MONDAY RECIPE POST - CHEESEBURGER SOUP - SERVES 8

Okay, so here is an oldie but goodie!  I remember making some form of Cheeseburger Soup when I first got married.  Recently Gregg asked me to choose a meal we could cook together, and I in turn gave him five choices.  This is what he picked.  You can find the original here at Taste of Home and the person who put it together was Joanie Shawhan of Madison, Wisconsin.  Gregg gave her version a 10 out of 10.  It was a delicious soup so thank you Joanie.

Cheeseburger Soup - 8 servings

Marked as a contest winner and test kitchen approved.

Calories are 450 per 1 cup serving, though obviously if you change ingredients around, as I did with the cheese and does not include the garnish, that number will be altered.

1/2 pound ground beef

4 tablespoons butter, divided

3/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup diced celery

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1-3/4 pounds (about 4 cups) cubed peeled potatoes

3 cups chicken broth (Gregg likes to add more for extra broth

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 to 4 cups shredded Velveeta (I used regular Cheddar cheese)

1-1/2 cups whole milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup sour cream

Optional: Onion rings, such as in this photo:

 

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook and crumble beef until no longer pink, 6-8 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

In same saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Sauté onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. 

Add potatoes, ground beef and broth; bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour, cook and stir until bubbly, 3-5 minutes. Add to soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook until cheese melts. Remove from heat; blend in sour cream. 

You can serve with onion rings and green onions, or use your own favorites.

Suggested tips: 

What can I substitute for the Velveeta and ground beef?

Any low melting-point cheeses, such as Swiss and cheddar, can be substituted for the Velveeta. Or for a kick, use pepper jack. If you’re looking to cut some fat from this soup, replace the ground beef with ground sirloin, round or turkey.

How do you store cheeseburger soup? 

Can I freeze it?

You can store soup by letting it cool completely and placing it in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

Soups with starches and dairy (like cheeseburger soup) are not ideal for freezing. But these soups are!

Can I add bacon?

Yes, you can top bowls with crumbled cooked bacon. 

A very yummy soup and one that is again very comforting on a cold and rainy night.

We didn't change much other than adding the extra broth and using Cheddar instead of Velveeta.

Those crispy onion rings were excellent sprinkled on the top which we did at the table before eating our soup.  

I'm sure you can use 2% milk, which I would have done except that I had whole milk from another recipe.

A lovely soup all round!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your week!