What You Need
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 small onion, diced (~3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup diced bell peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 4 cups beef broth
- 4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Brown the Beef
Heat ground beef in a medium saucepan over medium. Break it up while cooking ~6-8 minutes until no pink remains.
Drain the fat – there’s always a lot. Set meat aside in a bowl.
Cook the Vegetables
Add oil to same pan. Wait ~30 seconds until it moves freely.
Add onion, bell peppers, parsley, basil, and celery. Cook ~5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Done when onion’s translucent and celery loses its crunch.
Build the Soup
Pour in broth. Add potatoes and cooked beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low.
Cover and simmer ~10-12 minutes. Fork should slide through potatoes easily.
Make a Roux
While simmering, melt butter in a small skillet over medium.
Sprinkle in flour bit by bit while whisking – prevents lumps.
Cook ~3-5 minutes until bubbling and thick. Smells nutty when ready.
Thicken
Stir roux into soup. Bring to boil, stirring ~2 minutes.
Soup thickens noticeably – coats a spoon when done. Reduce to low.
Finish
Add cheddar, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir constantly ~2-3 minutes until cheese melts.
Remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream. The cooling prevents curdling.
Serve with crusty bread or crackers.
Ground beef quality matters here – 80/20 has more flavor than the lean stuff. The roux step is crucial – raw flour taste ruins soup. Shred your own cheese or it won’t melt smooth.
Cheeseburger Soup
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 small onion diced (~3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup diced bell peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 4 cups beef broth
- 4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Brown ground beef over medium heat 6-8 min until no pink remains, drain and set aside.
- Heat oil in same pan, add onion, peppers, parsley, basil, and celery. Cook 5-7 min until softened.
- Add broth, potatoes, and beef. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 min until potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile, make roux: melt butter over medium, whisk in flour gradually. Cook 3-5 min until bubbling and nutty.
- Stir roux into soup, bring to boil 2 min until thickened.
- Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir 2-3 min until cheese melts.
- Remove from heat, rest 5 min. Stir in sour cream.
