Cheeseburger Soup Quick Easy

Love meaty soup recipes? Try my ground turkey soup, oxtail soup, stuffed pepper soup, and vegetable beef barley soup next. When my family is looking for a comforting and ultra-savory meal to warm them up during fall and winter, I turn to the perfect dinner: cheeseburger soup! In my cheeseburger soup recipe, you’ll find everything you love about a classic cheeseburger, like seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, bacon, and the best burger toppings. It skips the bun which let’s face it: is the most boring part.

Why I love this recipe

Ready in 30 minutes. Not only is everything made in one pot, but it also cooks up in just 30 minutes! Customizable. Use the meat of your choice, make it dairy-free, or change the toppings. The options are endless. Incredible leftovers. Confession- I often make a double batch every time I make this because the leftovers taste even better the next day or two. Multiple cooking methods. While I prefer using the stovetop (it’s been my go-to method for years!), I’ve also tested this soup in the slow cooker and the Instant Pot, so you have options.

Ingredients needed

Bacon. To me, a bacon cheeseburger is always best. That’s why I like to start this recipe by crisping bacon slices in the pot before making the soup. It’s the best topping! Lean ground beef. I like to use lean 80/20 ground beef for this recipe. I find that it has enough fat to infuse the soup with mouthwatering flavors without making it overly greasy. If you do want to use a higher fat beef, I’d recommend skipping the butter and cooking the vegetables in the rendered beef fat. Unsalted butter. To cook the vegetables. Soup veggies. Onion, celery, carrots, and garlic cloves start the soup with an aromatic and savory baseline of flavor. Russet potatoes. Potatoes in cheeseburger soup add an undeniably creamy texture and extra bulk. Worcestershire sauce. This is a favorite ingredient of mine, as it complements the beefy flavors perfectly! All purpose flour. To thicken the soup. Feel free to use a gluten-free flour blend instead. Chicken broth. Or use beef broth or vegetable broth. Heavy cream. A splash of heavy cream gives the soup the most luxurious creamy texture. Whole milk can be used as a substitute, but it isn’t as rich or creamy. Sharp cheddar cheese. Because it wouldn’t be cheeseburger soup without the cheese! Salt and pepper. To taste. Toppings. Think of your favorite hamburger toppings for this part. Mine are crispy bacon, dill pickles, red onions, extra cheese, and toasted croutons to mimic the hamburger buns. I’ve included more topping ideas in the Variations section below.

How to make cheeseburger soup

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. “I have a lot of soup recipes, but I just had to try this one. It was delicious, thank you Arman. The family could smell it from upstairs and came to see what I was cooking.” – Wanda Step 5 – Serve. Ladle the cheeseburger soup into bowls, then add the bacon slices, diced pickles, and your other favorite toppings.

Arman’s recipe tips

Prep in advance. I like to chop and measure all of my ingredients before I start this recipe. It makes the cooking process so much faster and easier! Pre-cook the bacon. To speed up this soup, I sometimes like to make my air fryer bacon instead of pan-frying it. Don’t over-salt the soup. Remember that the bacon and cheese will naturally add a salty flavor to the soup, so don’t overdo it with any extra salt. Adjust the consistency. If the soup isn’t thick enough, let it simmer a little longer or stir in an extra 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour. If it’s too thick, add splashes of chicken broth at a time until the consistency is as thin as you like.

Storage instructions

To store: After it cools, transfer the leftover burger soup to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Instant Pot method: Start by using the “Saute” function on the Instant Pot to cook the aromatics, vegetables, and beef until browned. Add the potatoes, broth, and Worcestershire sauce, then pressure cook on High for 25 minutes with a 10-minute natural release. Stir in the remaining ingredients, simmer for a few minutes, and serve. Crockpot method: Saute the aromatics, vegetables, and beef in a skillet on the stove before adding the mixture to a crockpot. Next, stir in the potatoes, broth, and Worcestershire. Now, cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours. Finally, stir in the remaining ingredients 30 minutes before the soup is done cooking.

Use other ground meat. Feel free to swap the ground beef for ground turkey, chicken, or bison. Add more vegetables. Like bell peppers, mushrooms, leeks, cauliflower, or zucchini. Vegetarian soup. You can make vegetarian cheeseburger soup by omitting the bacon, swapping the ground beef for your favorite plant-based ground beef, and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Dairy free. I prefer to use real cream and cheese because they melt into the soup perfectly. However, if you’re dairy free, you can use coconut milk and vegan shredded cheese instead. More topping ideas. Sour cream, fresh or dried basil, parsley or dill, toasted hamburger buns, chopped iceberg lettuce, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, diced tomatoes, or a drizzle of ranch dressing. Cut the carbs. For a low carb option, replace the potatoes with cauliflower and the flour with almond flour.

To reheat: The easiest way to reheat the soup is in 30-second increments in the microwave, stirring in between. You can also reheat it in a pot on the stove.