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A comforting recipe for Bacon Cheeseburger Soup that combines the flavors of beef and cheese in a creamy broth. It’s like a cheeseburger in a bowl! Included are instructions to make it in the crock pot or on the stove top.
I am always a sucker for a good cheeseburger, and no matter the time of year, I love soup. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Lasagna Soup, Broccoli Cheese Soup (two of my faves) or this delicious recipe for Cheeseburger Soup.
The problem I’ve had with the cheeseburger soup recipes I’ve tried is that they include ingredients like carrots and celery. I don’t know about you, but I have never had a burger with carrots and celery. It just did not seem to fit. When I saw the cheeseburger soup recipe that Paula Deen came up with that was in her magazine back in 2009, and it didn’t include celery and carrots, I knew I had to put my twist on it and give it a try!
This Cheeseburger Soup recipe is filled with hearty cheeseburger flavor, and I include instructions to make it in the crock pot (slow cooker) OR on the stove so that you can choose which method works best for your schedule. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients that you will need to make cheeseburger soup. Specific ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe card below:
- Bacon – this is optional but a cheeseburger is always better with bacon, right?
- Onion – a yellow onion or a sweet Visalia onion is recommended
- Beef or Chicken Broth
- Petite Diced Tomatoes
- Ground Beef – or ground turkey
- Potatoes – baked and shredded with a box grater (if you have leftover baked potatoes on hand, this is a great way to use them)
- Seasonings: salt and black pepper (more or less to taste)
- Half and half
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese – I recommend shredding your own if you have a few minutes
- Sour cream
- Sweet Pickle Relish – you can also make this cheeseburger soup with pickles – chop up some dill pickles or sweet gherkins.
- Hamburger buns and butter to make crunchy cheeseburger croutons to top the soup.
The crunchy buttery croutons I used for garnish, made with chopped hamburger buns of course, are just perfect with this soup! Paula’s recipe calls for a can of cheddar cheese soup which I decided against, just because I rarely have canned soups on hand. Instead I use half and half to give it that creaminess, and plenty of fresh sharp cheddar cheese.
Cheeseburger Soup on the Stove
- Cook the onions and ground beef.
- Add in broth and diced tomatoes.
- Add in shredded potatoes and cooked bacon.
- Season – I simply use salt and black pepper. You can get creative and add any additional seasonings that you’d like – I recommend paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Simmer and adjust seasonings. Taste the soup and adjust with salt and pepper.
- Make it cheesy and creamy: add in half and half, sour cream and cheddar cheese.
- Make croutons – melt butter in a non-stick skillet, then add hamburger buns and sauté until they are crunchy and lightly browned.
- Garnish and serve – garnish cheeseburger soup with additional cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles and hamburger bun croutons.
Cheeseburger Soup in the Crock Pot
If you are making cheeseburger soup in the crock pot (slow cooker), follow these instructions:
- Cook the onions and ground beef in a large skillet. Drain any excess fat.
- To your crock pot, add in cooked ground beef and onions, then add in beef or chicken broth and petite diced tomatoes. Cook on low for two hours.
- 30 minutes before serving – turn slow cooker to high then add in shredded potatoes, bacon, half and half, and season with salt and black pepper.
- Make the croutons – melt butter in a non-stick skillet, then add hamburger buns and sauté until they are crunchy and lightly browned.
- Just before serving – stir in sour cream, cheddar cheese, and sweet pickle relish. When the cheese is melted and incorporated.
- Garnish and serve – garnish cheeseburger soup with additional cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles and hamburger bun croutons.
Hamburger Bun Croutons
I love to garnish this Bacon Cheeseburger Soup with buttery hamburger bun croutons. To make croutons out of hamburger buns or hot dog buns, follow these simple steps:
- Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet.
- While the butter melts, cut hamburger or hot dog buns into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the bread pieces to the melted butter.
- Sauté and toss the croutons until they are crunchy
So let me recap… this Bacon Cheeseburger Soup with lots of beefy cheeseburger flavor, includes crisp bacon and lots of shredded cheddar cheese with buttery hamburger bun croutons on top. Does it get any better? Enjoy!
Cheeseburger Soup
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 pound ground beef
- 4 potatoes baked and shredded with a box grater
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups half and half
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish – *optional
- 4 hamburger buns cut into bite sized pieces
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS
- In a large stock pot, sauté the onions and cook the ground beef, breaking it up into bite sized pieces with a large wood spoon. When the meat is cooked through and the onions are tender, remove the meat/onions from the pain and set aside. Drain any excess fat.
- To the pot and in 4 cups chicken broth and one 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes. Return the beef and onions to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer.
- Add in shredded potatoes, cooked bacon, 1 teaspoon salt and one teaspoon black pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in half and half, sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. Add in sweet pickle relish if you wish. Continue stirring until the cheese has melted.
- To make the croutons: Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add in the pieces of hamburger buns and cook until they are crunchy and lightly browned. Be sure to use tongs to rotate them so all sides are able to brown evenly.
- Garnish with additional cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, and hamburger bun croutons.
SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS
- In a large stock pot, sauté the onions and cook the ground beef, breaking it up into bite sized pieces with a large wood spoon. When the meat is cooked through and the onions are tender, remove the meat/onions from the pain and set it aside. Drain any excess fat.
- To your crock pot, add in 4 cups chicken broth and a 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes. Add the cooked beef and onions. Cook on low for about two hours.
- 30 minutes before you’re ready to eat, turn the heat on the slow cooker to high. Add in the cooked shredded potatoes, cooked bacon half and half and 1 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper.
- Right before you’er ready to serve, stir in sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and pickle relish. Continue stirring until it has melted.
- To make the croutons: Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add in the pieces of hamburger buns and cook until they are crunchy and lightly browned. Be sure to use tongs to rotate them so all sides are able to brown evenly.
- Garnish with additional cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, and hamburger bun croutons.
