Packed with all the comforting flavors of a cheeseburger and cooked slowly in the crockpot, this slow cooker cheeseburger soup is a bowl full of comfort!
We’re upping our comfort food game today, friends. To above and beyond your expectations of all things cozy, thank you very much.
In other news, my now-and-forever-favorite childhood soup just got a slow cooker makeover! Suffice to say, we’re all obsessed over here.
I feel as though I should tell you my family’s history with this soup before we go any further. Cheeseburger soup goes waaaaaay back in my family, guys. Like before I was even born, it was a tradition in my family for my mom to make a ginormous pot of her famous cheeseburger soup practically weekly in the winter.
It was one of the few dinners she could count on every single one us kids to eat without complaint. And the same thing applies today because I will NEVER say no to this winner on the menu!
This Cheeseburger Soup Features…
- A rich and cheesy texture
- Tender ground beef, carrots, celery, and potatoes
- Lots of topping options including bacon bits, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and dill pickles
Making the Cheeseburger Soup
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Ground beef
- Yellow onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Potatoes
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- Bay leaf
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- 2% or skim milk
- Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
Tips for Perfect Cheeseburger Soup
- Brown ground beef – this browning will break up the ground beef so that it is evenly distributed throughout the soup while it slow cooks.
- Cut vegetables in uniform size – aim for 1/4-inch cubes for the celery and potatoes.
- Cook soup on high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours – the soup is done when the potatoes are tender.
- Make a roux – a cooked mixture of butter and flour will thicken the soup perfectly.
- Cook soup an additional 15 minutes on high – after adding the roux and milk, an additional 15 minute cook time will thicken up the soup.
- Add cheddar and sour cream after cooking – this will prevent these ingredients from separating in the soup.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this soup.
- Use another meat – try ground turkey, chicken, or sausage in place of the beef.
- Add different veggies – try adding a handful of peas or spinach at the end of cooking. You can also replace the carrots with another veggie such as parsnips or squash.
- Try another cheese – try a sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey jack, or Colby jack.
Stovetop Version
You can easily convert this recipe to the stovetop if you want it ready quicker! Follow the instructions below.
- Brown the ground beef in a medium pot or Dutch oven and drain the grease.
- Add all the ingredients from Step 2 and bring soup to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and allow to simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
- Make the roux and add to soup along with milk. Cook an additional 5 minutes over medium heat, then fold in cheddar and sour cream off-heat.
This soup takes me straight back to those childhood days of playing outside in the snow for hours and then coming inside and heading straight to the kitchen to cozy up with a huge bowl of cheeseburger soup. Pro tip: you’ve gotta go heavy on the toppings if you know what’s good for ya!
Sooooo who’s ready to swan-dive into this goodness already??
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More slow cooker comfort food favorites you’ll adore.
Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup celery, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 3 cups peeled russet potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 dried bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup 2% or skim milk
- 1-1/2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- Crispy bacon bits, additional shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and diced dill pickles for topping, optional
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain grease from pan and place ground beef in a 4-quart slow cooker.
- Add onion, carrot, celery, potatoes, garlic, broth, and bay leaf to slow cooker. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste and place lid on top. Cook soup on high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours until potatoes are tender.
- Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 2-3 minutes until a light golden-brown to make a roux.
- Add roux and milk to soup and stir well. Cover slow cooker and cook on high 15 minutes until soup is slightly thickened.
- Remove bay leaf from soup and discard. Fold cheese and sour cream into soup until melted. Season soup with additional salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve soup warm with optional toppings. Enjoy!
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe adjustments and photos on 2/20/26.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I’m craving this soup and it’s only 6am! I’ve been wanting to make a cheeseburger soup for the longest time! This sounds incredible, Srah! I can almost smell it through my screen. And I love that it’s made in the slow cooker, too!
Sarah says
You’ve GOT to try cheeseburger soup, Gayle! It’s so perfect for these freezing days!
Kelly // The Pretty Bee: Allergy Friendly Eats says
I have never had cheeseburger soup! And I don’t know wh, because it sounds simply delicious!
Sarah says
I wish I could send you a potful, Kelly! It’s been so cold and soup is just needed, right?? 🙂
Annie says
My husband will be all over this! It looks great!
Sarah says
Thanks Annie! Happy weekend. 🙂
Jen | Baked by an Introvert says
This soup would be so great over the weekend! We might get snowed in… I love that it is made in the slow cooker!
Sarah says
Stay warm and stock up on soup, Jen! 😀
Meg @ With Salt and Wit says
Dang girl! Currently it is snowing here in KC and I am thinking how perfect this would be to warm us up!
Sarah says
I’m thinking you have cheeseburger soup in your future, girl! 😀
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
My mom made us a big pot of hamburger soup when she was here, but cheeseburger soup sounds amazing! Soul warming 🙂 Looks delicious!
Sarah says
It’s SO the best comfort food ever, right?? Thanks Denise!
Margaret Anne @ Natural Chow says
OMG Sarah this soup looks amazing! To be honest, I’ve been sick on and off and I want right now is a big bowl of this cheeseburger soup. 🙂
Sarah says
Aww I hope you feel better asap, Margaret! Wishing I could send you some of this soup!
Olivia @ Olivia's Cuisine says
Oh man, cheeseburger soup would have been a dream come true for little ol’ me. I was so spoiled and I hated soup!! I wish something like that was popular in Brazil back then. I guess I’ll have to catch up on all that deliciousness by making some soon.
Sarah says
Haha! Even my soup-hating little siblings absolutely looove this soup, so I guarantee you would be all over it, Olivia! You so need to try it. 🙂
Liz says
I can’t believe that 14º felt warm today! It’s still soup weather—and this cheeseburgeou soup would sure hit the spot!
Sarah says
Crazy right?? I’m definitely ready for spring. LOL. 😉
marcie says
It’s not as cold here as it is there, but I still need my soup! I’ve never had cheeseburger soup, but I might go out on a limb and say this is one soup my non-soup eating boy would try! Total comfort food!
Sarah says
Oh, girl you SO need to give cheeseburger soup a go! It’s the best kinda comfort food!
Kristine | Kristine's Kitchen says
Recipes like this that bring back childhood memories are the BEST! This looks so warm and comforting, and I love that you adapted it for the slow cooker!
Sarah says
Thanks Kristine! Recipes from your childhood are absolutely the best kinda recipes! 🙂
Jeannette says
Delicious! Thanks for sharing. The whole family loved it!!
Sarah says
Glad you and your family loved this soup, Jeanette!
Alison says
Omg Sarah, Oh yes!! I am in love! I may have just licked the sceen…. haha ?. This looks great but I would sub turkey for the beef because I don’t eat red meat. Also could I swap in something else for those potatoes? Maybe turnips or sweets? Some type of squash?
Sarah says
Hey Alison. You could easily swap out turkey for the beef, but I would recommend you keep the potatoes in the soup since using something else might affect the texture.
Nancy says
What kind of milk do you use for that calorie count? 2%/Nonfat?
Thanks.
Sarah says
Yes, 2% milk is what was used in this recipe.