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why yes; this is the cheeseburger of your soup dreams.

Let’s be real… sometimes you want soup that’s classy and elevated, and sometimes you want soup that says, “I’m here for a good time, not a salad.” This Cheeseburger Soup is all about that second vibe.

We’re talking about a rich, savory base with browned beef, melty cheddar, a hint of mustard and tomato, and that unmistakeable burger-shop flavor. Then we go next level and top it off with crispy shoestring fries — because why wouldn’t you crown your soup with fries?

This is the kind of dinner that gets high fives from the table. And the best part? You don’t need buns, a grill, or even much effort.

what makes this soup different?

Unlike many cheeseburger soups that toss potatoes into the mix (which ends up veering into chowder territory, if you ask me), this one keeps the base ultra-smooth and burger-forward. The potato energy comes in at the end, in the form of crispy, golden fries as a topper.

It’s a brilliant contrast of textures — warm and creamy below, salty and crunchy on top. A spoonful of this hits all the fast food flavor notes, but in a cozy, spoonable form.

ingredients you’ll need

ground beef

While I usually opt for a higher fat content in ground beef for grilling burgers (to keep them juicy and moist), it’s best to choose leaner beef — try 80-90% — for this recipe.

If you’re up for a chat with your butcher (or your market carries it pre-packaged), you might even look for beef for chili, which a is thicker grind (think larger “threads” of meat) for a chunkier result. But you can mimic the effect by breaking up the meat less than usual.

I like to make sure the ground beef is quite well browned and seasoned; if you don’t keep a bottle of Kitchen Bouquet in your kitchen, this is a great time to try it, too. Just a spoonful or two of this little bottle of genius deepens the color and enhances the flavor of meats, to boot. And that little drop or two of liquid smoke will put the whole thing into “grilled burger” taste territory!

salt + pepper + seasoning blend

I suppose seasoning with salt and pepper are kind of a given, but let me make a plea for a dash of seasoned salt here. It doesn’t take much, but something like Lawry’s Seasoning (again, not sponsored!) just makes it taste like a diner burger to me. If you were ever lucky enough to have a Shoney’s or Bob’s Big Boy around you, you may remember that they went all-in on the orange seasoning salt on their double-decker burgers. And while we are not talking gourmet, pub style burgers here, there’s no way to deny that the were just plain damn good. So give it a whirl.

onion + garlic

Gotta build that savory foundation!! You can take the onions to a deep golden brown, or just sweat them through, depending on your preference for flavor and texture. And if you like more (or less!) of them… no problem. Just adjust as you like.

tomato paste

Tomato paste gives a nice, deep, background tomato flavor without interfering with the texture of the soup or leaving you with soggy bits of cooked tomato. Frying it for a few moments will take away the harsh, metallic taste of canned paste and leave you with rich, tomatoey goodness.

beef broth

You can choose store-bought beef broth, bone broth, bouillion, or homemade stock. Truthfully, for times like these I am almost always going to reach for Better Than Bouillon paste (not sponsored; I’m just a fan). While you could technically use water in a pinch, the broth adds body and enhances the meatiness of the soup.

milk or half-and-half

Any type of milk can be used here, with the caveat that I have been a bit disappointed with the resulting texture when using oat milk or soy milk. As for half-and-half, if you can afford the calories and crave that extra bit of richness, go for it! But don’t forget that there is such a thing as fat free half-and-half — I was hugely skeptical the first time I tried it, but it’s been a great option for when I want to lighten things up in the kitchen. (I’ve even had stellar results making potato soup, clam chowder, and mac and cheese with it!)

cheddar cheese

You’ve heard it a thousand times, but I’ll say it again here: grating cheese yourself from a fresh block is (amost always) best. BUT… I am never without a giant bag of shredded mixed cheese from Costco in my fridge, and I’m no hypocrite, so believe me when I tell you it’ll be fine if you don’t. Honestly, I often mix the two, since our “house” cheese (the one we call “special f&%’ing cheddar” and that we reach for first most of the time) has the very best taste. But the “lesser cheeses,” like pre-shredded and Velveeta, often melt better. So don’t stress. This is a “lazy” recipe, remember? Get the kind of cheese that will help you to actually make the soup instead of calling Dominos. And don’t sweat the fact that this soup does include Velveeta. Leave it out if it offends, but I happen to think it works really well here.

Oh.. and if you prefer pepper jack cheese? Go nuts. Swiss? Sure. (Especially if you were to add mushrooms to your version…) Feel free to swap around any meltable cheese that you dig. (See some variations below.)

yellow mustard + pickle brine

I highly suggest you use these, even if you aren’t a big mustard or pickle person. The “tang” you’ll get from them in this recipe will be missed without them, and you are very unlikely to get hit in the face with Big Mustard Energy or anything. If you absolutely cannot bring yourself to use them, it’s a good idea to just add a little splash of apple cider vinegar. Unless you eat your burgers meat-and-bread style, you’ll miss the subtle flavor that brings everything together if you skip them altogether.

shoestring fries

While these are, obviously, entirely optional, they are kind of the crown jewel. There’s something about that salty, crispy french fry flavor melded with the classic burger taste that is incredibly satisfying! You can, of course, make them yourself, but again… Lazy Cheeseburger Soup, remember? Get you some frozen skinny fries and toss ’em in your oven or air fryer.

toppings + garnish

Besides the crispy fries, consider these additional goodies that will put this soup over the top.

• chopped dill pickles – unless you are a pickle hater, these are highly recommended, both for their zingy flavor and their crunch.
• sesame seeds – gives the soup a subtle “on-a-sesame-seed-bun” vibe.
• diced onions or sliced scallions – again, flavor and crunch are the name of the game when topping a smooth and creamy soup like this one!
• crumbled bacon – totally optional, as are all of these, of course, but bacon cheeseburgers are super popular, so there’s a chance you may be one (or cooking for one!)

variations

This recipe is easily adaptable — you can tweak almost everything about it. Change the cheese, the meat, the toppings — you name it. Try some of these combinations!

• swiss mushroom burger soup – saute 4 oz. sliced mushrooms with the onions & garlic, replace the cheddar cheese and Velveeta with 1 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese (consider using Gruyère for part of this; it doesn’t melt as well but has a great taste!) and 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese (which melts nicely, but matches the flavor profile of Swiss cheese better than Velveeta does). Top with extra sautéed mushrooms and a dash of fresh grated nutmeg.
• jalapeño-popper soup – sauté 1/4 – 1/2 cup sliced jalapeños (depending on your heat preference) with the onions and garlic. Add a dash each of cumin, chili powder, and oregano when seasoning the beef, and swap out fried tortilla strips, sour cream, and maybe taco toppings!
• smokehouse burger soup – season beef with bbq rub seasoning in place of the Lawry’s and top with chopped bacon and red onions.
• black + blue burger soup – replace the cheddar cheese with muenster cheese and replace the 2 oz. Velveeta with 3 tbsp. of cream cheese. Stir in 2 oz. creamy blue cheese off the heat… I highly recommend Saint Agur, but you can use any that you like! Finish with a dollop of horseradish cream, a sprig of rosemary, and garlic croutons.