Cheesy Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
This Cheesy Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup is a creamy, comforting dish loaded with tender potatoes, savory ground beef, fresh vegetables, and rich cheddar cheese, all slow-cooked to perfection in your crockpot. It’s an easy, hands-off recipe perfect for cozy meals that satisfy the craving for homemade comfort food with minimal effort.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours (on LOW) or 4 hours (on HIGH) plus 30 minutes additional cooking time
- Total Time: 7 hours 50 minutes (using LOW) or 4 hours 50 minutes (using HIGH)
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
- 4 small potatoes, peeled and diced (preferably waxy varieties like red or white)
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 celery stalk, peeled and diced
- 1 onion, diced
Seasonings
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Liquids
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth (or substitute beef or vegetable broth, or chicken stock)
- 2 cups milk or cream
Dairy and Thickener
- 1 lb. cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (use gluten-free flour for gluten-free version)
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef: Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until fully browned. Drain the grease thoroughly and then add the cooked beef into the crockpot.
- Prepare the vegetables: Add diced potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, dried basil, and dried parsley into the crockpot over the beef.
- Add broth and cook: Pour the low sodium chicken broth over the ingredients in the crockpot, cover with the lid, and cook on LOW for about 7 hours or on HIGH for about 4 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Make the roux: In a clean skillet, melt the unsalted butter over low heat. Slowly whisk in the flour and cook until golden brown and bubbly, about 1 minute. This creates the base to thicken the soup.
- Add milk and seasonings to roux: Slowly whisk in the milk or cream along with salt and pepper to the butter-flour mixture. Stir continuously until smooth and heated through.
- Combine roux and cheese with soup: Pour the milk and roux mixture into the crockpot and stir to combine with the soup broth and vegetables.
- Add shredded cheddar: Add the freshly shredded cheddar cheese to the crockpot and gently stir until evenly distributed.
- Final cook to melt cheese: Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW an additional 30 minutes or until the cheese has fully melted and the soup is creamy.
- Serve: Serve immediately, optionally topped with pickle slices and croutons for extra flavor and texture.
Notes
- Shred your cheese fresh for the creamiest texture and smooth melt—avoid pre-shredded bags that can have a grainy texture.
- Season as you go, sprinkling garlic powder with the beef and adjusting salt and pepper after the cheese melts for best flavor balance.
- To store leftovers, cool soup completely before refrigerating; it reheats smoothly without separating.
- Use waxy potatoes like red or white to retain shape and avoid mushiness after slow cooking for hours.
- Use lean ground beef to reduce excess saturated fat content.
- For gluten-free diets, substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour without compromising the soup’s texture.
- Broth substitution options include beef or vegetable broth, or chicken stock, depending on preference.
