Name: Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 5 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 cup chopped onion; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 cups diced potatoes; 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese; 3 cups chicken broth; 1 cup whole milk; 1 cup diced carrots; 1/2 cup diced celery; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon olive oil; Salt and black pepper to taste

Alright, Let’s Talk About Why Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup is My Kind of Cozy

So, here’s the thing: I’ve tried about a million slow cooker recipes (okay, that’s dramatic, but it feels like it!), and somehow this Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup just hits the spot every single time. Seriously, the first time I made it, the kitchen smelled so much like an old-school diner my dog Sully wouldn’t leave the doorway. And get this—my picky nephew actually ate two bowls without even pausing for air. If that isn’t a culinary miracle, nothing is. I make this when the weather turns gloomy or, honestly, whenever I just need something to trick my brain into thinking I’m eating a burger and fries—minus the hassle.

Why I Keep Making This—Over and Over

I drag out my slow cooker for this whenever the week feels like a lost cause or when I’ve got a pile of homework to supervise (not me, obviously—my kid’s). My family goes bonkers for it because, well, it’s cheesy and hearty and tastes sort of like a cozy blanket for your insides. Plus, it uses up those sad leftover potatoes hanging around. I’ll admit, though—the first time, I panicked because I’d run out of cheddar and ended up using that neon orange cheese slices; I wouldn’t recommend that unless you’re after a weird science fair soup.

What You’ll Need (But You Can Totally Wing Some of These)

1 pound ground beef (I sometimes swap in ground turkey, but then I’m lying to myself that it’s healthy)
1 onion, chopped (red, white—who cares, really)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced (if you’re lazy, jarred garlic works, I won’t judge)
3 cups peeled, diced potatoes (russet, Yukon Gold—my grandmother swore by the latter, but I use whatever’s on sale)
2 cups chicken broth (beef broth if you want it beefier, or that Better Than Bouillon paste if you like living dangerously)
1 cup shredded carrots (confession: I sometimes grab a handful of pre-shredded bag carrots because I dislike grating things)
1 cup celery, chopped (or skip it if you’re out—I have, many times)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (not essential, but kinda nice)
Salt and pepper to taste (don’t forget the taste test—I’ve accidentally made a salt bomb once)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (Brand X is fine, but sharp cheddar makes it sing)
1/2 cup sour cream (Greek yogurt in a pinch)
3 tablespoons flour (for thickening, or ignore if you like it runnier)
4 tablespoons butter (salted, unsalted, whatever’s in the fridge)
Optional: cooked bacon, green onions, pickles for topping (my kid always wants pickles—odd but tasty!)

How You Actually Make It (With All the Tangents Included)

First things first, brown up your ground beef in a skillet on medium heat. Drain off the fat—or not, you do you. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll toss in the onions and garlic right after, let them soften a bit, about 3 minutes.
Scrape all that into your crockpot. Now add the potatoes, carrots, celery, Worcestershire, and broth. Stir it up. This is where I usually sneak a taste of the broth, ’cause why not?
Set the slow cooker on low for 7 hours or high for 3-4. Honestly, if you peek early and the potatoes are soft, you’re good to move on. Don’t worry if it looks a little separated now—magic happens soon.
In a small saucepan, melt butter, then whisk in the flour. Make a quick roux, just until it bubbles and thickens, nothing too wild. Stir in about half a cup of that hot soup liquid to the roux slowly, then pour the whole mix back into the crockpot. If you skip the roux, the soup’ll just be a touch thinner. No shame.
Now add the shredded cheese and stir until melty. Turn off the heat before you add the sour cream (or yogurt, if that’s what you’ve got). If you add it while it’s boiling, it’ll get kinda weird looking—lesson learned.
Ladle into bowls, and top with your favorite burger-y things: bacon, green onion, a couple of chips—whatever you’ve got rattling around in the pantry. Odd tip: try a few pickle chips on top, it’s a game changer, at least to me.

A Few Notes Because, Trust Me, I’ve Messed This Up

If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can do this on the stovetop: just simmer everything on low for a couple hours.
If you want it a bit spicier, I sometimes add a dash of hot sauce. Once I tried sriracha and, well, let’s just say kids were not thrilled.
The leftovers, when they exist, taste even better the next day—but honestly, that doesn’t really happen here.

If You Want to Mix Things Up—Variations I’ve Actually Tried

Once swapped the ground beef for chorizo; bold move, almost too much flavor for this Midwesterner.
Tried swapping out the potatoes for cauliflower—my kids noticed instantly, but maybe it’s fine for adults.
Taco cheeseburger soup by adding a packet of taco seasoning? Wild, but nobody complained.
One time I tossed in frozen corn, but honestly, it just sort of floated around looking lonely, so I’d skip that.

What You’ll Need Equipment-Wise (but Improvise as Needed)

Crockpot/slow cooker – Or just a big ol’ soup pot and a low flame if that’s what you have.
Cutting board and a halfway decent knife.
Small saucepan, but if you mix the roux stuff right in the soup, I won’t tell (it works, just not as smooth).
Ladle, unless you want to pour soup all over your countertop (been there).

How to Store It, If That’s Even Necessary

Honestly, in my house it rarely lasts more than a day, but if you somehow have leftovers: pour into a container, pop it in the fridge. Should last 2-3 days. Reheat on the stove for best results, but microwave works fine. If it thickens up a lot, just add a splash of broth or milk when you warm it up.

Here’s How I Like to Serve It (Your Mileage May Vary)

We go the full burger route: I put out little bowls of crumbled bacon, pickle chips, shredded lettuce, and even ketchup—don’t knock it till you try! My spouse dips crusty sourdough in, and my kid eats his with potato chips like tortilla soup. I think it’s better with a cold root beer, but that’s probably just nostalgia talking.

Lessons I’ve Learned so You Don’t Have to Panic

Don’t add the sour cream while the soup is boiling or it’ll look curdled. I know from experience.
Sometimes I rush browning the beef to save time, but trust me, it’s worth letting it get a little brown and caramelized. More flavor, fewer regrets.
Don’t add extra potatoes thinking you’ll “bulk it up”—you’ll just wind up with stew. Which is fine, but it’s not soup.

Answering the Questions Folks Actually Ask Me

Can I freeze this? Well, yes, but sometimes the texture gets weird because of the cheese and cream. If that doesn’t bother you, go ahead; just thaw and stir like crazy.

Is there a way to make this vegetarian? Yup! I’ve tried Beyond Beef and veggie broth. Tastes pretty good, just maybe add more seasonings to amp it up.

What’s the best cheese? Honestly, whatever cheddar you have on hand. I love sharp, but mild works. Mix in a little American for that classic drive-in vibe.

Would this work as a weeknight meal? 100 percent. I start it at noon and forget about it—by dinner, it’s all ready and I haven’t had to babysit anything.

Got any recipe help links? For step-by-step slow cooker tips, I like Simply Recipes’ slow cooker guides. And if you wanna nerd out about cheese soup science, the folks at Serious Eats really dig into the details (I may’ve borrowed a trick or two).

Alright, now I’m thinking maybe next time I’ll try a wild card topping. Pepperoncini, maybe? Or just stick with the classics. Anyway, that’s the secret sauce to my Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup—let me know if you find any tweaks that make it even better. Soup’s on!

Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup: Comfort Food Done Right