Cheeseburger Soup
Cheeseburger soup made with real sharp cheddar instead of Velveeta, and seasoned like an actual burger with mustard, tomato paste, Worcestershire, and a splash of dill pickle brine. One pot, about 45 minutes, no draining, and a cornstarch toss keeps the cheese smooth.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef, 85/15 or 80/20
- 1 medium (150 g) yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium (130 g) carrots diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks (90 g) diced (about ¾ cup)
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1¼ tsp Morton kosher salt, or 1 tsp table salt)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons (24 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
- 12 oz (340 g) sharp or extra-sharp cheddar (or half of each), shredded from a block
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch
- 1½ cups (355 ml) whole milk
- 3 tablespoons dill pickle brine
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking it up, until no pink remains, 6–8 minutes. Leave the fat in the pot.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, and salt. Cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent, 6–8 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, mustard, and Worcestershire. Cook for 1 minute, until the tomato paste darkens a shade.
- Sprinkle the flour over everything and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes. The mixture will look dry and clumpy.
- Pour in the broth, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot, then add the potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
- While the potatoes simmer, toss the shredded cheddar with the cornstarch in a medium bowl until every shred is lightly coated.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the milk. As soon as the soup is steaming, turn off the burner. Don’t let it bubble.
- With the pot off the heat, add the cheese one handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts completely before adding the next.
- Stir in the pickle brine. Taste, and adjust with pepper and a pinch more salt if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with the toppings on the table.
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Notes
- The cornstarch toss. Coating shredded cheese in starch keeps the proteins from clumping when it hits hot soup.
- Shred your own cheese. Bagged shredded cheddar is coated in potato starch and cellulose, which can make the sauce chalky.
- Don't let the soup boil after you add the milk. Steaming is the target.
- Storage: Refrigerate for 3–4 days. Reheat low and slow with a splash of milk or broth.
- Make-ahead: Stop after adding the milk, before the cheese. Refrigerate 3–4 days; reheat gently until steaming, then finish with the cheese and pickle brine. To freeze, stop before the milk and freeze up to 3 months.
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