Hearty Cheeseburger Soup
A comforting and rich cheeseburger-inspired soup with ground beef, vegetables, and a creamy cheese base. Perfect for chilly days!
Recipe Details
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Servings: 6
Full Ingredient List
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 3/4 cup shredded carrots
- 3/4 cup diced celery
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups Velveeta cheese or 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Soup Base
Tools and Equipment
- 3-quart saucepan
- small skillet
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
Quantity | Name | Preparation Notes | Substitutions |
---|---|---|---|
1 pound | ground beef | ground turkey, ground chicken | |
3/4 cup | chopped onion | shallots | |
3/4 cup | shredded carrots | diced bell peppers | |
3/4 cup | diced celery | diced zucchini | |
1 teaspoon | dried basil | fresh basil | |
1 teaspoon | dried parsley flakes | fresh parsley | |
4 tablespoons | butter | margarine | |
3 cups | chicken broth | beef broth | |
4 cups | peeled and diced potatoes | sweet potatoes | |
1/4 cup | all-purpose flour | cornstarch | |
2 cups | Velveeta cheese or shredded cheddar cheese | Velveeta should be cubed | Colby jack cheese |
1 1/2 cups | milk | half-and-half, heavy cream | |
1/4 cup | sour cream | cream cheese | |
3/4 teaspoon | salt | ||
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon | pepper |
Instructions
- Step 1: Brown the ground beef in a 3-quart saucepan. Drain and set aside. (Tips: Use lean ground beef to reduce excess grease.)
- Step 2: In the same saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of butter, onion, carrots, parsley flakes, basil, and celery. Sauté until tender. (Tips: Cook over medium heat to avoid burning the vegetables.)
- Step 3: Add broth, potatoes, and the cooked beef to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes until potatoes are tender. (Tips: Avoid over-boiling to keep potatoes firm.)
- Step 4: In a small skillet, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, stir in the flour, and cook for 3-5 minutes until bubbly. Add this mixture to the soup and bring to a boil, cooking and stirring for 2 minutes before reducing heat to low. (Tips: Ensure there are no lumps in the flour mixture for a smooth soup base.)
- Step 5: Blend in cheese, milk, salt, and pepper, stirring until the cheese melts. Remove from heat and mix in the sour cream. (Tips: Remove from heat before adding sour cream to prevent curdling.)
Additional Information
Notes: This soup is great for leftovers and can be customized with various toppings or additional spices.