Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup

Cozy and comforting and so simple to make, this crockpot cheeseburger soup is going to be a family favorite! Brown the meat, chop up some veggies, and then dump it all in the slow cooker–about 20 minutes of prep pays off in the end. Top this one with your favorite cheeseburger toppings!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef  
• 1 onion, diced  
• ½ tsp salt  
• ½ tsp garlic powder 
• 4-5 cups russet potatoes, cubed (about 2-3 medium/large potatoes)  
• 4 carrots, diced 
• 3 celery stalks, chopped  
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce  
• 1½ tsp oregano  
• 1 tsp paprika  
• ½ tsp onion powder  
• 1 tsp garlic powder  
• ¼ tsp ground mustard  
• 1 tsp dried parsley  
• ½ tsp each, sea salt and pepper  
• 3-4 cups low-sodium beef broth, start with 3 cups, add in 4th at the end to thin out if desired  
• 8 oz cheddar cheese, freshly shredded  
• 6 oz cream cheese, cubed  
• ½ cup cold whole milk  
• 3 Tbsp corn starch

Cooking:

1. Brown the Beef: Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of your preferred cooking oil. Once the oil is glistening, add onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes until they begin to become slightly translucent. Add in the ground beef, break it into small pieces, and sprinkle garlic powder and sea salt over top. Brown the meat until cooked through and drain any excess grease.  
2. Slow Cook the Soup: Add the carrots, potatoes, and celery to the bottom of a 6-quart crockpot. Pour the browned beef and onions over top and stir to combine. 
3. Add in the broth and seasoning and toss to combine. The broth will not cover all of the ingredients to start, but juices and liquid will be released as it cooks, and will be added to the broth, so don't worry!  
4. Cook on HIGH heat setting for 3-4 hours, or until the potatoes and vegetables are fork tender. You can also cook on the LOW heat setting for 6-8 hours.  
5. When the potatoes and veggies are softened, add in the cream cheese and shredded cheddar cheese and stir to melt. If you are not on the high setting at this time, shift to high. Whisk together the corn starch and cold milk well until smooth to make a slurry. 
6. Slowly pour in the slurry and stir well to combine. Cover the pot and allow to cook for another 30 minutes to an hour to thicken. Note: the soup will thicken even more as it cools, so try not to let it thicken too much in the heat to balance this out. You can add any of the remaining cup of broth to thin the soup out if it becomes too thick.  
7. Once soup is ready, serve it up with all of your favorite toppings! We love diced dill pickles, more cheese, sour cream, fried onions and parsley. Yum!

Notes:

• Storage: Store leftover soup for about 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This soup also freezes really well. Make sure you let it cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. 
• You can omit the corn start and milk slurry in the end for a much thinner soup overall. You can also lessen the amount of cornstarch by a tablespoon or tablespoon and a half for a thinner base. You can also add more broth for thinner soup, or lessen the broth a bit for a super thick soup. Whatever you like!  
• Brown the beef but make sure not to overcook it. Make sure the meat just comes to cooked through so that it doesn’t become overly dry as it will then still be dry in the soup.

Safe Handling Tips:

• Wash hands with soap and water before cooking and always after touching raw meat. 
• Separate raw meat from other foods. 
• Wash all cutting boards, utensils, and dishes after touching raw meat. 
• Do not reuse marinades used on raw foods. 
• Wash all produce prior to use. 
• Cook steaks and roasts until temperature reaches 145°F for medium rare, as measured by a meat thermometer, allowing to rest for three minutes. Cook Ground Beef to 160°F as measured by a meat thermometer. 
• Refrigerate leftovers promptly. 

For more information on degree of doneness and other cooking tips. 

For more information on safe food handling and beef safety.