It's soup season! Dig in and enjoy this big, meaty Bacon Cheeseburger Soup Recipe - it's a hearty soup that tastes just like your favorite burger! Filled with beef, crispy bacon and topped with all your favorite fixin's.
If you enjoy a great hearty meal be sure to try this recipe for traditional Mexican Albondiga soup next. It's filled with juicy meatballs, vegetables and the best broth!
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Why you'll love this recipe
Seriously, this is hands down AMAZING! I won first place in a soup cook-off with this recipe and once you try it, you'll know why! It's filled with big meaty flavor and it's fabulous. Don't forget the pickles! Dill pickles make this recipe!
✔️ It has all the flavors of a cheeseburger!
✔️ Even picky eaters will enjoy it! This creamy soup will quickly become one of your family favorites.
✔️ It's easy to make and comes together quickly!
Think of this as a cheddar cheese soup with bacon and potatoes - it seriously takes a good soup to a great soup! It has all your favorite cheeseburger flavors.
🗒️ Ingredients
You'll need a handful of simple ingredients for this recipe. For the exact measurements for this easy cheeseburger soup, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- bacon for yummy saltiness and richness.
- You'll need hamburger meat - lean ground beef, ground chuck, ground chicken even veggie crumbles if you are looking for a vegetarian option. You can use what works for you!
- mushrooms, onion, potatoes, garlic - the mushrooms are optional, but since I love a great mushroom burger, I include them!
- salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Montreal steak seasoning - use the recipe for the blog or store-bought, which ever is easier!
- beef broth - you can substitute chicken broth, but I prefer beef.
- sharp cheddar cheese is traditional, but pepper jack or Colby cheese would be delicious as well.
- optional toppings: crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes, green onions, shredded lettuce or spinach and dill pickles - don't forget the pickles!
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions for this comforting soup. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!
- Chop bacon into slices (lardons) sauté in a large stock pot until crispy. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels, set aside.
- Brown ground beef. Add the hamburger to the pan and sauté until brown. Drain off the fat.
- Next add the onions and mushrooms to the cooked meat, season with salt, black & red peppers and steak seasoning.
- Sauté for about 5 minutes until veggies soften.
- Add the garlic & sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Next add the potatoes and beef broth and increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, cook until potatoes are fork tender.
- Reduce the heat to low & add the shredded cheese and stir until the cheese is completely melted.
- Garnish with chopped dill pickles, crumbled bacon, tomato and shredded lettuce or spinach.
To make crockpot cheeseburger soup
- Chop bacon into lardons sauté in a large stock pot until crispy. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel, set aside.
- Add the hamburger to the pan and sauté until brown. Drain off the fat.
- Add the hamburger, onion, mushrooms, potatoes, garlic, beef stock and seasoning to the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours or until potatoes are tender.
- Add the cheese and stir to melt completely.
🙋♀️ FAQ's
Absolutely - that's a great variation if you're looking for a lighter hamburger soup.
Allow it to cool completely, freeze in small container for up to three months.
Yes you can, but I suggest you shred your own. Pre-packaged shredded cheese is often coated and doesn't melt well.
Tips
- Honestly, the cheesier the better.
- Don't skimp on the dill pickles!
- Good thick-cut bacon is your best choice. Thin bacon is all fat and disappears into nothing.
- Cook the bacon in the pan first. Use the bacon grease to saute the vegetables, yum!
Variations
The first time you make this recipe, I suggest you make it as written, however if you're looking to mix things up, here are a few variations to make this soup your own!
- Meat - switch up the ground beef by using ground turkey or chicken. Turkey bacon as well will help lighten up the soup.
- A healthy pinch of chili powder adds a bit of heat.
- Cheese - one time I had run out of shredded cheese and instead used velveeta. Let me tell you, that was AMAZING! Also, feel free to substitute pepper jack or mozzarella, YUM!
- Broth - you can substitute chicken or vegetable broth if you'd prefer.
- Cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream or even velveeta cheese would be a terrific addition to this soup.
Storage
Refrigerate: Allow the soup to cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container. Refrigerate up to three days.
Freeze - I don't recommend freezing this soup.
Easy Soup Recipes
If you're looking for more easy soup recipes, here are some of the favorites from the blog;
- Potato Soup Recipe - this simple, 30-minute soup recipe is cheesy, easy to make and delicious!
- This hearty soup is one I make at least once a month - Boilermaker Tailgate Chili is just the BEST meal!
- Chicken and Dumplings Soup Recipe that doesn't take all day? Yes! You can do that!!
Serving suggestions
Doesn't this meal sounds AMAZING! if you're wondering what to serve with it, a great Outback Wedge Salad, delicious!
Buttery breadsticks are also a big hit with this meal - super yummy!
Related recipes
You know I love a great bowl of soup and I have plenty of delicious soups on the blog, like my Creamy Potato Soup, Clam Chowder, Copycat Campbells Alphabet Soup and Potato Soup with Ham - so much deliciousness!
Click here for the Best Soup Recipes Ever 10 of the most popular soups on the blog.. Additionally check this out for all of my tips and tricks to make the BEST homemade soups and stews at home.
If you'er looking for more great ground beef recipes, be sure to check out these:
- Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole - just like stuffed bell peppers without all the fussy prep! We love this meal!
- This Salisbury Steak Recipe only has four ingredients and has a delicious gravy! Serve over mashed potatoes, buttered noodles or rice - delicious!
- Cheesy Beef Noodle Casserole - easy to make this family favorite is absolutely delicious! Even the kids give it five stars!!!
- Super yummy, family friendly Taco Salad Bake is a meal that will have everyone coming back for seconds!
When you make this please be sure to tag me on Instagram @bowl_me_over or #bowlmeover - I'd love to see your photos!
And if you love it, please give this recipe a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!
Bacon Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 strips of bacon
- 1 pound hamburger
- 1 lb sliced mushrooms
- ½ onion diced
- 4 cups potatoes peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon Montreal steak seasoning
- 4 cups beef broth
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- optional garnishes - sliced dill pickles, shredded cheese, bacon crumbles and lettuce or spinach
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Instructions
- Slice the bacon into lardons and slowly sauté in a large stock pot to render fat. When crispy remove the bacon from pan & drain on a paper towel.
- Increase the heat to medium and brown the ground beef. Drain fat if desired.
- Add the onions and mushrooms, season with salt, black & red peppers and steak seasoning. Sauté for about 5 minutes until veggies just soften. Add the garlic & sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the potatoes and beef broth, Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Add the shredded cheese and stir until it is completely melted.
- Garnish with reserved bacon bits, chopped dill pickles, crumbled bacon, tomato and lettuce or spinach.
Notes
- Chop bacon into lardons sauté in a large stock pot until crispy. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel, set aside.
- Add the hamburger to the pan and sauté until brown. Drain off the fat.
- Add the hamburger, onion, mushrooms, potatoes, garlic, beef stock and seasoning to the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours or until potatoes are tender.
- Add the cheese and stir to melt completely.
- Turn your Instant Pot to the sauté function. Once the pot has heated up, brown the beef bacon and drain off all the extra grease. Drain the bacon on a paper towel, set aside.
- Add the hamburger and sauté until brown. Drain off the fat.
- Add the hamburger, onion, mushrooms, potatoes, garlic, beef stock and seasoning to the pressure cooker. Set the timer on manual for 5 minutes. When the timer beeps allow to natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Then release any pressure that remains.
- Add the cheese and stir to melt completely.
Nutrition
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Don't worry, we'll never share your email.💬 Recipe backstory
This is my Award-Winning Bacon Cheeseburger Soup Recipe! I was invited to a soup cookout in 2013 and I developed this soup, specifically for that event. I worked hard on a couple of recipes and finally settled on this one.
There were about 20 entries into the event. Hands-down, everyone agreed that the winner was this recipe. The chef competing at the event came by to taste my soup (he made clam chowder) and kinda stuck his nose in the air about topping a soup with pickles, because I insisted he did.
Then he tried it. He put his spoon down and just stared at me, shook his head and said... no doubt you're the winner!
It's beefy, cheesy and stuffed with bacon. AND it is one dynamite meal!
It won first place at the soup cook-off! Give it a try and you'll know why!
Tracy
Chop bacon into lardons? I have no idea what this means.
Bowl Me Over
slice the bacon into pieces.
Kitty
I’m not clear how much beef broth to use! ( 1cups boxed beef broth 4 ) ?
“Award winning bacon mushroom cheeseburger soup”
Bowl Me Over
Hey Kitty sorry about that - yes 4 cups. Thank you!!
Lois
Ive made this soup several times and is always a big hit when I serve it. The the flavors. So good and very easy to put together. Yum!!
Bowl Me Over
That's great news, thank you Lois! We really love this one here too! SO MUCH FLAVOR and easy - win/win!!!