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Shot of a dinner table with a bowl of easy cheeseburger soup topped with bacon and fresh herbs
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5 from 2 votes

Cheeseburger Soup

Cozy, comforting and full of flavor! Your family will love this easy Cheeseburger Soup with bacon, potatoes and herbs.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword bacon cheeseburger soup, cheeseburger soup, creamy, easy, hearty soup
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 338kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 4 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 1 large carrot (or 2 small carrots), peeled and grated
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2 medium russet potatoes (about 6 ounces each), peeled and diced into ½-inch dice
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
  • 2 cups milk (I use 2% milk, but whole milk is also a good option), at room temperature
  • teaspoon paprika
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste (if your broth is salted, you might not need any additional salt at all, so taste first)
  • Optional garnish: additional cooked, crumbled bacon; chopped fresh herbs; sliced green onion

Instructions

  • In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, brown the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain off the fat; set the beef aside on a plate.
  • In the same pot, cook bacon over medium heat until lightly browned and the fat has rendered. You should have about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the pot (if there’s a lot more than that, strain off any excess). Add the butter. When the butter melts, stir in the onion, celery, carrots, basil and parsley. Cook until the vegetables start to soften, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 more seconds.
  • Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  • Add potatoes and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer gently over low heat until the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir the pot occasionally while the potatoes cook.
  • Reduce the heat to a very low flame. Stir in the cooked beef, Velveeta cheese, milk and paprika. Cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts. Discard bay leaf. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with optional toppings.

Notes

  • Prep ahead: cook the beef in advance and keep it in the refrigerator for a couple of days (or in the freezer for up to 3 months) until you're ready to make the soup. It cuts out an extra step and makes the prep time even faster!
  • When adding the broth to the potdeglaze the pan by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. This adds so much flavor to the soup!
  • Velveeta provides (by far!) the best, smoothest, creamiest texture for a cheesy soup. Yes, you can substitute with other types of cheese...but the soup will not have the same taste or mouthfeel.
  • Allow the milk to come to room temperature before stirring it into the soup.
  • Once you add the milk and cheese, do not let the soup boil. If you boil the milk or cheese, the soup may curdle or separate.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the soup | Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 957mg | Potassium: 690mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1771IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 263mg | Iron: 2mg