Easy Cheeseburger Soup Recipe (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Soup
01 -
1 pound lean ground beef
02 -
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 -
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
04 -
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
05 -
1 cup celery stalks, sliced
06 -
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
07 -
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
08 -
8 cups chicken stock
09 -
8 ounces elbow macaroni pasta
10 -
1 cup heavy whipping cream
11 -
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
12 -
2 teaspoons dried oregano
13 -
2 teaspoons dried thyme
14 -
1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
15 -
Kosher salt, to taste
16 -
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Homemade Croutons
17 -
4 sesame hamburger buns, cut into 1-inch cubes
18 -
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
→ Toppings
19 -
Green onions, thinly sliced
20 -
Extra shredded cheddar cheese
# Instructions:
01 -
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Spread the cubed sesame buns across a parchment-lined baking sheet in one even layer. Drizzle the olive oil over the bread cubes and toss them around until they're all nicely coated. Pop them in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes until they turn golden and crispy.
02 -
Set a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Toss in the ground beef along with half of the oregano and thyme (1 teaspoon each), plus a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Break up the meat with your spatula as it cooks, browning it completely. Once it's nicely cooked through, transfer the beef to a bowl and set it aside for now.
03 -
Using the same pot (don't bother cleaning it – all that flavor stays!), melt the butter over medium heat. Add your chopped onions, sliced carrots, and celery along with another good pinch of salt and pepper. Crank the heat up to medium-high and let everything cook for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the veggies start to soften.
04 -
Turn the heat back down to medium. Stir in the minced garlic and the rest of your dried herbs (the remaining teaspoon each of oregano and thyme). Let this cook for just a minute until it smells amazing. Next, sprinkle the flour over everything and stir it in well, coating all the vegetables. Keep stirring for another minute to cook out that raw flour taste.
05 -
Pour in a little splash of chicken stock and use your spoon to scrape up all those delicious browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Then add the remaining chicken stock and the uncooked macaroni, along with another pinch of salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
06 -
Once your soup reaches a simmer, dial the heat down to low. Let it bubble away gently for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking, until the macaroni is tender but still has a little bite to it.
07 -
Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and all that beautiful shredded cheddar until the cheese melts into the soup. Add the white balsamic vinegar for a subtle tang, then fold the cooked ground beef back into the pot. Return it to medium heat for just a couple minutes to warm the beef through. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed.
08 -
Ladle the hot, creamy soup into bowls and top each serving with those crispy sesame croutons, a handful of sliced green onions, and an extra sprinkle of cheddar cheese. Dig in while it's hot!
# Notes:
01 -
Always grate your cheese from a block rather than buying pre-shredded. Fresh cheese melts much more smoothly since pre-shredded varieties contain anti-caking agents that can make your soup grainy.
02 -
This soup gets thicker as it sits and cools down. If you're reheating leftovers or it becomes too thick, just thin it out with a bit more chicken stock or cream until you reach your desired consistency.