Cheeseburger Soup With Tender Potatoes and Sharp Cheddar
Most cheeseburger soup tastes like beef and potato soup with cheese stirred in. It misses the burger. I wanted the diner version in a bowl: browned beef, sharp cheddar, a little ketchup and mustard, and a pickle on top.
I tested this cheeseburger soup nine times over three weeks before it earned a spot on the blog. The early batches tasted flat, and batch four split into greasy curds. Three small fixes solved it. Smoked paprika adds a grilled note, a teaspoon of pickle juice at the end brightens the cheese, and the cheddar goes in off the heat so every spoonful stays smooth.
The final pot is thick and creamy, packed with tender Yukon Gold potatoes, and it comes together in one Dutch oven in about an hour. My daughter, who usually fishes every carrot out of her soup, finished two bowls and asked for leftovers the next day. Here is the full method, plus fixes for what can go wrong.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Cheeseburger Soup
- One pot, one burner, and about an hour from first chop to first bite. It fits beside my lasagna soup in the weeknight rotation.
- The flavor lands close to a diner cheeseburger: browned beef, ketchup, mustard, and a bright finish from pickle juice.
- A butter and flour base gives real body, so the soup coats the spoon without heavy cream.
- Carrots and celery are diced small enough to melt in, which helps with picky eaters.
- Leftovers reheat in about 10 minutes, and day two tastes even rounder.
Recipe Snapshot
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Difficulty: Easy
- Calories per Serving: About 530
- Key Tool: 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven
- Best For: Weeknight dinners and meal prep
Nutrition Information
- Calories per Serving: About 530
- Protein: 31 g
- Carbs: 36 g
- Fat: 29 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 740 mg
- Serving Size: About 1 3/4 cups
- Servings per Recipe: 6
A bowl of cheeseburger soup carries about 31 grams of protein, mostly from the beef and cheddar. The vegetables and potatoes add 4 grams of fiber. Sodium is the number to watch at 740 milligrams, about a third of the daily value, so low-sodium broth and unsalted butter matter.
Nutrition values are approximate and calculated per serving using standard ingredient amounts. Values may vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef (ground turkey works with 1 tablespoon oil)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth (chicken broth works)
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (red potatoes work)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste (use 1/2 teaspoon table salt)
- 2 cups whole milk (2 percent works)
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded from a block (colby jack works)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons dill pickle juice
- Black pepper, to taste
For Serving (Optional)
- Chopped dill pickles
- Extra shredded cheddar
- Bun croutons (see below)
Block cheddar melts smooth, while bagged shreds carry an anti-caking coating and never melted as cleanly in my tests. Yukon Golds hold their shape, but russets break down and thicken the pot. Lean beef keeps the top from turning orange with grease. America’s Test Kitchen lists 1 teaspoon of table salt as equal to 2 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal, so measure by brand.
Equipment Needed
- 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven: The heavy base spreads heat evenly and keeps the milk from scorching.
- Slotted spoon: It lifts the beef out and leaves fat behind.
- Whisk: It keeps the flour and broth lump-free.
- Box grater: The large holes make ribbons of cheddar that melt fast.
- Instant-read thermometer: It confirms the beef hits 160°F, the USDA minimum for ground beef.
Preparation
- Dice the onion, carrots, and celery to about 1/4 inch, and mince the garlic.
- Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes so they cook at the same pace.
- Shred the cheddar and leave it out while you cook, because room temperature cheese melts faster.
- Set the milk out so it loses its chill.
- Set the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire, paprika, and salt beside the stove.
- For bun croutons, heat the oven to 400°F now.
Pro Tip: Freeze the cheddar block for 15 minutes before shredding. Cold cheese grates into clean strands and does not smear.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Heat the Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add the beef and break it into pea-size crumbles. Chef’s Note: Leave it untouched for 2 minutes so it browns and does not steam. After 7 to 8 minutes, no pink remains and a brown crust forms.
- Lift the beef into a bowl with a slotted spoon and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. The pot bottom looks glossy and brown, with no pooled grease.
- Add the butter, onion, carrots, celery, and salt, then cook over medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. The onion turns translucent and a carrot piece squishes easily.
- Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, then sprinkle in the flour and stir for 90 seconds. Chef’s Note: Raw flour leaves a pasty taste that cheese cannot cover. The vegetables look coated in a pale paste that smells toasty.
- Pour in the broth 1/2 cup at a time, whisking after each addition. Within 2 minutes the liquid turns silky and slightly thick.
- Add the potatoes, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire, and paprika, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partly covered, for 12 to 15 minutes. A fork slides into a cube easily, yet the edges stay sharp.
- Stir in the beef and milk, then warm over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Chef’s Note: Stop at steam and tiny edge bubbles, since a hard boil can split the milk. The soup coats the back of a spoon.
- Take the pot off the burner and wait 1 minute, then stir in the cheddar one handful at a time over about 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of pickle juice and pepper. The soup turns smooth and glossy, with no strings of cheese.
- Taste and adjust with pickle juice or salt. Let the soup rest 5 minutes, then ladle into bowls and top with pickles and extra cheddar. A spoon dragged through the pot leaves a clear trail.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Short on time? Grate the carrots instead of dicing them. They cook in the same 6 minutes and vanish into the broth.
- Season in layers. Salt goes in with the vegetables, and the final taste comes after the cheese, which adds more salt.
- Keep the potato cubes at 1/2 inch. Smaller pieces turn to mush, and bigger ones cook unevenly.
- My worst batch of cheeseburger soup, number four, split into greasy curds because I left the burner on medium after stirring in the cheese. Now I switch the burner off first.
- Brown 2 pounds of beef and freeze half in a flat zip bag for a head start on taco soup later in the week.
- Divide leftovers between two shallow containers so they cool fast enough to reach the fridge inside the 2 hour window USDA sets.
Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting
Grainy, split soup. Boiling after the cheese goes in breaks the emulsion, and bagged shreds make it worse. Shred a block and add it off the heat. To rescue a split pot, whisk in warm milk.
Greasy surface. Fat left in the pot floats up as an orange sheen. Choose 90% lean beef and leave 1 tablespoon behind. To fix it, blot the surface with a paper towel.
Pasty, floury taste. Flour cooked for under a minute keeps its raw edge. Stir it the full 90 seconds until it smells toasty. If the broth is already in, simmer 10 extra minutes to mellow it.
Mushy or hard potatoes. Uneven cubes and a rolling boil dissolve small pieces while big ones stay firm. Cut every cube to 1/2 inch and simmer gently. If some stay firm, give them 5 more minutes before the milk.
Flat flavor. Cheese soup needs salt and acid at the end. Taste after the cheese melts, then add pickle juice by the teaspoon and salt by the pinch.
Storage Instructions
- Room Temperature: Not recommended. USDA says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
- Refrigerator: Cheeseburger soup keeps 3 to 4 days in an airtight glass container. Cool it in shallow containers first.
- Freezer: Up to 3 months, base only, frozen before the milk and cheese go in. Use freezer-safe containers with 1 inch of headspace, thaw overnight in the fridge, and finish with steps 7 through 9.
- Reheating: Warm it on the stove over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until it reaches 165°F, the USDA temperature for leftovers. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk per bowl if it tightens.
- Make-Ahead Notes: Dice the vegetables and shred the cheddar up to 2 days ahead. Keep cut potatoes in cold water in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
I label every freezer container with the date and the words add milk and cheese. The label takes 10 seconds and saves a very thin, very sad bowl.
Variations and Substitutions
Spicy: For a spicy cheeseburger soup, cook 1 minced jalapeno with the onion and swap half the cheddar for pepper jack. Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne for more heat.
Mild and Kid-Friendly: Grate the carrots and celery so they vanish, use mild cheddar, and skip the mustard. Bun croutons make it feel like burger night.
Vegetarian: Swap the beef for 12 ounces of plant-based ground and use vegetable broth. Check the Worcestershire label, since many brands contain anchovies.
Gluten-Free: Skip the flour. After the potatoes turn tender, stir in 3 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 1/3 cup cold water and simmer 2 minutes. Check the broth, ketchup, and Worcestershire labels for wheat.
What to Serve With This
- Cucumber salad: Its cold crunch and tangy dressing cut through the cheese.
- Dill pickle spears: They bring burger stand flavor to the side.
- Crisp green salad: Lemon dressing resets your palate between spoonfuls.
- Unsweetened iced tea or fresh lemonade: A cold, tart drink balances a rich bowl.
Pro Tip: For bun croutons, toss 2 cubed hamburger buns with 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, then bake at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping once, until deep golden.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cheeseburger Soup
Can you freeze cheeseburger soup if it already has cheese in it?
You can, but the texture takes a hit. Milk separates in the freezer and the potatoes turn mealy, so the soup comes back slightly grainy. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, warm it slowly over low heat, and whisk in 2 tablespoons of warm milk plus a small handful of fresh cheddar. Next time, freeze the base before the milk and cheese go in.
How do you thicken cheeseburger soup that is too thin?
Simmer it uncovered over medium-low heat for 5 to 8 minutes before the cheese goes in, because the potatoes release starch as the liquid reduces. For faster results, stir 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into 1/4 cup cold water, pour it in, and simmer 2 minutes. If the cheese is already in, mash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot with a spoon.
Can you use Velveeta or American cheese in cheeseburger soup?
Yes, and both melt smoother than cheddar. Process cheese contains emulsifying salts that keep a hot soup silky, so it forgives a little extra heat. Cube 8 ounces, stir it in off the burner, and cut the added salt to 1/2 teaspoon because process cheese tends to run saltier. Finish the cheeseburger soup with a handful of sharp cheddar for flavor.
How long does cheeseburger soup take in a slow cooker?
Plan on 6 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high, until a fork slides easily into the potato cubes. Brown the beef and cook the vegetables with the flour on the stove first, then move everything except the milk and cheese to the slow cooker. Stir those in during the last 30 minutes on low so the dairy does not overcook.
What is the difference between cheeseburger soup and hamburger soup?
Hamburger soup is a thin, brothy soup of ground beef and vegetables, often with tomatoes, pasta, or barley. Cheeseburger soup is creamy and cheesy, built on a butter and flour base with potatoes and milk, then seasoned with ketchup, mustard, and pickles. One reads like vegetable beef soup, and the other reads like a chowder that tastes like a diner burger.
Final Thoughts on Cheeseburger Soup
Cheeseburger soup is at its best when you treat the toppings like burger toppings. Set out bowls of chopped pickles, extra cheddar, and bun croutons, and let everyone build their own.
The test batch I remember best was a gray Tuesday, my daughter doing homework at the counter, a spoon in one hand and a pickle in the other. That is when I knew the recipe was finished. Tuck a container of the base into the freezer for a night when nobody feels like cooking.
If you loved this recipe, save it to your easy soup recipes Pinterest board so you can find it easily later!
Cheeseburger Soup With Tender Potatoes and Sharp Cheddar
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and break it into pea-size crumbles. Leave it untouched for 2 minutes so it browns, then cook 7 to 8 minutes in total, until no pink remains and a brown crust forms.
- Lift the beef into a bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat, so the pot bottom looks glossy and brown with no pooled grease.
- Add the butter, onion, carrots, celery, and salt. Cook over medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until the onion turns translucent and a carrot piece squishes easily.
- Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 90 seconds, until the vegetables look coated in a pale paste that smells toasty.
- Pour in the broth 1/2 cup at a time, whisking after each addition, until the liquid turns silky and slightly thick, about 2 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire, and paprika, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partly covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, until a fork slides into a cube easily and the edges stay sharp.
- Stir in the beef and milk. Warm over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stopping at steam and tiny edge bubbles, until the soup coats the back of a spoon.
- Take the pot off the burner and wait 1 minute. Stir in the cheddar one handful at a time over about 3 minutes, then add 1 teaspoon of pickle juice and pepper, until the soup turns smooth and glossy with no strings of cheese.
- Taste and adjust with pickle juice or salt. Let the soup rest 5 minutes, then ladle into bowls and top with pickles and extra cheddar. A spoon dragged through the pot leaves a clear trail.
Notes
Bun croutons: toss 2 cubed hamburger buns with 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, then bake at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping once, until deep golden.
Storage: refrigerate 3 to 4 days. Freeze only the base, before the milk and cheese go in, for up to 3 months.
