Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my bacon cheeseburger soup recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Ground Beef – I usually go for 85/15 lean ground beef—just the right flavor without being greasy. If you use 80/20, I recommend draining it. You can also swap it for ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
• Bacon – Feel free to skip it if you don’t want your cheeseburger soup with bacon. I like to include it! I often have batches of bacon cooked in the oven ready to go and crumbled for this soup, but you can also use pre-cooked bacon bits to save time, or cook raw bacon in the beginning.
• Cauliflower – My go-to neutral fillers instead of potatoes. I use florets, but cauliflower rice works too — it’ll just cook much faster. If you’re not a fan of this vegetable at all, see my tips below for alternatives.
• Broth – I used chicken broth mostly because that’s what I always have, but beef broth or even bone broth is great if you want your soup to taste more beefy.
• Milk & Cream – I prefer the combination of almond milk (which can withstand simmering) and heavy cream for richness. Regular milk is fine if it fits your lifestyle. You can swap the cream for coconut cream if you like, but the recipe still has dairy from the cheese.
• Shredded Cheese – Sharp cheddar cheese is best for classic cheeseburger vibes, but any kind that melts well will work.
• Parsley – I used a teaspoon of dried parsley because that’s what I had when I developed this cheeseburger soup recipe, but a tablespoon of fresh works, too. You can also add other herbs, like oregano, thyme, basil, or Italian seasoning (which I actually swap in most often).
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper – I kept the seasonings basic, but feel free to add other spices, like chili powder or cumin. Also, you might need to adjust the amount of salt if the broth you have isn’t reduced-sodium like mine.

How To Make Cheeseburger Soup

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Crisp the bacon. You can use a big pot or Dutch oven. This is quick if your bacon is pre-cooked, or takes a bit longer if you start with raw.
2. Brown the beef. Turn up the heat, toss in the ground beef, and break it apart as it cooks until it’s browned.

3. Simmer the soup. Add the cauliflower, broth, milk, parsley, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then let it simmer on medium heat until the cauliflower tender.
4. Make it cheesy. Turn the heat down, and add the cream and cheddar. Stir until the cheeseburger soup is smooth and the cheese melts.

Serving Ideas

My cheeseburger soup is already a meal on its own, but if you’re looking to round it out, here are some of my favorite sides and toppings to serve with it:

• Toppings – I like to save some extra bacon and shredded cheese for topping. You can also top it off with chopped dill pickles, caramelized onions, sour cream, or even jalapeño slices.
• Salads – This soup already has protein, so I pair it with lighter side salads, like cucumber tomato avocado salad or radish salad.
• Chips Or Crackers – If you’re craving some crunch, crumble some almond flour crackers, baked tortilla chips, or flaxseed crackers on top. They’re also great on the side for dunking.