Cheeseburger Soup
Cheeseburger Soup is a rich, creamy dinner soup with all the flavor of a loaded cheeseburger. It cooks in one pot and is ready in under an hour.
Browned ground beef, tender potatoes, and melty Velveeta, with a little mustard powder for that classic burger flavor.
We make this on the nights everyone wants burgers and nobody wants to stand at the grill. The toppings go in little bowls in the middle of the table, and everyone builds their own.
Recipe Highlights
- Skips the grill and the cleanup
- One pot from stove to table
- On the table in about 55 minutes
- Even better made a day ahead
- Feeds six on a weeknight budget
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
GROUND BEEF – An 80/20 blend keeps enough drippings in the pot to cook the vegetables. Leaner beef works too. Just add a pat of butter before the veggies go in.
RUSSET POTATOES – Russets turn soft at the edges and quietly thicken the broth as the soup simmers. Yukon Golds hold their shape a little more if you like chunkier bites.
VELVEETA – One 16-ounce block is the exact amount, no measuring needed. Any store brand of melting cheese works the same way, so grab whichever block is on sale.
BEEF BROTH – Regular or low-sodium both work, and low-sodium gives more control over the final salt. Chicken or vegetable broth are fine swaps if that’s what’s in the pantry.
MUSTARD POWDER AND PAPRIKA – Half a teaspoon of each is all it takes, so the jars last. Out of mustard powder? Stir a teaspoon of yellow mustard in with the cheese.
BUTTER – I use unsalted butter for nearly all of my cooking. If salted is what you have, start with about half the salt and adjust at the end.
How To Make A Cheeseburger Soup
Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Brown the ground beef in a large pot and set it aside.
- Cook the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery in the drippings.
- Simmer the potatoes and broth with the seasonings, then stir the beef back in.
- Stir in the butter, milk, and cream, then melt in the Velveeta.
Leftovers and Storage
STORE – Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
FREEZE – Freeze the cooled soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
REHEAT – Warm single servings in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between. On the stove, keep the heat on low and stir in a splash of milk if the soup has thickened.
MAKE AHEAD – The flavor gets even better overnight, so this is a great soup to make a day early. Rewarm it gently on the stove right before serving.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
Serving Suggestions
BURGER NIGHT WITHOUT THE GRILL – Set out bowls of bacon, pickles, Cheddar, and green onions and let everyone build their own. If your crew loves burger flavors, our Big Mac Salad belongs in the rotation too.
GAME DAY SPREAD – The pot holds on low all afternoon, which makes it a natural for kickoff. Round out the table with Buffalo Chicken Meatballs and a big bowl of Sweet and Salty Chex Mix.
SOUP AND SIDES NIGHT – Serve it with Honey Butter Skillet Corn and a crisp German Cucumber Salad for a dinner that covers every craving.
CHILLY NIGHT SUPPER – This is the pot to put on when the first cold snap hits. One pot, one hour, and dinner is handled.
Recipe Success Tips
DRIPPINGS – Those beef drippings are free flavor. Leave about a tablespoon in the pot and the vegetables soak up every bit of that browned-beef taste.
GENTLE HEAT – Keep the soup below a boil once the dairy goes in and it stays smooth to the last ladle. Medium-low is the sweet spot.
SMALL CUBES – Cut the Velveeta into half-inch cubes and it melts into the soup in just a few minutes.
EXPERT TIP – Taste for salt after the cheese melts. Velveeta seasons the pot as it goes in, so the final taste is the one that counts.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I Make Cheeseburger Soup in the Crockpot?
Yes, cheeseburger soup adapts easily to the slow cooker. Brown the beef first, then cook it with the vegetables, potatoes, broth, and seasonings on low for 6 to 7 hours. Stir in the butter, milk, cream, and Velveeta during the last 30 minutes so the soup stays smooth.
What Are the Best Potatoes for Cheeseburger Soup?
Russet potatoes are the best choice for cheeseburger soup. They cook up soft, and their starchy edges quietly thicken the broth as it simmers. Yukon Golds are a close second and hold their shape a little more, so use whichever is already in the pantry.
How Do I Keep Cheeseburger Soup Smooth?
Cheeseburger soup stays smooth when the heat is gentle after the dairy goes in. Keep the pot at medium-low once the milk and cream are added, and give the Velveeta a few minutes to fully melt while you stir. A splash of milk smooths it right back out after a night in the fridge.
Can I Freeze Cheeseburger Soup?
Yes, cheeseburger soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Cool it completely, then freeze it in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it low and slow, stirring in a little extra milk to bring the texture back around.
Can I Use Real Cheddar Instead of Velveeta?
Yes, Cheddar works, and the trick is adding it off the heat. Velveeta is simply the smoothest melter, which is why the recipe calls for it. To use Cheddar, pull the pot off the burner and stir in freshly shredded cheese one handful at a time. Here is how the options compare:
|
Cheese |
How It Melts |
Flavor |
|
Velveeta (this recipe) |
Smooth and even, every time |
Mild and classic |
|
Freshly shredded Cheddar |
Smooth when added off the heat |
Bold and tangy |
|
American cheese slices |
Fast and even |
Extra burger-stand taste |
More Beef Dinner Favorites
If a pound of beef is where dinner usually starts at your house, these are next in line.
Ground Beef and Potatoes – A hearty one-skillet dinner built on the same beef-and-potato combo.
Crockpot Meatballs and Gravy – Tender meatballs in rich gravy, made for a pile of mashed potatoes.
Crock Pot Beef and Noodles – Slow-simmered beef and egg noodles in a cozy, savory broth.
Crockpot Steak Bites – Garlic butter steak bites the slow cooker makes fork-tender.
Crockpot Lasagna – Layered lasagna comfort with no noodle boiling in sight.
Cheeseburger Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 3 medium Russet potatoes peeled and diced
- 3 cups beef broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 16-ounce block Velveeta cheese cubed
For the Toppings (optional)
- Cheddar cheese shredded
- bacon bits
- dill pickles diced
- green onions sliced
- fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
Build the Soup
- Brown the ground beef in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, leaving about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pot, and set the beef aside.
- Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery to the drippings. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until the vegetables soften.
- Stir in the potatoes, beef broth, salt, pepper, paprika, and mustard powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Stir the browned beef back into the pot.
Finish with Cheese
- Add the butter, milk, and heavy cream. Warm the soup through over medium-low heat, keeping it below a boil so it stays smooth.
- Stir in the Velveeta cubes. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until every cube melts and the soup is smooth. Taste and add salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and finish with the toppings.
Equipment
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett grew up in German kitchens learning to cook and bake alongside her Omas before spending over a decade running full-service restaurants in the US. She founded Cheerful Cook in 2017 to share practical, tested comfort food recipes that actually work on busy weeknights, drawing on both her American restaurant experience and her German home-cooking roots. Her work has been featured on MSN, Yahoo, the Associated Press, and other major media outlets.