When you crave cozy comfort food, this bacon cheeseburger soup recipe is the perfect choice! With a rich, cheesy broth and big burger flavor, this soup satisfies far better than anything from the drive-through. It’s a lot like my traditional hamburger soup, but with an added creamy, cheesy element and extra comfort food factor. Many cheeseburger soup recipes use potatoes for the bulk of the soup, but this lightened up (but still hearty) version uses cauliflower instead.
Ingredient Notes
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for cheese hamburger soup, what each one does in the recipe, and some substitution options (with more in the Variations section below). For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Ground Beef – Any ground meat will work here, but I typically use 85/15 ground beef, which has just the right amount of flavor without being too greasy.Bacon Bits – Using pre-cooked bacon bits saves a lot of time with this recipe, but if you do have extra time you can prepare bacon in the oven or a skillet and crumble it yourself.Cauliflower – Adds body and comfort to the soup. Chop it into bite-sized florets. If you prefer a more carb-y soup, you can substitute russet potatoes (or really any potato you like), but they will take longer to cook than cauliflower does.Chicken Broth – I used a reduced sodium chicken broth because of the added salt from the bacon and cheese. You can also use beef broth or make homemade bone broth instead.Unsweetened Almond Milk – If your lifestyle allows, you can also use conventional milk or a different non-dairy milk if you don’t mind a slight change in flavor.Dried Parsley – You can also use a tablespoon of fresh parsley instead, or use other dried herbs, such as basil.Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Use pre-shredded or shred it yourself. Freshly shredded cheese melts more easily, but also clumps more easily. You can also toss the cheese with a cornstarch swap like arrowroot powder to help it thicken the broth.Heavy Cream – Acts as an additional cornstarch alternative to help thicken the broth and provide richness, along with the cheese.
How To Make Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
This section shows how to make hamburger cheese soup, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Variations
Swap the meats – Use ground turkey, ground chicken, or even ground pork instead of beef.Change cheeses – Try other hard melting cheeses such as Swiss for a whole new taste, or swap in pepper jack for a slightly spicy cheeseburger soup.Add more toppings – Garnish with chopped dill pickles, caramelized onions, sour cream, jalapeno slices, or even croutons if you miss the bun.Add other vegetables – As with any soup, almost any veggie you like can be added, but carrots are a particularly good pairing with the other flavors here. You can also saute onion and garlic after cooking the bacon.Make thicker, more creamy cheeseburger soup – Remove some of the liquid together with the cauliflower, puree in a blender, and return to the soup. You can also thicken it by adding cream cheese and letting it melt. (That’s one of the tricks I use in my broccoli cheese soup recipe without requiring a thickener.)
Storage Instructions
Store: Cool soup completely and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge.Meal prep: Brown bacon and beef, then cool and store until ready to cook. You can also chop cauliflower ahead of time and store separately.Reheat: Warm soup on the stove, stirring frequently to avoid separation.Freeze: Cool soup, then store leftovers in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating, or reheat directly in a saucepan or pot.
What To Serve With Cheeseburger Soup
This is easily my favorite cheeseburger soup recipe because it satisfies all on its own, but you can include these sides to make it a big meal:
Salads – Spinach bacon salad, cucumber tomato avocado salad, or 7 layer salad would all pair nicely with this recipe for cheeseburger soup.Chips or crackers – Add crunch with almond flour crackers, air fryer zucchini chips, or flax seed crackers.Veggie fries – For a burger and fries experience with a healthy spin, serve this soup with rutabaga fries, jicama fries, or baked zucchini fries.
More Healthy Soup Recipes
If you liked this dish, try these delicious soup recipes next — full of rich, creamy taste and hearty meats: Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it!
