Cheeseburger Soup
Ground beef, tender potatoes, carrots, and celery simmered in a rich, cheesy broth finished with sour cream — all the flavor of a classic cheeseburger in a warm, creamy soup.
- ½ pound ground beef
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- ¾ cup chopped onion
- ¾ cup shredded carrots
- ¾ cup diced celery
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1¾ pounds (about 4 cups) cubed peeled potatoes
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 8 to 16 ounces Velveeta, cubed
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup sour cream
- Optional: onion rings and thinly sliced green onions
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven set over medium heat, add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up into small crumbles with a spoon as it browns, for 6 to 8 minutes until no pink remains. Drain off any excess fat and set the cooked beef aside, keeping the same pan for the next step so you don't lose any of that flavor left behind.
- In the same saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, shredded carrots, diced celery, dried basil, and dried parsley, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. This slow sauté builds the aromatic base the whole soup is built on.
- Add the cubed potatoes, chicken broth, and the browned beef back into the pot, and bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- While the soup simmers, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture turns bubbly and thickened — this quick roux is what will give the finished soup its creamy body.
- Stir the roux into the simmering soup and bring it back to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring for about 2 minutes to fully thicken the broth.
- Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the cubed Velveeta, whole milk, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the cheese has fully melted and the soup is smooth and creamy.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sour cream until fully blended — adding it off the heat helps keep the soup smooth rather than curdling.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and, if you like, top with crispy onion rings and a scattering of thinly sliced green onions for extra crunch and color.
Chef's Note: This soup takes all the flavors of a classic cheeseburger — beef, onion, and melty cheese — and turns them into a thick, spoonable comfort food. Using Velveeta instead of shredded cheese is intentional here, since its smooth melting properties keep the soup silky rather than risking a grainy or oily texture.
Feel free to adjust the amount of Velveeta anywhere from 8 to 16 ounces depending on how rich and cheesy you want the final soup to be — less will give you a lighter broth, more will make it thick enough to practically stand a spoon in. This soup reheats well over low heat on the stovetop; just add a splash of milk if it's thickened up too much in the fridge, and stir often so the cheese doesn't separate.
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