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Loaded Cheeseburger Soup with Potatoes and pickles

Loaded Cheeseburger Soup with Potatoes and Pickles

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 bowls of soul-warming deliciousness

Equipment

  • Large soup pot or Dutch oven A heavy-bottomed pot is perfect for even cooking and depth of flavor. If you're making a cheeseburger soup stovetop version, this is your best friend.
  • Wooden Spoon or Spatula To break up the ground beef and stir the soup.
  • Knife and Cutting Board For prepping potatoes, onions, garlic, and pickles.
  • Measuring cups and spoons Precision helps balance the cheesy richness with just the right amount of seasoning.
  • Ladle For serving without spills.
  • Slow cooker (optional) If you want to make this as a hamburger potato soup crockpot style dish or try the crock pot cheeseburger soup route, a 6-quart slow cooker works great.

Ingredients
  

For the soup base

  • 1 lb ground beef 80/20 is perfect for flavor
  • 6 slices bacon chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups russet potatoes peeled and chopped(about 3 medium potatoes)
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup Velveeta cubed (adds that classic cheeseburger gooeyness)
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Toppings and mix-ins

  • 1/2 cup sliced dill pickles plus more for garnish
  • Green onions chopped
  • Crumbled cooked bacon
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Toasted burger bun croutons optional but fun!

Instructions
 

Brown the bacon and beef

  1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pot. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain excess fat if needed.

Build the flavor

  1. Add diced onions to the beef and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Sprinkle flour over the mixture, stirring constantly to form a roux. Cook for 2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.

Add the potatoes and broth

  1. Pour in chicken broth while stirring. Add chopped potatoes, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and yellow mustard. Bring to a simmer and cover. Let it cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Make it creamy

  1. Lower the heat and slowly stir in milk and heavy cream. Add cubed Velveeta and shredded cheddar cheese, stirring until everything is melted and creamy.

Finish strong

  1. Add the sliced pickles and half of the cooked bacon. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. The soup should be rich, cheesy, and packed with that signature cheeseburger zing.

Serve

  1. Ladle into bowls and top with more bacon, shredded cheese, pickles, green onions, and toasted bun croutons if you like a little crunch. It’s more than soup — it’s dinner in a bowl.