Directions: |
Directions:Stovetop Directions:
1. Cook the beef: Brown the ground beef in 3 quart saucepan. Drain and set aside.
2. Sauté vegetables: In the same saucepan add 1 T butter and add onion, shredded carrots, parsley flakes, basil and celery. Saute until tender.
3. Add in beef and potatoes then simmer: Add the broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4. Make a roux: In a small skillet melt remaining butter (3 T) and add the flour. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
5. Add in remaining ingredients and cook: Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.
Slow Cooker Directions:
1. In your slow cooker, add diced potatoes, chopped onion, diced celery, carrots, parsley and basil. Add chicken broth. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours or until potatoes and veggies are tender.
2. About 30 minutes before it is done, cook the ground beef in a medium saucepan about 4-5 minutes until brown. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pan, add the butter. Melt the butter and add flour and cook until bubbly. Add the salt, pepper, milk and sour cream.
4. Add cream mixture, cheese, and ground beef to the crockpot. Stir and and continue to cook until the cheese is melted. Serve with optional toppings.
Here are some tips that will help make this cheeseburger soup easier to make.
Ground beef: The leaner the ground beef the better. Be sure to drain off any excess of grease before adding it back into the soup.
Potatoes: Russet potatoes are thick and strong. They usually don’t go mushy in soups. Yellow and red potatoes will work too but try not to over cook them.
Cheese: Velveeta is a favorite for this soup. It will leave it thick and creamy. If you are not a fan of velveeta try shredded cheeses. The texture and thickness will be altered and have a thinner soup base.
Thickener: Cream cheese is a great way to substitute the sour cream. It will keep it rich and creamy and still have the thick texture you need.
Remove from heat: Before you add in your sour cream, remove the soup from heat. This will help prevent the sour cream from curdling when being stirred in.
Make bun croutons: cube a sesame seeded bun and cook them on a baking sheet in the oven for a few minutes. Watching them so they don’t burn. Using the stove top with a skillet will also work until they are golden brown.
These toppings are versatile and can be made quickly.
Bacon pieces: for a quick way of making bacon, I use the microwaveable bacon and cut into chunks. Left over bacon is great too.
Sour cream: a dollop of sour cream on top just adds to the taste with onions and chives.
Onion: chopped and added to the top for a more crunchy texture.
Pickles: dill is my favorite. This is fun to have chunks of pickles on top. It adds a sweeter taste to the soup.
Crackers: you can never go wrong with crackers. Oyster crackers are fun and little to throw on top or just saltine crackers with a salty taste.
Croutons: these will soak up all the cheesy broth and add and extra soft, crunch to your bite.
Chips: salty chips are fun to use or pita chips. Dip them like salsa or crumble them up.
Bun croutons: dice up a sesame seed bun and toast it or sauté it over the oven until they are golden brown and add to the top.
Storing Instructions:
Storing cheeseburger soup: once your cheeseburger soup is completely cooled place your cheeseburger soup in an airtight container or ziplock bag. This will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days long. When ready to reheat you may need to add a little chicken broth if it is too thick.
Can you freeze your cheeseburger soup? Yes, kind of. It is best fresh and made to serve. If you are needing to freeze this soup and are planning it from the beginning, I recommend leaving out the potatoes until you are warming it back up. Potatoes tend to go mushy when they are frozen in a soup. Once your soup is completely cooled, add your soup to a ziplock bag with excess air removed. Lay flat in your freeze. This will last about 1 month. Freezing too long can separate the soup leaving it hard to reheat and combine back together.
How to reheat cheeseburger soup: It is best to reheat your soup on the stove top or in a slow cooker. No need to thaw your soup. Simply add the frozen soup to your pot and reheat on low stirring often. They will keep the soup from separating. |
This recipe for Award Winning Cheeseburger Soup is from