Cheeseburger soup made easy in the crockpot! Super-creamy and ultimately comforting, the whole family will adore this lighter twist on classic cheeseburger soup.
We’re upping our comfort food game today, friends. To above and beyond your expectations of all things cozy and cheesy.
Day THREE of Pantry Staples. Ultra-creamy, extra-cozy, easy-peasy, and completely HANDS-OFF crockpot soup, please and thanks a million. ♥
Oh man, guys, is soup season on or WHAT? I feel like we’re all at that point in winter right now where all our thoughts about food revolve around soup. All the piping-hot, cozy, cheesy, and soupy things to keep us from freezing to death.
Ugh, it’s still so cold here. I just want to burrow in this bowl of soup and never come out.
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 extremely few dinners she could count on every single one of her agonizingly picky 9 kids to eat. Poor Mom for real, because we really were the most annoyingly picky kids ever. Me included.
Anyway, this soup was totally my favorite dinner ever. Guys, I wanted it 24/7 when I was a kid and would you even believe that a few weeks ago was the FIRST time I’ve had it since I was like 10??
I’ll admit that today’s soup isn’t EXACTLY like my mom’s old recipe.—Just a few minor changes were made. I replaced a few of the ingredients for healthier substitutes and I also decided that the whole shebang should be thrown in the crockpot instead of made on the stove, because I’m totally lazy and hands-off dinners are quite simply, the best thing ever.
The taste and the texture though? Oh man, it takes me straight back to those 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. Then fighting over second servings with the big brothers, of course. 😉
This soup is for REAL so perfectly creamy and cheesy, and yet at the same time, there’s no cream of anything or super-caloric stuff in it. Just humble and simple soup ingredients that transform themselves into THIS. My now-and-forever-favorite childhood soup WHICH, by the way, after a slight makeover, rounds up to only 293 calories per XXL bowlful.
I have a feeling many lives are now complete. Just a guess. 😉
Sooo…about that soup swan-dive. We should do it now.
Lighter Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup
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Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes peeled and shredded
- 1 cup shredded carrots about 2 medium carrots
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 stalks celery finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place shredded potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, and garlic in a 4-qt slow cooker. Pour chicken broth over top. Cook on high heat 3-4 hours OR on low 5-6 hours until vegetables are tender and softened.
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, brown beef until no longer pink. Stir into crockpot mixture and set aside.
- Wipe same skillet clean and melt butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour, then slowly whisk in milk until mixture is smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add creamy sauce mixture to crockpot and stir to combine. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste. Let soup cook on high heat in crockpot an additional 30-60 minutes until heated through and soup is thick and creamy. Enjoy soup hot!
Nutrition
Try these other cozy crockpot favs next!
Crockpot Three-Cheese Mashed Potatoes
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.