This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.
Award Winning Cheeseburger Soup
What you Need to Make the Ultimate Cheeseburger Soup:
This soup is insanely delicious! Made with fresh ingredients and topped with shredded cheese, you will make it again and again! Each vegetable is coated in the cheesy goodness and tastes SO good. You will love this cheeseburger soup recipe!
Cheesy, thick chunks of vegetables and delicious buttery soup base. All of this in one bowl is pure joy and happiness! Simple to make and there will even be a little left over with how much soup there is!
- Ground beef: use one pound
- Onion: chopped
- Carrots: shredded
- Celery: diced
- Basil: dried
- Parsley flakes: added seasoning and flavor.
- Butter: used for sautéing and thickening the soup.
- Chicken broth: adds flavor and volume
- Potatoes: peeled and diced
- Flour: thickens the soup up.
- Velveeta: this a processed cheese that will be cubed or use 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Milk: creamy and smooth.
- Salt and pepper: just a pinch!
- Sour cream: thickens and adds flavoring to the soup.
How to Make The Best Cheeseburger Soup:
It is an award winning soup and it is excellent! This cheeseburger soup comes together quickly and easily. There are a few steps with simple ingredients ending in the perfect creamy soup with chunks of vegetables and tender beef.
It all comes together so well and blends perfectly. Cheeseburger soup is ranked one of my top recipes and people cannot get enough of it. My family included! They ask for this recipe often and I can never say no! I love it just as much as they do!!
- Cook the beef: Brown the ground beef in 3 quart saucepan. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: In the same saucepan add 1 T butter and add onion, shredded carrots, parsley flakes, basil and celery. Saute until tender.
- Add in beef and potatoes then simmer: Add the broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Make a roux: In a small skillet melt remaining butter (3 T) and add the flour. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
- Add in remaining ingredients and cook: Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.
Cooking in the Slow Cooker?
The great thing about this cheeseburger soup is I even have a Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup recipe that is just as good as this one! If you are needing to make in the morning and let the slow cooker do the work, then this is the recipe for you! It tastes just the same as over the stovetop and has just as AMAZING flavoring. Either recipe will be just that good!
Tips for The Best Soup:
This simple to make cheeseburger soup is one of the BEST! You can’t go wrong with the ingredients as well as how good it tastes overall. It is delicious from start to finish! Every bite will leave you wanting more of that creamy soup with thick chunks with every spoonful. Here are some tips that will help make this cheeseburger soup easier to make.
- Ground beef: The leaner the ground beef the better. Be sure to drain off any excess of grease before adding it back into the soup.
- Potatoes: Russet potatoes are thick and strong. They usually don’t go mushy in soups. Yellow and red potatoes will work too but try not to over cook them.
- Cheese: Velveeta is a favorite for this soup. It will leave it thick and creamy. If you are not a fan of velveeta try shredded cheeses. The texture and thickness will be altered and have a thinner soup base.
- Thickener: Cream cheese is a great way to substitute the sour cream. It will keep it rich and creamy and still have the thick texture you need.
- Remove from heat: Before you add in your sour cream, remove the soup from heat. This will help prevent the sour cream from curdling when being stirred in.
- Make bun croutons: cube a sesame seeded bun and cook them on a baking sheet in the oven for a few minutes. Watching them so they don’t burn. Using the stove top with a skillet will also work until they are golden brown.
Variations of Warm Cheeseburger Soup:
I love mixing and matching recipes, especially after I have made a recipe a few times it is fun to experiment and try it in different ways.
This cheeseburger soup is one of those recipes. This is definitely a family favorite in our home and made often. I knew I wanted to try somethings a little different. To start with I made this Bacon Cheeseburger Soup recipe. This is a great variation but also kept with the cheeseburger soup recipe I already had, just added some bacon.
Here are a few other ways to enhance, substitute or simply leave out to make this cheeseburger soup recipe your own.
- Meat: switch up your meat by using chicken, ground turkey or even Italian sausage.
- Vegetables: add in more vegetables or substitute the vegetables in the soup. We have tried mushrooms, bell peppers and even canned tomatoes.
- Seasoning: your favorite seasonings can always be added. Simply start with a pinch or 1/4 teaspoon and taste as you go. We have added red pepper flakes or paprika for a more spicy soup or add in season salt for a different taste and blend of soup.
- Cheese: instead of Velveeta try 2 cups of cheddar cheese or Colby jack cheese. For a spicier cheeseburger soup try it with pepper jack cheese.
- Cream: don’t leave out the cream but use heavy cream or yogurt or whole milk to keep it creamy but also thick.
- Broth: beef broth or vegetable broth are great substitutes as well.
Add Your Toppings!
Topping are the fun part to add to this cheeseburger soup recipe! There are already so many great ingredients in this recipe that it all blends together. With every bite you are guaranteed a cheesy spoonful with a vegetable and topping. These toppings are versatile and can be made quickly. I love how simple they are and bring this cheeseburger soup even more flavor!
- Bacon pieces: for a quick way of making bacon, I use the microwaveable bacon and cut into chunks. Left over bacon is great too.
- Sour cream: a dollop of sour cream on top just adds to the taste with onions and chives.
- Onion: chopped and added to the top for a more crunchy texture.
- Pickles: dill is my favorite. This is fun to have chunks of pickles on top. It adds a sweeter taste to the soup.
- Crackers: you can never go wrong with crackers. Oyster crackers are fun and little to throw on top or just saltine crackers with a salty taste.
- Croutons: these will soak up all the cheesy broth and add and extra soft, crunch to your bite.
- Chips: salty chips are fun to use or pita chips. Dip them like salsa or crumble them up.
- Bun croutons: dice up a sesame seed bun and toast it or sauté it over the oven until they are golden brown and add to the top.
Storing cheeseburger soup
This cheeseburger soup is known for being delicious and everything good. I love the simplicity of this cheeseburger recipe and how delicious it is. It is a tried and true recipe that our family will continue to make over and over again. Another great thing about this cheeseburger soup recipe is that it makes a large amount of soup. Perfect for reheating, freezing or even sharing with others. Again, it is just that good!
When freezing this cheeseburger soup there are a few adjusts that need to be made. It is best to leave out potatoes because after being frozen they do become mushy. Also, it does have sour cream, cheese and a milk base. This kind of soup does not freeze well. It is best to enjoy your cheeseburger soup fresh! There are ways to freeze this cheeseburger soup recipe though and I am here to help with that.
- Storing cheeseburger soup: once your cheeseburger soup is completely cooled place your cheeseburger soup in an airtight container or ziplock bag. This will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days long. When ready to reheat you may need to add a little chicken broth if it is too thick.
- Can you freeze your cheeseburger soup? Yes, kind of. It is best fresh and made to serve. If you are needing to freeze this soup and are planning it from the beginning, I recommend leaving out the potatoes until you are warming it back up. Potatoes tend to go mushy when they are frozen in a soup. Once your soup is completely cooled, add your soup to a ziplock bag with excess air removed. Lay flat in your freeze. This will last about 1 month. Freezing too long can separate the soup leaving it hard to reheat and combine back together.
- How to reheat cheeseburger soup: It is best to reheat your soup on the stove top or in a slow cooker. No need to thaw your soup. Simply add the frozen soup to your pot and reheat on low stirring often. They will keep the soup from separating.
More delicious soup recipes
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Cheeseburger Soup
Equipment
- Alyssa Also Recommends:
- Want to make this even easier? Here are a few products that I LOVE:
- Calphalon Cookware Set
- Staub Cast Iron Skillet
- The Recipe Critic Measuring Cups
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 3/4 cup shredded carrots
- 3/4 cup diced celery
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups of Velveeta processed cheese cubed I used 16 ounce or- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in 3 quart saucepan. Drain and set aside.
- In the same saucepan add 1 T butter and add onion, shredded carrots, parsley flakes, basil and celery. Saute until tender.
- Add the broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- In small skillet melt remaining butter (3 T) and add the flour. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
- Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I LOVE this recipe soooo much. If I do chicken instead of beef and put it in the crock pot do I have to cook the chicken first?
Glad you like it! I recommend cooking your chicken over the stove and then adding it in about 30 minutes before the soup is done to keep it from drying out. You can find the full recipe for my slow cooker cheeseburger soup here!
This recipe is wonderful! We like things a bit spicy so I added a jalapeño to the onion mixture. I also added 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. I had fresh dill and spring onions on hand, so I threw 1/4 cup of each in as well. My husband absolutely loves this soup! Me too! Thank you!!! I will make this soup again!!!
Not gonna lie kinda nummy. Had lots of ingredients which made it expensive. So instead of beef I subbed it for my fav vegan chicken. And for the potato I used red onion. I went up 5kg after eating it. My children loved it. Keep up the great work. Im sure your other dishes are lovely.
I followed the recipe exactly except I did not add any potatoes, because I had it in Amish country and I do not remember any potatoes in it and it is thick enough without the potatoes. The soup is absolutely delicious you can even add some corn to this if you want.
For 2x recipe, why does it say you need 8 tablespoons of butter,divided, and then when following instructions it only calls for 1 TBSP and then 3TBSP?
Thanks
Hi! When you use the 2X button, it changes the amounts in the ingredients list but it doesn’t change the instructions.
Wow it’s like a dip and a soup. It’s really hearty. I didn’t have celery or parsley so I used dry. It was still amazing.
This has become one of our family’s favorite recipes, period. I always make it as-is, but doubled because my kids love it so much. We have it at least once a month, winter or summer and it’s frequently requested when I ask for suggestions for dinner.
Great recipe. I used fresh shredded sharp cheddar. I added some real bacon bits and just used Italian seasoning since that’s what I had, instead of basil and parsley. Topped with croutons. My kids really liked it as well!
How many adults will this recipe feed.
It will feed about 4-6 adults.
We loved it! Made it just as written using the cream cheese. Perfect for a cold dreary night! Thank you!
OMG!!!! This is seriously the best soup EVER! I have made it several times and am going to make it again this week and add in some green chili this time. I also used about 1/2 of an envelope of instant mashed potatoes instead of the flour/butter roux. I used 8 oz. Of Velveeta queso blanco cheese plus one cup of sharp cheddar. Soooo good!! Thanks for such a fantastic recipe!!
Made this for dinner. I adjusted the recipe just a bit since I was short on time. And I also prepared everything and then put it into the crockpot to heat it all up.
I used 3 cups of veggie broth instead of chicken (what I had on hand)
8oz Velvetta cheese sauce and 8oz shredded cheddar (shredded it off the block)
And my family likes it spicy, so I added a small can of Hot Rotel tomatoes in with the veggies as I sautéed them.
I did not need use the flour and milk to thicken it up.
Where is the rest of the recipe? It only goes to step 5 and never says when to combine everything.
Hi! This is the whole recipe. In step 5, you are adding these ingredients to the pot that has the rest of the ingredients. There is a full video in the post on how to put this together if that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions!
My mother on law makes a similar recipe but this one is way better. Now she asks me what I put in it! The celery really makes a difference and I add a ton of celery but soften it up longer I never use sour cream when I make it though and only recently left out the flour part. It’s good with or without the flour to thicken it. Bacon bits and shredded sharp cheddar on top when I serve it and we all absolutely love it even reheated as leftovers!
I made this again and again. The whole family loves it. I will always make this. My question is can you not use the milk at all? I believe I have forgotten the milk because it was a lot thicker. Now with the make it very runny. I tried only put a cup in it’s still runny.. I just don’t remember if you don’t put it in at all is it to salty? I love it the same day but leftovers are amazing too.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! Kids liked it too! Prepared it as written but used 8oz velveeta and 8oz shredded cheddar. Will definitely save this one!!
This was sooooo good!
It was also really easy to make, a very good hearty soup.