This rich and creamy soup delivers everything you crave from a juicy cheeseburger — savory beef, sweet onions and melty cheddar cheese. To transform the beloved burger into a hearty soup, we add carrots, celery and potatoes and simmer everything in a tasty, velvety broth.
The dish is made with everyday ingredients and cooks quickly on the stovetop, making it ideal for busy weeknights, as well as game night parties, sports-filled weekends and cozy Sunday suppers. And I think you'll find that both adults and kids love it.
Here's a look at the ingredients you'll need:
Ground beef. You’ll need ½ pound of ground beef for this soup. Using ½ pound (and not more) makes the final product more like soup than chili. I prefer lean ground beef (around 90% lean),
because it keeps the soup from being overly greasy. If you only have 80% lean beef, drain the fat from the pan after browning the meat.
Vegetables. I chose the classic medley for making soup: onion, carrots, celery and garlic. The vegetables add texture and an aromatic base for the broth. I also added potatoes for heft and substance. Plus, beef, cheese and potatoes have a natural affinity and they mingle beautifully here. Choose your favorite potato variety for this soup; russet, Yukon gold, and red all work. The potatoes can be peeled or unpeeled, just make sure to cut all pieces uniformly so they cook evenly.
Seasonings. Thanks to the combination of vegetables, you need very few seasonings for this soup. You’ll need dried parsley, ground mustard, salt and black pepper. This simple combination of spice rack staples adds great flavor and complexity to the soup.
Tomato paste. One tablespoon of tomato paste adds sweetness and depth to the broth. Plus, when coupled with the ground mustard, classic cheeseburger vibes are enhanced.
Broth. Since the base of this soup is beef, I chose beef broth as the liquid component. You may use regular or reduced-sodium broth. You may also substitute chicken broth.
Half-and-half. Half-and-half adds creaminess to this soup while keeping it on the lighter side (when compared with soups with heavy cream). If desired, you may substitute whole milk.
Cornstarch. Cornstarch is an optional ingredient here. It’s used as a thickener (cornstarch thickens the soup without making it cloudy), so the cornstarch is whisked into the cold half-and-half before adding the liquid to the pan. I chose to make it optional for folks who like thinner soups. If you decide to leave it out and want to thicken the soup before serving, whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in ¼ cup of cold water or broth and add to the pan. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken.
Cheese. Cheddar cheese is the classic addition to this soup and you may use sharp or mild cheese; simply choose what you prefer on your cheeseburgers. Pro tip: Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents which can affect meltability. For the best results, shred the cheese from a block of cheddar for this recipe.
Parsley. Chopped fresh parsley is another optional ingredient, but I find the sprinkling of parsley adds color and flavor and makes the soup pop before serving. If desired, you may substitute chopped green onions or chopped chives.
Tips for making cheeseburger soup
- Reduce the heat before adding the cheese to the pan. To prevent clumps, reduce the heat before adding the shredded cheese, as directed below. You can even remove the pan from the heat before adding the cheese as it will still melt perfectly.
- Keep extra broth on hand. This soup thickens quickly as it cools. If you prefer a thinner soup, add a little more broth until you reach your desired consistency.
- Consider variations. I’ve made this soup with extra vegetables, and it’s been fabulous. Great additions include green peas, frozen or canned corn, green beans, bell peppers, cauliflower florets, mushrooms and diced tomatoes.
- Try alternative meats. Instead of ground beef, you may swap in ground chicken or turkey, or sweet or hot Italian sausage.
- Add toppings. I chose to stick with extra cheese and parsley for my cheeseburger soup garnishes, but fun “cheeseburger themed” toppings include bacon bits, pickles, sautéed mushrooms and diced tomatoes. If it works on a burger, it will work on this soup.
Cheeseburger soup
Since this soup contains beef, vegetables and cheese, it’s essentially a complete meal. If desired, you can round out the meal with a crisp salad and warm bread.
Once cool, transfer leftover cheeseburger soup to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freezing this soup is an option, just note that the texture of potatoes will be affected upon thawing (they may get grainy and/or mushy). If you freeze this soup, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat this soup in a saucepan over medium heat until hot all the way through, adding more broth as needed to loosen the mixture.
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- ½ pound lean ground beef, I suggest at least 90% lean
- 1 small yellow onion (or ½ medium onion), chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 cups beef broth or chicken broth, regular or reduced-sodium
- 1 pound potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled if desired, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for serving
- Chopped fresh parsley for serving, optional
Instructions:
- Brown the beef in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. If necessary, drain away any fat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Add the garlic, dried parsley, ground mustard, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the broth and potatoes and bring to simmer. Reduce the heat to medium, partially cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes are tender (check by piercing the potatoes with a sharp knife).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the half-and-half and cornstarch. Add the mixture to the pan and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until thickened. Reduce the heat to low, fold in the cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese melts.
- Remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Top with fresh parsley (if using) and serve with extra cheddar cheese on the side.
Questions or comments? Email the culinary team at cooking@azcentral.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cheeseburger soup is the ultimate one-pot meal. Here's how to make it
