Cheeseburger Soup

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4.97 from 30 votes

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

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Total Time1 10

Course: Main, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef, cheeseburger, chowder, dinner, main, soup

Servings:

Calories: 438kcal

Author: Tricia

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
32 ounces 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.

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.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition