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A bowl of Cheeseburger Soup with bacon on top and a spoon on the side.
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Cheeseburger Soup

This easy Cheeseburger Soup recipe has savory bacon, cheddar cheese, burger seasonings, and a hint of classic condiments! These flavors come together to make the best soup recipe!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 cups
Calories: 349kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

  • 5 strips bacon 2 tbsp drippings reserved. (Optional, see notes)
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • Salt/Pepper
  • ½ cup light beer see notes
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • ¾ cup carrots diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
  • 2 teaspoons ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons dill pickle juice
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 ½ cups half and half
  • 1 ¼ lbs. potatoes Yukon gold, russet, or red
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded

Seasonings

  • ½ teaspoon EACH: brown sugar, garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, pepper, smoked paprika
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the Bacon

  • Note: This soup can be made without bacon if needed, but it adds a lot of flavor to the broth. 2 tablespoons of butter can be used instead of bacon drippings if needed.
  • Cook the bacon in a 4.5-quart soup pot slowly over low heat. (I cut my bacon in half, it’s easier to fit it in the pan and have it cook evenly.) While the bacon cooks, measure out remaining ingredients. Once cooked, set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Chop once cooled and reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings.
  • Wipe any dark spots from the pot but leave as much bacon remnants as you can, as that will add flavor to the soup.

Brown the Beef

  • Sprinkle the ground beef lightly with salt/pepper. Cook and crumble it in the same soup pot over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain grease and set the ground beef aside.

Make the Soup

  • Add beer and use a silicone spatula to clean the bottom and sides of the soup pot, this will add flavor to the broth. Let it bubble over medium heat until reduced by half, about 5-6 minutes.
  • Add reserved bacon drippings, butter, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are softened, 5-6 minutes.
  • Add the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, mustard, ketchup, pickle juice, and seasonings. Stir to combine.
  • Add the flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes, until the raw flour smell is gone.
  • Add the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring continuously. Add the beef broth and the half and half in the same manner.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the cooked ground beef back to the soup. Cover partially and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  • Peel the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized cubes. Add to the soup and stir to combine. Cover partially and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
  • Reduce heat to low and gradually stir in the cheddar cheese until melted and combined. Sprinkle with bacon and serve!

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • Beer: I recommend light beer (such as Bud Light) for this recipe as we want the flavor to be very subtle. Beef broth can be used to deglaze the skillet if preferred. (If you prefer a stronger beer flavor, try my Beer Cheese Soup recipe!)
  • Hot Sauce: I use Frank's Hot Sauce and it serves to enhance the other flavors in the soup, it doesn't make it spicy.
  • Potatoes: I use Yukon Gold potatoes for this recipe because I love their creamy consistency, but red potatoes are always a great candidate for soup because they hold up the best. Russet potatoes may also be used, but they’re also the starchiest, which makes them more prone to falling apart.
  • Cheese: Shred the cheese from a block instead of using packaged shredded cheese. It will melt and taste much better than pre-shredded. I use Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Yellow.
  • Make sure the base of the soup isn’t too hot when you add the cheese, otherwise the dairy will separate and create a grainy consistency.
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 46 of my 2nd cookbook, Let’s Eat!
Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. 
  • This soup can be frozen but it doesn't reheat quite as well as when served fresh. If you plan on freezing, be sure not to overcook the potatoes so that they hold up when reheated.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per cup. This recipe makes approximately 10 cups. (Or enough to serve 5 people.)

Nutrition

Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 794mg | Potassium: 585mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2072IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 227mg | Iron: 2mg