This Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup has all your favorite cheeseburger flavors stuffed into a hearty, creamy soup! This is the ultimate comfort food for cold winter nights.
I love a great cheeseburger and I also love cozying up to a big bowl of soup. Why not have both? Enter: crockpot cheeseburger soup — the best of both worlds!
Ingredients
This crockpot cheeseburger soup has all of the delicious flavors of a classic cheeseburger but without the bun!
- Ground Beef – the classic hamburger meat. Fattier beef, like 80/20, is preferred for a great cheeseburger, but any fat content will work in this recipe. If using a fatty beef, be sure to drain off the excess grease. It’s also ok to use a super lean beef, because there’s plenty of fat from the half and half. Not a beef fan? Try ground turkey, chicken, pork, or even lamb.
- Yellow Onion, Carrot, and Celery – aka a “mirepoix” is a common base for many soups to add color, flavor, nutrients, and texture. Some grocery stores carry pre-chopped packaged mirepoix, so be sure to look to save on prep time!
- Minced Garlic – gives the soup a kick of nutty flavor. We’re a big fan of pre-minced jarred garlic for ease, but fresh is great as well. 1 tablespoon minced garlic is about 3 large cloves.
- All-Purpose Flour – helps to thicken the soup slightly. If you’d like to make this recipe gluten free, use an all-purpose cup-for-cup gluten free flour instead. You’ll also need to check the labels on the other ingredients to ensure it’s truly a gluten free soup.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes – are the best potatoes for soup. They have a thin skin and are “medium” starchy, which means they’ll become nice and tender, but they’re sturdy enough to hold their shape. Russet potatoes will work in a pinch, but they’ll break down more, so you’ll likely need less cook time to avoid mushy potatoes.
- Chicken Broth – the flavorful base for the soup. Chicken broth is used instead of beef broth, because I found that beef broth was too rich and salty; we don’t want to overpower the other flavors of the soup. If you’re sensitive to salt, feel free to use a low sodium chicken broth.
- Half-and-Half – adds the perfect amount of creaminess without being too heavy. If you like a richer soup, use heavy cream. If you’d like a lighter soup, try whole milk. Other milks may also be used, but it won’t be as creamy.
- Ketchup, Yellow Mustard, and Pickle Juice – classic burger toppings that are mixed straight into the soup to really enhance the cheeseburger flavor. Ketchup adds sweetness whereas yellow mustard and pickle juice both add a nice tang.
- Worcestershire Sauce – provides a rich, umami flavor to enhance the heartiness of the beef.
- Salt and Pepper – enhances flavor and adds a kick of heat.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese – you can’t have a cheeseburger without cheese! Sharp cheddar adds an extra sharp flavor and provides a creamy texture. Feel free to use YOUR favorite cheeseburger cheese like pepper-jack. Whatever cheese you use, be sure to shred your own. Pre-shredded cheeses have an anti-caking agent which prevents them from melting as smoothly.
- Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, and Mayo – melted into the broth for an even richer, creamier base and slightly tangy flavor. We recommend full fat for all three for the best flavor and texture.
Pro tip
Like a little crunch? Serve this soup with croutons or a toasted baguette!
How to make
This soup couldn’t be easier! After a quick sauté on the stove, this is a throw and go recipe that’ll cook while you’re at work.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, then add in beef, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess grease, then stir in the flour.
- Pour the beef mixture into a greased crockpot, then stir in potatoes, broth, half-and-half, ketchup, mustard, pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, and mayo.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 10 hours, then serve and enjoy!
Pro tip
Need to save on prep time? Sauté the beef and veggies the night before and store in the fridge.
Can you use another meat?
Yes. Although ground beef is the classic cheeseburger meat, ground turkey, chicken, pork, or even lamb can be used. Whatever meat you use, be sure to cook until the meat is no longer pink and if there’s any excess grease, drain it off.
Pro tip
Be sure to also check out my instant pot turkey cheeseburger soup recipe instead!
Is cheeseburger soup gluten-free?
This soup can easily be made gluten free. The only ingredient in this recipe that isn’t gluten-free is the all-purpose flour. You can either swap it out for a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour or use half the amount of cornstarch to thicken the soup.
Pro tip
Be sure to check that all the other ingredients you use are certified gluten-free before incorporating them into the soup.
Can you make crockpot cheeseburger soup on the stovetop?
To make cheeseburger soup on the stove, follow these steps:
- Heat a large stockpot over medium heat, then add in beef, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until the beef is no longer pink.
- Drain any excess grease, then stir in the flour.
- Mix in potatoes, broth, half-and-half, ketchup, mustard, pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to as simmer, then cover and simmer until the potatoes are cooked, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat, and slowly stir in the cheddar cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, and mayo until the cheese has fully melted.
Pro tip
You can also make it in the instant pot; follow the instructions for my instant pot turkey cheeseburger soup!
What to serve with cheeseburger soup
I love to top my soup with sliced cherry tomatoes, croutons, shredded cheddar, shredded lettuce, and sometimes even sliced pickles! You can also serve it alongside a yummy side dish. Here are some ideas:
- French Fries or Tater Tots – don’t forget the fry sauce!
- Garlic Bread
- Drop Biscuits
- Pear, Blue Cheese, Candied Pecan Salad
How to store
Leftover cheeseburger soup will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then microwave or warm on the stove until heated through.
– Jennifer
Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup
This Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup has all your favorite cheeseburger flavors stuffed into a hearty, creamy soup! This is the ultimate comfort food for cold winter nights.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Yield: 8 people
Equipment for this recipe
(equipment shown are affiliate links)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour use a gluten free variety, if necessary
- 1 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 (32 oz) carton chicken broth
- 1 pint half and half
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons pickle juice
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 (8 oz) block sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- ¼ cup mayo
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat.
- Once hot, add in beef, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook, breaking up the meat as you go, until the beef is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
- Drain any excess grease, then stir in the flour.
- Pour the mixture into a greased 6 quart crockpot, then stir in potatoes, broth, half and half, ketchup, mustard, pickle juice, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, and mayo.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 10 hours or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Taste and re-season, if necessary, then serve and enjoy!
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STORING
Room Temp:N/A
Refrigerator:3-4 Days
Freezer:2-3 Months
Reheat:Thaw in the fridge, if frozen, then warm on the stove or in the microwave until heated through
*Storage times may vary based on temperature and conditions
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 person)
Calories 469 Calories from Fat 243
% Daily Value*
Fat 27g42%
Saturated Fat 15g94%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 100mg33%
Sodium 1372mg60%
Potassium 969mg28%
Carbohydrates 32g11%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 3438IU69%
Vitamin C 29mg35%
Calcium 336mg34%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
Keywords: creamy, ground beef, slow cooker