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Overhead view of cheeseburger soup in a white bowl topped with shredded cheddar and croutons, with a spoon on a striped kitchen towel.

Cheeseburger Soup

A hearty, creamy cheeseburger soup made with ground beef, Yukon Gold potatoes, cheddar cheese, and plenty of vegetables. This big-batch recipe serves 6–8 and is one of my kids’ frequent requests once fall and winter roll around.
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Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup shredded or finely chopped carrots
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  • 4 tablespoons butter divided
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 4 cups Yukon Gold potatoes diced and left unpeeled
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • chopped chives and croutons optional for serving

Method
 

  1. Cook the ground beef. If you're starting with raw beef, brown 1 pound of ground beef in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Drain excess grease and set the beef aside. If you're using previously cooked ground beef like I did, you can skip this step.
  2. Cook the vegetables. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until they begin to soften.
  3. Add the potatoes and broth. Add the diced Yukon Gold potatoes, chicken broth, cooked ground beef, fresh basil, and parsley.
  4. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, approximately 10–15 minutes depending on how large you've cut them.
  5. Make the roux. In a small skillet or saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
  6. Add the butter-and-flour mixture to the soup and stir well. Allow the soup to cook until it begins to thicken.
  7. Make it creamy. Reduce the heat and stir in the milk followed by the shredded cheddar. Stir gently until the cheese has completely melted into the soup.
  8. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Taste and add additional salt if needed.
  9. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sour cream.
  10. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped chives and croutons, if desired.

Notes

Prep time will be considerably shorter if using previously cooked ground beef and pre-chopped vegetables.
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