Soup
$0.75per plate
Prep
15 min
Ground Beef · Cheeseburger Soup
Cheeseburger Soup
Cheeseburger Soup takes everything you like about a cheeseburger - beefy, cheesy, a little savory - and turns it into a thick, creamy bowl that feeds six for about $1.80 a plate. Browned ground beef simmers with potatoes, onion, carrots, and celery, then a quick roux and a good handful of cheddar turn the broth silky and rich. It is comfort food built from cheap staples, and unlike a brothy soup recipe it leans creamy and cheese-forward rather than thin and tomatoey. Serve it with crusty bread or crackers on a cold night. It sits right alongside our other ground beef recipes, every one costed per plate.
$1.80per plate
Estimated recipe total
$10.82 · serves 6
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Serves
6
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/cheeseburger-soup
Equipment
- Large pot
Variations
- Use lean ground turkey or chicken instead of beef; brown it in a little oil since it renders less fat.
- Use colby jack or a mild cheddar instead of sharp cheddar; add it off the heat either way.
- Swap some of the milk for half-and-half, or use evaporated milk, for an extra-rich soup.
- Stir in pickle relish, or top with crumbled bacon or chopped green onion, to lean into the cheeseburger idea.
1 How to make it
1
Brown the beef
In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it up, until no pink remains, about 6 minutes. Spoon off most of the fat, leaving a little for flavor, and set the beef aside.
2
Soften the vegetables
Melt the butter in the same pot and cook the onion, carrots, and celery for about 5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic for another minute. This mirepoix is the sweet, savory base of the soup.
3
Simmer the potatoes
Return the beef to the pot with the potatoes, beef broth, salt, pepper, paprika, and Worcestershire. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 12 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
4
Thicken with a roux
Sprinkle the flour over the pot and stir for a minute to cook out the raw taste, then pour in the milk a little at a time, stirring, and simmer a few minutes until the soup thickens enough to coat a spoon. Keep it at a gentle simmer, never a hard boil.
5
Melt in the cheese
Pull the pot off the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar a handful at a time until melted and smooth. Adding the cheese off the heat is what keeps it silky instead of grainy. Taste and adjust the salt, then serve hot.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Ground turkey or chicken for the beef. Lean ground turkey makes a lighter, cheaper soup. Brown it in a little oil since it renders less fat than beef, and season a bit more generously.
- Any melting cheese. Sharp cheddar has the most flavor, but a mild cheddar, colby jack, or a processed cheese all melt smoothly. Whatever you use, add it off the heat.
- Half-and-half for a richer soup. Swap some of the milk for half-and-half if you want it extra creamy, or use evaporated milk. Whole milk keeps it affordable and still tastes rich.
- Add classic burger toppings. Stir in a spoonful of pickle relish, top with crumbled bacon, or finish with chopped green onion to lean into the cheeseburger idea for a few cents more.
3 Budget tips
- A single pound of ground beef stretches across six hearty bowls once you add potatoes and vegetables, which is what keeps this under $2 a plate.
- Potatoes are one of the cheapest ways to make a soup filling, so they do a lot of the work here.
- Shredding a block of cheese yourself is cheaper than pre-shredded and melts more smoothly, since there is no anti-caking coating.
- The roux of butter and flour thickens the soup for pennies, so you do not need heavy cream to make it rich.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The soup thickens as it sits; loosen it with a splash of milk or broth when reheating.
Freezer
Cheese-and-milk soups can separate a little when frozen, so this is best enjoyed within a few days from the fridge. If you do freeze it, thaw in the fridge and reheat gently, stirring, to bring it back together.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at half power, stirring often and adding a splash of milk. High heat can make the cheese greasy or grainy, so keep it low and slow.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
430
Protein
23g
Fat
28g
Carbs
22g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
How do I keep cheeseburger soup from getting grainy?
Add the cheese off the heat, a handful at a time, after the soup is thickened and no longer boiling. High heat and boiling are what make melted cheese turn grainy or greasy, so a gentle, off-the-burner stir keeps it silky.
What is the difference between cheeseburger soup and hamburger soup?
Cheeseburger soup is creamy and cheese-forward, thickened with a roux and finished with cheddar. Hamburger soup is usually a thinner, brothy tomato-and-vegetable soup with no cheese. Both start with ground beef, but this one is rich rather than brothy.
Can I make it lighter or cheaper?
Yes. Use lean ground turkey instead of beef, cut the cheese to one cup, and add an extra potato to bulk it out. It will be a little less rich but still creamy and filling, and even cheaper per bowl.
How is $1.80 a plate figured?
The whole pot is about $10.82 for six servings, so roughly $1.80 each. The ground beef and cheese are the main costs; potatoes and vegetables stretch it into a full, hearty dinner.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
Feeding a crowd tonight? This one is also part of our Easy Family Dinner Recipes collection.
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