bits as they will flavor the soup as well. Continue making the soup in the Dutch oven.

Substitute your favorite cheese for part of the cheddar. Cheeses such as Smoky Apple Gouda, Buffalo Cheddar, Hot Pepper, or even Velveeta work well here.

We love to enjoy soup all year long, but especially in the fall. Check out these 25 Sensational Soups and this Loaded Potato Soup for more soup inspiration.

Here are a few more recipes you might like to try:

A deliciously juicy home grilled burger that tastes like steak! Click HERE to get the recipe for Marinated Burgers.

With a silky, creamy broth, tender chunks of chicken, loads of fresh spinach and pillowy soft gnocchi, our Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup is comforting, easy to make and super satisfying! Click HERE to get the recipe.

You’re going to love this comforting, filling and delicious Hearty Beef and Gnocchi Soup. Our chunky soup is worthy of an entire meal, especially when served with a hunk of crusty bread to sop up all the delicious broth! Click HERE to get the recipe.