This creamy, bacony Cheeseburger Soup delivers big juicy burger flavor in a bowl—no drive-thru required and zero judgment if you eat it straight from the pot!
If you’ve ever wished you could sip a cheeseburger through a spoon, welcome to the dream. This cozy-yet-hearty soup gives you all the juicy, cheesy, bacon-y vibes of a diner classic—without leaving your sweatpants or the couch!
I'm talking real-deal comfort here, not some watered-down “diet soup” pretending it has personality.
And, don't forget the bacon! Let's get started!
Jump to:
- Pull Up A Chair and Let's Chat!
- What You'll Need and Why
- You Do You and Make It Your Own
- Slow Cooker Instructions For Busy Days
- Tips and Tricks To Burger-In-A-Bowl Happiness
- Creamy Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
- A Surprise Serving Idea You Can't Skip
- Other Fun Topping Ideas
- You Asked, I Answered
- Reheat, Reuse, Rejoice
- Other Juicy Cheeseburger Lover Recipes
- Who's Stirring the Pot?
Pull Up A Chair and Let's Chat!
Cheeseburger Soup is a family favorite around here. It's so comforting and cozy with familiar flavors that everyone loves and dives right into. My people cannot get enough.
Between my years of feeding picky eaters and a love for deconstructing comfort food classics, this Cheeseburger Soup nails the melty cheese factor and sneaks in veggies without anyone crying foul. Ground beef stays juicy, potatoes give it body, and a splash of pickle brine? That’s the secret move your future self will thank you for.
Make this quick and easy recipe for an weeknight dinner or serve it to friends for a fun get-together when it's cold out!
What You'll Need and Why
Ground Beef - Cheeseburgers need ground beef, so does this soup. I recommend a lean blend to keep the end result from becoming too oily.
Carrots, Onion, Celery, Potatoes - The hearty veggie portion of the festivities that not only add flavor, but make this soup wonderfully filling.
Chicken Broth, Milk, Cornstarch - The soup base for this recipe. Use a good quality chicken broth. The milk and cornstarch give the dish a creaminess while thickening it up just a bit.
Bacon - Need I say more. Bacon makes everything better. Make it crispy for fantastic texture.
Potato Chips and Diced Dill Pickles - The surprise topping that is so good! Sounds a little crazy, but believe me, it's perfect! You have to try it!
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You Do You and Make It Your Own
Other proteins - Use whatever you like and have on hand. You can substitute with ground chicken, turkey, or pork. Even Italian sausage would be great. I have also been known to make this a rotisserie-chicken-burger-soup-situation. Just stir in leftover chicken at the end and you'll have a fantastic, comforting soup!
Other veggies - You can turn the Cheeseburger Soup recipe into a total fridge cleanout situation. Throw in mushrooms, tomatoes, chilis, or even sweet bell peppers for an incredible result.
Use pasta instead of potatoes. My kids go nuts for this version! It's like a hamburger helper soup!
Keep it a little lower-carb by substituting cauliflower for the potatoes. I absolutely love doing this! It's delicious!
Play with the cheeses. I used cheddar because that was what was in the fridge. However, something like pepper jack would be fantastic and add a kick. You can even use Velveeta if that's your jam. Use your favorite and have fun making this soup your own!
Make it spicy. Throw in a can of rotel. Red pepper flakes and Calabrian chilis are also a simple way to add a little kick!
Slow Cooker Instructions For Busy Days
Wanna make this cheeseburger soup recipe in the slow cooker or crockpot so you can set it and forget it?! Here's how.
Simply brown the ground beef separately in a skillet on the stovetop. After it's cooked, add the beef to the crockpot with the remaining ingredients except the milk, cornstarch, and shredded cheese. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. To finish, stir in the the remaining ingredients just before you're ready to serve and don't forget the toppings!
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Tips and Tricks To Burger-In-A-Bowl Happiness
Don't use pre-shredded cheese for this recipe. You will end up with a gloopy mess. Pre-shredded, bagged cheese is coated with a anti-caking agent to keep it from sticking together. It will prevent the cheese from melting properly in this soup. Shred your own. It's worth it.
For the glorious potato chip topping, I suggest using your favorite kettle-cooked chips. They are thicker and crispier and hold up much better as a topping than a regular thin potato chip.
If you don't want to chop up pickles or don't have any on hand, dill relish makes a phenomenal topping. Just add a dollop and stir it around. It's so good!
I use my all-purpose seasoning recipe for this soup. It's not overly salty because I do not like super salty food. If you are using your favorite seasoning blend instead, be mindful of the salt content. You may not need to use a full two tablespoons.
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Creamy Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning see note below
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 med onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup carrot, diced
- 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1½-2 lbs potatoes, diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- ½ cup cooked bacon crumbles
- crushed potato chips and diced dill pickles, for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a dutch oven on medium-high heat.
- Add the carrots, celery, and onion, cooking until they begin to soften. Stir in the all-purpose seasoning and dry mustard.
- Add the tomato paste and garlic cooking until the paste becomes a bit darker. This will give the soup base a richer flavor.
- Add the chicken broth and potatoes.
- Bring the soup to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover with a lid and cook until the potatoes become tender.
- To thicken the soup, mix the milk and cornstarch together in a separate bowl. Add that mixture to the soup. Reduce the heat to low.
- Slowly, whisk in the cheese that you have so lovingly shredded yourself. Stir constantly so that it melts evenly.
- Top with bacon, crushed potato chips, diced dill pickles, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
A Surprise Serving Idea You Can't Skip
To serve this glorious Cheeseburger Soup, ladle it into bowls. Top with, and don't leave me here, crushed up kettle-cooked potato chips and diced dill pickles. It takes this soup to a whole other level in both flavor and texture! I wasn't sure if I was going to like this, but I have to say, I will not have this soup without the chips and pickles now. It's that good.
If you need some good crusty bread for dipping, try my Dutch Oven No Knead Bread. It's the perfect dunking bread!
Other Fun Topping Ideas
Think sautéed onions or mushrooms, sliced avocado, blue cheese crumbles. I know people that love a good pickled jalapeño or pickled red onion burger topping. These would be fantastic in this soup. Sour cream dollops and thinly sliced green onions would also be so good!
And, let this roll around in your brain for a minute. Top this cheeseburger soup with a fried egg and let that rich yolk mix into the soup for a an over-the-top experience! Tell me that doesn't sound good!
You Asked, I Answered
Is this soup gluten-free?
Yes! Because cornstarch is used to thicken this soup, there is no gluten anywhere to be found. Enjoy without any worry there!
Reheat, Reuse, Rejoice
This soup will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
In an airtight container, this soup will stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months.
The trick to freezing and then thawing a soup with a cream base is to do it slowly. Let it thaw in the fridge and slowly reheat it over low heat in a pot on the stove. Don't nuke the tar out of it in the microwave. That's when things can get a little separated and funky.
Other Juicy Cheeseburger Lover Recipes
Cheeseburger Sliders - A fun take on a cheeseburger with a tangy burger sauce that is out of this world!
Cheeseburger Bowls - Perfect for meal prep when you want the flavors of a juicy cheeseburger, but with a lighter spin!
Cheeseburger Egg Rolls - Another fun take on a burger! They're quick and easy! And, of course there is a phenomenal sauce!
Who's Stirring the Pot?
Hey, I’m Ruth, the one behind Rufus for Real—your new go-to for stress-free comfort food that tastes way fancier than it is. I’m all about real recipes for real life, backed by years of feeding crowds who know the good stuff when they taste it.
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Cheeseburger Soup recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok!
I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments!
Happy Cooking!
-Ruth aka Rufus
Margaret says
Well this was fabulous. Silky smooth broth with all the cheeseburger goodness. We recommend!
Rufus says
Thank you so much! I am so very glad you liked it and thank you so very much for letting me know! Have a wonderful day!
Zia says
this is a great soup and the name reflects the recipe! this one is hard to beat and is a good go-to for any occasion!
Rufus says
Thank you so very much!