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This cheeseburger soup recipe has all your favorite burger flavors in one comforting, warming, and flavorful soup! It’s cheesy, easy, and totally delicious.
You may also like my Easy Hamburger Soup or One Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni.
Why you’ll love it
I love a good cheeseburger, but it’s also very fun to put a creative twist on it and make this cozy soup. This bacon cheeseburger soup is rich and hearty and everything you’d expect from a soup inspired by cheeseburgers! It’s even got the pickles.
In every single bite you get crispy bacon, juicy beef, and melty cheese, so all the makings of a wonderful burger. That means that it’s kid friendly, which is a win on busy weeknights, especially when it’s a little chilly outside. It’s made with everyday ingredients!
What you’ll need
- Bacon – we’re cutting it up into small pieces
- Ground beef – generally we like 90% lean for soups
- Butter – for sautéing
- Onion, celery, garlic – our aromatic base for the soup. I like Vidalia best.
- Flour – to thicken it up
- Chicken broth – to make measuring easy, we’re just using an entire 32 oz container
- Heavy cream – it adds that silky quality to the broth
- Worcestershire sauce – I always keep a bottle around to punch up the savory flavor in soups and sauces
- Potatoes – Russets are the ideal variety for this soup since they release starch and make it even creamier
- Cheddar – I like a good-quality old/sharp cheddar
- Pickles – finely chopped and added at the end
Helpful tips
- Yes, pickles! They’re completely optional, but hear me out. I think they’re integral to the cheeseburger experience, and we’re not re-inventing the wheel by adding pickles to soup. Try my Dill Pickle Soup and see what I mean! Spoiler alert: it’s really good.
- One pound of Russet potatoes is approximately 2 medium-to-large potatoes (not the huge ones). I like to cut them quite small so they cook fast and the soup doesn’t get too thick while they cook.
How to make cheeseburger soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a soup pot, cook the bacon until crispy, then transfer it to a plate. Brown the beef, and then drain the fat and transfer the beef to a plate.
Add in the butter, then sauté the onions and celery. Stir in the garlic and flour to make a roux, then whisk in the broth until smooth. Add in the cream, Worcestershire sauce, potatoes, and beef.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until potatoes are tender. Stir in the cheddar, then add the bacon back to the pot, reserving some to top the bowls. Serve with extra bacon and chopped pickles if desired.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- It’s best to grate your own cheese for maximum freshness, taste, and so that it melts better. I love this cheese grater.
- Here is the Dutch oven pictured.
- Cut up the bacon with kitchen shears, and store uncooked bacon in the fridge with this bacon keeper.
Substitutions and variations
- I’ve only tested this as written, so sub any ingredients at your own discretion. Switching out the cream for milk may not work as well since it’s likely to be less rich and flavorful and could even curdle.
- If you’re not a cheese kinda person, you could always leave the cheddar out and make it a creamy hamburger soup instead.
- Want to give it a little kick? Add in some red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce.
What to serve with cheeseburger soup
- This soup is pretty rich, so a side salad would go well to lighten it up. I recommend this homemade Easy Italian Dressing or this Easy Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad.
- A slice of crusty bread would go well too. Just dip it in the soup! If you want to go all out, try some Garlic Bread.
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers will keep in a covered container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Keep in mind that it’ll get thicker over time as the potatoes release more starch, though!
- Reheat it over a low heat in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of cream or broth to revive it if needed.
- Creamy soups generally don’t freeze well, and the potatoes may go a bit soft.
More delicious soup recipes
If you made this easy cheeseburger soup recipe, talk to me in the comments below! You can also tag me on Instagram if you made this or any other S&L recipes.
Cheeseburger Soup
Ingredients
- 5 strips bacon cut into small pieces
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
- 1/2 medium onion chopped small
- 2 sticks celery chopped small
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pound Russet potatoes peeled & diced small
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup pickles chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the bacon into small pieces (I do this quickly with kitchen shears) and add it to a soup pot over medium-high heat. Cook until crispy (about 10 minutes). Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Leave the fat in the pot.
- Add the ground beef to the pot and cook until browned, breaking it up with your spoon and stirring it periodically. Drain the fat and transfer the beef to another paper towel lined plate.
- Add the butter to the pot and once it's melted, add the onion and celery and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and flour. Cook for about 2 minutes, breaking it up with your spoon/stirring it as you go along. This step is important because it cooks the raw flour flavor out.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until all the flour has dissolved and there's no lumps.
- Stir in the cream, Worcestershire sauce, potatoes, and add the beef back to the pot. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat so it's bubbling but not furiously boiling (medium-low heat is what works with my cast iron pot and gas stove). Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar.
- Let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the soup has thickened up to your liking. I like to stir it a few times to ensure nothing is sticking and that the stove's temperature is still correct.
- Turn the burner off, and then stir in the cheddar gradually. If the soup seems too thick for your liking, add in a splash more chicken broth (or milk or cream will work too).
- Stir in most of the cooked bacon (I keep some for topping the bowls), and taste and season with salt & pepper if needed. Stir in the optional chopped pickles or top the bowls with them.
Notes
- Be sure to cut the potatoes into a small dice so that they cook fast.
- Serves 4-6 depending on how much people eat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Wow! I mean WOW!! Totally yummy. I used a plant based heavy cream and it was still delicious. Also added a tablespoon of pickle juice and BAM! This is an easy add to our favorite meals list!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!! Thanks for your review!
This was amazing. I, of course, doubled the cheese, bacon and garlic. I also added a bit of dried oregano and basil. My 6 and 7 year old went back for seconds. We had this in the heat of the summer and was not disappointed – at all! Thanks for the amazing recipe
I’m so happy it was a hit!! 😀 You’re very welcome, Shaunte!
Wow!!! This was absolutely FANTASTIC!!
My super picky family devoured it! ( I omitted the celery and did not disclose the status of the onion)
This will be added my my favs!
Thank you!!
That makes me so happy!! 😀 Thank you, Vanessa!
It’s been snowing here for the past 3 days, so it’s the perfect weather for soup! I decided to make this for my in-laws and they LOVED it. My father in-law can be a very particular eater, but he loves soup and says this is one of the best he’s ever had. Needless to say, this will now be one of the top soup recipes in our rotation from now on. The only tiny changes I made are doubling the cheese (we are BIG cheese eaters) and adding a little more garlic. This is the first Salt and Lavender recipe I’ve tried, but I can’t wait to try more! We’ve got 3 more lined up for dinners this week.
Thank you Natasha!
I’m thrilled it was a hit!! 😀 Thank you!! Let me know what else you try, Kaitlyn!
This is the best recipe for this soup I have tried. Love the small details. My company enjoyed it very much! Thank you!
Wonderful!! You are very welcome!
Wow! This was so good! I’ve made many different cheeseburger soups and this was my family’s favorite by far! My toddlers both ate several bowls. I used ground deer meat and some extra broth to stretch it but that’s all I changed and it was so tasty. Thank you for this recipe!
You are very welcome!
I made this just as you said, with the exception of the cheese. I had shredded Colby Jack on hand and it came out delicious. My husband loved it!!
Thank you for sharing this Natasha.
Excellent!! You are very welcome, Kimberly. Appreciate your 5-star review!
I made this exactly the way it was printed. I love pickles so of course I added the diced pickles. I also added some yellow mustard on top – delicous‼️
That’s awesome!! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it, Cheryl!
This soup has become a household favorite! My 15 year old daughter has stated she could eat this for dinner every single night and my 17 year old son is always blown away by how filling it is and how long it keeps him full. As young, growing athletes, having meals like this in my arsenal is super important. Might be our favorite soup EVER!
That makes me so happy, Andrea!! 😀
Another fan favorite!! This is a great recipe. Not complicated and most ingredients on hand. Kids and hubby (who doesn’t like cheese) loved it.
That’s awesome!! 😀