Hearty Cheeseburger Soup

Make this hearty cheeseburger soup once and your family and friends will be begging for more! This flavorful soup combines ground beef or turkey, potatoes, carrots, celery to keep you full and happy.

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Fall is here and that means soup! My sister in law shared this hearty cheeseburger soup recipe with me years ago and it has become a staple in our family, especially during the cold months. This cheeseburger soup is delicious year round, but it just hits differently when it’s cold outside.

I’ve made this soup for larger family gatherings, get togethers with friends and on weeknights for my own family. One thing I will say: you will want to double this recipe! It doesn’t add much time to the prep and cook time and your future self will thank you. This cheeseburger soup reheats super well and my kids have even taken it to school in a heated thermos for lunch.

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities, full instructions and tips for success.

Cheeseburger Soup

• Ground Beef or Turkey – We’ve made this cheeseburger soup with beef and turkey. It tastes great either way but my family tends to prefer the turkey.
• Onion – I avoid chopping onions when I can so I usually use dehydrated onions for this recipe. However, you can also chop raw onions for this recipe if that’s your preference.
• Carrots – To cut down on prep time, I like to use shredded carrots. If I don’t have them, then cutting baby carrots down into 1/4″ pieces works well too.
• Celery – This recipe calls for diced celery. Because celery is so fibrous, it can take longer to soften so smaller pieces are better.
• Basil
• Parsley
• Butter – I’ve used both salted and unsalted in this soup. If you use salted, you will just cut down on the amount you add at the end.
• Chicken Broth – Feel free to use chicken bouillon cubes and water or already made chicken broth.
• Potatoes – I think this soup tastes best with Yukon gold potatoes but have also made it with russet and red.
• Flour – This is used to make a roux (pronounced: roo) to thicken the soup.
• Cheddar Cheese – Prepackaged shredded cheddar cheese or shredded at home off the block.
• Milk – I use whole milk for a richer, creamier taste but a lower fat milk is fine too.
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Sour Cream
• Bacon Crumbles – Optional, but definitely delicious.

Recommended Kitchen Tools

• 6-qt Cast Iron Dutch Oven
• Wooden Spoon
• Soup Ladle
• Cutting Board
• Knife
• Glass Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons

How to Make Cheeseburger Soup

Start by chopping your veggies. I use shredded carrots and dehydrated onions to cut down on my prep time. This leaves just the potatoes and celery that need to be cut up.

In a 6-qt dutch oven (or large pot), brown the ground beef/turkey. Drain the fat. I often line a bowl with a couple of paper towels to help soak up extra grease. Then pour the meat into the bowl and set aside.

In the same pot, add 1 Tbsp butter, onion, carrots and celery. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until tender.

Add the basil and parsley and stir to combine.

Pour the chicken broth, potatoes and ground beef/turkey into the pot with the vegetables. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender.

In a small saucepan, add the remaining 3 Tbsp butter and flour. Heat over medium and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly.

The roux will become a golden yellow and will be very bubbly. When it comes to this point, turn off the heat.

Add the roux to the soup and turn up the heat to bring it to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. The soup will begin to thicken. Reduce heat to low.

Stir in the milk, shredded cheese, salt and pepper. Keep stirring until the cheese is melted. Remove from heat and add in the sour cream. Stir to combine.

Serve immediately. Top with bacon crumbles (optional).

Tips for Success

• Measure all ingredients out before starting. While the recipe for this cheeseburger soup isn’t difficult, there are a lot of ingredients. I’ve made this soup more times than I can count and it’s always easier when I measure everything out ahead of time.
• Double the recipe. Unless you are making this soup for 2-3 people, I highly recommend doubling it. Even then, it’s so good that you are likely to go back for seconds. On top of that, it reheats so well and makes amazing leftovers. I promise you will thank me.

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