Cheeseburger Soup

This delectable family friendly Cheeseburger Soup brings all the wonderful savory flavors of cheeseburgers together in a creamy cheesy soup with a prefect blend of Italian seasonings.  Prepare to have your taste buds tantalized with savory ground beef, smoked bacon, sweet onions, garlic, tender potatoes and plenty of creamy cheddar cheese.

If your family is anything like ours than soup is on the menu at least once a week all year round.   There is just something so comforting about a big pot of warm soup.  It not only warms your old bones but warms your heart and soul.  Have you tried any of my other soup recipes?  Creamy Ham and Potato Soup, Chicken and Dumpling Soup and French Onion Soup are some tried and true family and friend favorites.

How do you make Cheeseburger Soup?

Start by browning your bacon in a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium heat.  When it is about halfway through the browning process add the ground beef and cook until browned breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.  Drain any excess grease and move the browned meat to a plate.

Turn heat to medium low and melt the butter.  Now add the onions, celery, carrots and potatoes.  Then cook until the onions  and celery start to soften.  Next add all the spices including the garlic.  Continue cooking for an additional minute stirring constantly.

Now sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat while continuing to cook for a couple of minutes.  Next add the chicken broth and milk alternating between the two.  Simmer until the potatoes are soft.  Next add the beef and bacon back to the pot warming for a couple of minutes.  Remove from the heat and slowly stir in the shredded cheddar.  Continue stirring until melted.  For best results serve promptly.

Recipe variations and additions

• Substitute ground pork sausage for the hamburger and add a few pinches of crushed red pepper with the spices.
• Make it low carb and keto friendly by eliminating the potatoes, carrots and flour.  Substitute cream for the milk and add about 4 ounces of small cubed cream cheese at the same time as the cheddar stirring until it melts.
• Substitute elbow macaroni for the potatoes.  Add about 1 1/4 cups uncooked elbow macaroni to the pot after the chicken broth and milk.  Simmer until the pasta is tender and increase shredded cheddar to 2 1/2 cups.

Helpful tips for making Cheeseburger Soup

• Hickory smoked nitrate free bacon lends great taste and aroma.
• Use lean ground beef and drain any excess fat from the beef and the pot.
• Yukon Gold potatoes work best in this soup as they hold their shape without breaking down and they have nice tender skins so you don’t have to peel them.  Red potatoes would be a close second.  Stay away from russets when it comes to soup as they will break down.
• If you really like a super thick chunky soup then remove a couple cups of broth and vegetables.  Simply puree with a immersion blender or in a stand blender (remember to remove the heat cap at the top) and stir the pureed contents in the pot of soup.
• Use a good quality cheddar as it will add such great flavor and depth.
• This soup is best reheated in the microwave on a reduced power just to make sure that it warms and does not cook the vegetables too much more.

This soup is easy, dependable and incredibly delicious.  Put the ingredients on your shopping list today and make your family a hearty wholesome meal.

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