Cheeseburger Chowder Soup
This cheeseburger chowder soup turns a loaded burger into a thick, spoonable bowl of comfort with browned beef, diced russet potatoes, and sharp cheddar simmered into one creamy pot.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot - At least 5 quarts
- Chef's knife - For dicing vegetables and potatoes
- Box grater - For shredding cheese fresh
- Whisk - For working the roux into the liquid without lumps
- Wooden spoon - For stirring
- Soup Ladle - For serving
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef - 450g, 85/15 for flavor or lean if you prefer less grease
- 4 tbsp butter - 60g, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion - about 1 cup or 150g, diced
- 2 medium carrots - about 1 cup or 130g, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery - about ¾ cup or 90g, diced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1½ lb russet potatoes - 680g, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes, about 4 cups
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour - 40g
- 3 cups beef broth - 720ml
- 3 cups whole milk - 720ml
- ½ cup heavy cream - 120ml
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese - 225g, freshly shredded
- 4 oz Velveeta or American cheese - 115g, cubed, optional, for extra-smooth melt
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon or yellow mustard
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried parsley or basil - optional
- salt and black pepper - to taste
For Topping
- cooked crumbled bacon - for topping
- diced dill pickles - for topping
- diced tomato - for topping
- sliced green onions - for topping
- extra shredded cheddar - for topping
- croutons or toasted bun pieces - for topping
Instructions
- Set a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the ground beef for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it apart, until no pink remains and the edges brown. Drain the grease, transfer the beef to a plate, and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium, add 1 tablespoon of butter to the same pot, and sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and let it melt, then sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables. Stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste until the mixture is thick and paste-like.
- Slowly pour in the beef broth while whisking to keep the roux smooth, then add the milk and whisk until even. Stir in the potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, smoked paprika, and dried parsley, then bring to a gentle simmer and reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until a potato cube slides easily off a fork with no firm center. Keep the simmer gentle rather than a hard boil to protect the dairy.
- Turn off the heat completely, then stir in the heavy cream followed by the shredded cheddar and cubed Velveeta a handful at a time. Stir gently after each addition until fully melted and the broth looks glossy and smooth.
- Stir the browned beef and any juices back into the pot and warm through over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes without boiling. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper, loosening with a splash of warm broth or milk if too thick.
- Ladle the chowder into bowls while hot and top each serving with crumbled bacon, diced pickles, diced tomato, green onions, extra cheese, and croutons or toasted bun pieces. Serve right away.
Notes
- Shred your own cheese: pre-shredded cheddar is coated in anti-caking starch that keeps it from melting cleanly and is a hidden cause of grainy soup.
- Pick russets on purpose: their starch breaks down and thickens the broth better than waxy red potatoes, which stay firm and leave the soup thinner.
- Keep the cheese off the boil: adding cheese to boiling liquid causes the proteins to seize and the fat to separate, so always turn off the heat first.
- Drain the beef well: leftover grease pools on top and makes the chowder heavy.
- Season in layers: salt the beef, the vegetables, and the finished soup separately rather than all at once at the end.
- Add Worcestershire early: simmering it with the potatoes lets that savory flavor soak into the whole pot.
- Control the thickness: thin with warm broth or milk, or thicken with a cornstarch slurry added while the soup simmers.
- Storage: cool the soup and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: warm over low heat, stirring often, and never let it come to a rolling boil or the cheese may separate; microwave at 50 percent power in short bursts, stirring between each.
- Freezing: dairy-based soups tend to turn grainy after thawing, so freezing the finished pot is not recommended; freeze the beef-and-potato base without dairy and stir in the milk, cream, and cheese fresh when reheating.
- Make-ahead tip: keep the bacon and croutons separate and add them only at serving, since they go soft sitting in the hot soup.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 27gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 780mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gCalcium: 40mg
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