Bacon Cheeseburger Soup takes classic cheeseburger toppings like cheddar cheese, onions, tomato and lettuce and makes them into a hot, bowl of comfort food.
Why Ours is Different
I first had Cheeseburger Soup at a holiday party. To be honest, it didn’t sound too appetizing, but I’d has a cheeseburger salad before and loved it. There it sat in a slow cooker with a ladle. But I’ve never been one to turn my nose up without trying something, so I gave it a whirl.
Magic happened. I was eating cheeseburgers with a spoon! The only thing that could take this cheeseburger soup up a notch was… drumroll please… BACON! Because, well, bacon makes everything better!
I started my research on other Cheeseburger Soup recipes and was startled to find out that most of them use carrots and celery. Okay, I get it, those are basics for many soups, but never have I ever had carrots, nor celery on my classic, all-American cheeseburger.
Have you? It’s just weird.
Mine boasts shredded lettuce, fresh tomatoes and relish with a twist of fresh pepper.
All of these items are important, but the most important is the beef. Duh. No amount of condiments can make a crappy cheeseburger taste good. It all starts with the beef.
Why You’ll Love This Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
A creamy soup full of flavorful ground beef and cheesy flavor- what’s not to love!
- Easy soup – Some soups require simmering all day or tons of steps; this one is super quick and easy to make.
- Easily customized – You can add just about anything to this great recipe to make it the best soup for your family.
- Comforting – Is there anything better than a warm bowl of soup on a cold day? A cheeseburger in soup form is the answer!
What is Cheeseburger Soup?
Cheeseburger soup is a creamy soup that is flavored with ingredients typically found in a cheeseburger. It is a popular comfort food dish that combines the flavors of a cheeseburger with the heartiness of a soup.
What’s In Cheeseburger Soup?
With all of the flavors of a cheeseburger, you are going to love the simple ingredients in this easy cheeseburger soup recipe.
- Ground beef – I prefer to use lean ground beef for this easy bacon cheeseburger soup recipe. It keeps the grease down and out of the soup. Ground chicken, ground pork or even ground sausage or tofu can also be used.
- Unsalted butter – We use this to the veggies. I use unsalted so that I can control the amount of salt in this hearty soup.
- White onion – This gives some substance and flavor to the soup. It can be omitted if you have picky eaters or don’t like onions.
- Russet potatoes – While this isn’t a potato soup, potatoes do give this easy cheeseburger soup some substance. You can use any type of potato you’d like.
- Flour – This coats the vegetables and also helps to thicken the soup a bit.
- Chicken broth – I used chicken broth, but you can use beef broth as well. This is, after all, a burger soup.
- Whole milk – This helps to make a creamy soup. You can also use heavy cream or cream cheese to really take the creaminess up a notch.
- Seasonings – I use a combination of coarse kosher salt, ground black pepper and garlic powder. If you left out the onions, you can also add onion powder.
- Cheddar cheese – I prefer to shred my own cheese. The pre-shredded cheese has an additive that prevents it from melting smoothly. Swap it out for other types of cheese too!
- Sour cream – Although not usually found on an actual burger, this helps to make this decadent soup even creamier. Plain Greek yogurt is also a winner.
- Tomatoes – These aren’t really cooked, rather added at the end for some substance. Make sure they are seeded and pulp removed.
- Bacon – Make sure you drain off as much bacon grease as you can so that your soup isn’t too greasy. Bake it in the oven for easy making!
How to make Cheeseburger Soup
It couldn’t be easier to make this delicious soup that is sure to please the whole family!
- Brown beef. In a medium skillet, brown ground beef until no pink remains. Crumble into smaller bits. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté onions and potatoes. In a large Dutch oven or pot, melt unsalted butter. Add chopped onion and potato. Sauté until onion starts to soften and potatoes brown. Add flour, tossing to coat.
- Add broth and milk. Pour in chicken broth and milk. Add fine sea salt, ground black pepper and garlic powder. Stir and bring to a low simmer. Simmer until potatoes are soft.
- Add cheese and sour cream. Stir in shredded cheese and sour cream. Continue to stir until incorporated.
- Add tomatoes and beef. Before serving, add tomatoes and cooked ground beef.
- Toppings. Top each bowl with shredded lettuce, crumbled bacon and croutons.
Bacon Cheeseburger Soup Variations
From a crock pot to the type of cheese, there are plenty of ways to make this family favorite your own.
- Slow cooker – Even though this isn’t a slow cooker Bacon Cheeseburger Soup, you can transfer the finish product into a slow cooker and keep on low to serve at parties. Set bowls with the garnishes out so people can make their own soup just like a burger bar!
- Soup base – In a pinch, you can use condensed canned Cheddar Soup instead of making the soup base from scratch. Follow the can instructions for adding water and omit cheddar cheese, chicken stock and milk.
- Picky eater – If you have a picky eater, you can certainly leave out the veggies. Don’t add the onions or tomatoes, and don’t top with lettuce at the end.
- Meat – Although it won’t taste like a traditional burger, you could use ground turkey to make this soup a little healthier. You could also add extra bacon to take the protein up a notch.
- Toppings – In addition to the lettuce, you could top this comforting soup with chopped green onion, red pepper flakes, diced onions, chopped bacon, a dash of worcestershire sauce, fresh parsley, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, or anything else to bring out those cheeseburger flavors.
- Cheese – Instead of cheddar cheese, you could use your favorite. Velveeta cheese or pepper jack are both great for cheesy soups.
How to Serve Cheeseburger Soup
Cheeseburger soup is typically served hot and can be enjoyed as a complete meal on its own or as part of a larger spread. Here’s a short answer on how to serve cheeseburger soup:
- Ladle the hot cheeseburger soup into individual bowls.
- Optional: Sprinkle shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, diced pickles, or chopped green onions on top of each bowl for added flavor and garnish.
- Serve the soup alongside some crusty bread, dinner rolls, or garlic bread for dipping or as a side.
- Consider offering additional condiments like ketchup, mustard, or hot sauce on the side for people to customize the flavor to their liking.
- Enjoy the cheeseburger soup while it’s hot and creamy.
Whether served as a cozy dinner on a chilly evening or as a comforting lunch, cheeseburger soup is a satisfying dish that brings the flavors of a cheeseburger into a hearty soup form.
Storing and Freezing
Storage: Store leftovers of this easy bacon cheeseburger soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay for up to three to five days.
Freezing: Make a double batch and freeze half of it! Store in an airtight container. To reheat, place in a large pot over low heat until warmed all the way through.
Frequently Asked Questions
As with any soup, this one would pair nicely with crusty bread. Even garlic bread would be great. You could also serve with a nice leafy green salad as a great option.
This particular recipe is made of ground beef, butter, onion, potato, flour, chicken broth, milk, salt & pepper, garlic powder, cheddar cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, bacon, lettuce and croutons.
While I’m no doctor, I can for certain tell you this is not the healthiest soup option. With cheese, bacon and ground beef, it’s certainly high in fat content.
More Soup Recipes
Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 white onion , chopped
- 1 Russet potato , peeled and cubed
- 1/4 cup flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups cheddar cheese , shredded
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 medium tomatoes , seeded and pulp removed, cubed
- 1 cup bacon , cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup lettuce , shredded
- 1 cup Hot Dog Bun Croutons
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, brown and crumble the ground beef until no pink remains. Drain and set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven or pot, melt the butter. Stir in the onion and potato. Saute until the onion starts to soften and potatoes brown, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Mix in the flour, tossing to coat and make a paste (roux).
- Pour in the chicken broth and milk. Add the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir and bring to a low simmer.
- Simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 10 minutes.
- Stir in the shredded cheese and sour cream. Continue to stir until incorporated.
- Before serving, add the tomatoes and cooked ground beef.
- Top each bowl with shredded lettuce, crumbled bacon and Hot Dog Bun Croutons.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comment or star ratings!
This soup is just the way I want to enjoy a cheeseburger on a cold winter day. Delicious!
My family loved this soup so much! It’s easy and the flavor are just perfect!
Such a great, hearty soup!
Everything about this is fantastic! I love the way all the ingredients come together to make a cheeseburger in a bowl. Perfection.
Love the combination of flavors in this soup recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Hubby and grandkids approved! Thank you for the recipe. Will definitely make again. DELICIOUS!
WOOHOO!!!!! That is what we like to hear!
What a fun and delicious soup! I bet the kids love it.
I never thought about cheeseburger soup before, what a great idea for fall!
Oh man, I just made cheeseburger soup a few weeks ago and now I’m kicking myself for not thinking to add bacon! This looks fabulous.
epic comfort food right here! perfect for the cooler temperatures up ahead, and i can just imagine this with a nice crusty loaf of bread!
I love soup all year round, and this one would please so many with it’s vast ingredient list!
so creative. i never thought about making a bacon cheeseburger soup