FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook

• Why You Need My Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Make Cheeseburger Soup
• My Recipe Tips
• Serving Ideas
• Cheeseburger Soup (20-Min Recipe) Recipe card
• Recipe Reviews

When I’m craving cozy comfort food, this cheeseburger soup always hits the spot! It’s loaded with big, bold burger flavors in a rich, cheesy broth, minus that heavy feeling you get after the drive-through. I used to love it on freezing days when we lived in Minnesota, but I’ll be honest, I still enjoy it even living somewhere warmer. And while I’ve been making this cheeseburger soup recipe since 2016, right now — when it’s been really cold in many places — is the perfect time to show you some new tips I’ve picked up along the way. Make it with me!

Why You Need My Cheeseburger Soup Recipe

• Like a bacon cheeseburger in soup form – It’s got all the juicy ground beef, smoky bacon, and melty cheese flavors you love in a classic cheeseburger, but here I skip the bun and sneak in veggies for a healthier spin.
• Creamy and cheesy – I like regular hamburger soup , but creamy soups like this one are my specialty. (If you love them too, don’t miss my tomato bisque and cauliflower soup .) My cheeseburger soup delivers that same richness, and you can customize the thickness with my tips below.
• Quick and easy – This soup has super simple ingredients and virtually no prep, so you can have it on the table in just 20 minutes! And sometimes I totally make this my entire healthy dinner all by itself.
• Healthy comfort food – Many cheeseburger soup recipes are heavy, with pasta or potatoes, starchy thickeners, and processed Velveeta. Mine is lighter and gluten free, with vegetables and clean ingredients. I promise, it’s still comforting!

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.

1. 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.
2. Make it cheesy. Turn the heat down, and add the cream and cheddar. Stir until the cheeseburger soup is smooth and the cheese melts.

My Recipe Tips

• Don’t drain the bacon grease. It adds flavor and prevents the beef from sticking. If you’re using raw bacon and have a lot of grease, though, you might want to drain some of it.
• To avoid clumping, add the cheese gradually and stir like your soup depends on it! Don’t stop stirring, and wait for each batch to melt before adding more.
• For a more sure way to avoid clumps, whisk the cheese into 2 cups of hot broth in a bowl first. Then, stir it back into the pot. It’s more work (and dishes), so I usually don’t bother with this.
• Keep the heat low when adding the cheese. High heat can make it clump or turn grainy.
• Want a thicker texture? This soup has a cheesy broth and I love it that way, but you can easily make it thick if you want! Remove some of the liquid together with all (or most) of the cauliflower, puree in a blender, and stir back in. (This is the same trick I use for my easy broccoli cheddar soup without requiring a thickener.) You can also thicken this cheeseburger soup by adding room-temperature cream cheese and letting it melt, like I do for cream of broccoli soup .
• Want more flavor? Sometimes I saute a diced onion, diced celery or carrots, and a few cloves of minced garlic in the bacon grease before adding the beef. You can use butter or olive oil to saute them if you skip the bacon.
• Not a fan of cauliflower? I chose it because it has a neutral flavor, but you can use other veggies you’d put in vegetable soups , like broccoli or cabbage. Sometimes I use root vegetables , like turnips or rutabaga . For a more hearty option, diced potatoes work great. Keep in mind that potatoes and root veggies will take longer to cook, so just make sure they get soft.

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.

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 1 lb Ground beef ▢
• 1/2 cup Cooked bacon (crumbled; or raw chopped bacon) ▢
• 1 head Cauliflower (chopped into florets) ▢
• 3 1/2 cups Chicken broth, reduced sodium (or beef broth) ▢
• 1 cup Milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk) ▢
• 1 tsp Dried parsley ▢
• 3/4 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 2 cups Cheddar cheese (shredded) ▢
• 1/2 cup Heavy cream ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. In a large pot , brown the bacon for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, until crispy. If your bacon is uncooked, this will take longer.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef. Cook for 8-10 minutes , stirring occasionally and breaking apart with a spoon or spatula, until browned.
3. Add the cauliflower, chicken broth, almond milk, dried parsley, sea salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes , until the cauliflower is tender.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in the cheddar cheese and heavy cream, until the soup is smooth and the cheese is melted.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

• Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you avoid clumping the cheese, get a thicker texture if you prefer, add-ins for extra flavor, and swaps if you’re not a fan of cauliflower.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
• Meal prep: This cheeseburger soup stores beautifully, so you can easily make it ahead for lunch! Sometimes I just pre-cook the bacon and beef, and chop the cauliflower, then it makes cooking faster the day-of.
• Reheat: Warm on the stove, stirring often, or microwave on medium power.
• Freeze: This soup will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months, as long as you use almond milk and not dairy milk. (The cream is just fine. ) Thaw overnight in the fridge and stir often when reheating.
• Note on nutrition info: The numbers here are based on almond milk for the milk of choice. Carbs and calories will be higher if you use regular milk.

📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my 30 Dinners In 30 Minutes and Winter Ebook Bundle !

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.

Cheeseburger Soup

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• The Basic Keto Meal Formula
• Understanding Macros
• Keto Food Swaps
• Keto Food List
• Electrolyte Basics
• Keto Diet Types
• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• Recipe Reviews

Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.

You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System + EBooks (Only $37)

The Basic Keto Meal Formula

Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.

Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.

Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.

Understanding Macros

Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.

Carbs Are A Limit.

Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.

A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.

“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.

A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.

Protein Is A Goal.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].

“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.

Fat Is A Lever.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.

A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).

Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.

Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.

“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.

Keto Food Swaps

One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.

So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Keto Swaps For Breakfast

Keto Swaps For Bread

Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes

Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces

Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking

Keto Swaps For Drinks

If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .

Keto Food List

When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.

The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!

Foods To Eat On Keto

• Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
• Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
• Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
• Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
• Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
• Avocados
• Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
• Almond flour and coconut flour
• Eggs
• Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.

Foods To Avoid On Keto

• White flour & sugar
• Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
• Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
• Cereal
• Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
• Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
• Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
• Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
• Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
• Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:

Get The Keto Cheat Sheet System PDF (Only $37)

Electrolyte Basics

Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.

For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .

The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:

Keto Diet Types

People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.

Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.

Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!

• Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
• Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
• Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
• Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.

For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ swaps) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System (75 pages, Only $37!)

Cheeseburger Soup (20-Min Recipe)

This 20-minute cheeseburger soup is easy, cheesy, and comforting, but lighter than most recipes. It will leave you feeling so good!

Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, and storage, or to save it to your account. You can also find it at: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/bacon-cheeseburger-soup/

Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground beef
• 1/2 cup Cooked bacon (crumbled; or raw chopped bacon)
• 1 head Cauliflower (chopped into florets)
• 3 1/2 cups Chicken broth, reduced sodium (or beef broth)
• 1 cup Milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)
• 1 tsp Dried parsley
• 3/4 tsp Sea salt
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper
• 2 cups Cheddar cheese (shredded)
• 1/2 cup Heavy cream

Instructions

1. In a large pot , brown the bacon for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, until crispy. If your bacon is uncooked, this will take longer.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef. Cook for 8-10 minutes , stirring occasionally and breaking apart with a spoon or spatula, until browned.
3. Add the cauliflower, chicken broth, almond milk, dried parsley, sea salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes , until the cauliflower is tender.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in the cheddar cheese and heavy cream, until the soup is smooth and the cheese is melted.

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

• Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you avoid clumping the cheese, get a thicker texture if you prefer, add-ins for extra flavor, and swaps if you’re not a fan of cauliflower.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
• Meal prep: This cheeseburger soup stores beautifully, so you can easily make it ahead for lunch! Sometimes I just pre-cook the bacon and beef, and chop the cauliflower, then it makes cooking faster the day-of.
• Reheat: Warm on the stove, stirring often, or microwave on medium power.
• Freeze: This soup will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months, as long as you use almond milk and not dairy milk. (The cream is just fine. ) Thaw overnight in the fridge and stir often when reheating.
• Note on nutrition info: The numbers here are based on almond milk for the milk of choice. Carbs and calories will be higher if you use regular milk.

📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my 30 Dinners In 30 Minutes and Winter Ebook Bundle !

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. :)

FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook

• Why You Need My Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Make Cheeseburger Soup
• My Recipe Tips
• Serving Ideas
• Cheeseburger Soup (20-Min Recipe) Recipe card
• Recipe Reviews

When I’m craving cozy comfort food, this cheeseburger soup always hits the spot! It’s loaded with big, bold burger flavors in a rich, cheesy broth, minus that heavy feeling you get after the drive-through. I used to love it on freezing days when we lived in Minnesota, but I’ll be honest, I still enjoy it even living somewhere warmer. And while I’ve been making this cheeseburger soup recipe since 2016, right now — when it’s been really cold in many places — is the perfect time to show you some new tips I’ve picked up along the way. Make it with me!

Why You Need My Cheeseburger Soup Recipe

• Like a bacon cheeseburger in soup form – It’s got all the juicy ground beef, smoky bacon, and melty cheese flavors you love in a classic cheeseburger, but here I skip the bun and sneak in veggies for a healthier spin.
• Creamy and cheesy – I like regular hamburger soup , but creamy soups like this one are my specialty. (If you love them too, don’t miss my tomato bisque and cauliflower soup .) My cheeseburger soup delivers that same richness, and you can customize the thickness with my tips below.
• Quick and easy – This soup has super simple ingredients and virtually no prep, so you can have it on the table in just 20 minutes! And sometimes I totally make this my entire healthy dinner all by itself.
• Healthy comfort food – Many cheeseburger soup recipes are heavy, with pasta or potatoes, starchy thickeners, and processed Velveeta. Mine is lighter and gluten free, with vegetables and clean ingredients. I promise, it’s still comforting!

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.

1. 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.
2. Make it cheesy. Turn the heat down, and add the cream and cheddar. Stir until the cheeseburger soup is smooth and the cheese melts.

My Recipe Tips

• Don’t drain the bacon grease. It adds flavor and prevents the beef from sticking. If you’re using raw bacon and have a lot of grease, though, you might want to drain some of it.
• To avoid clumping, add the cheese gradually and stir like your soup depends on it! Don’t stop stirring, and wait for each batch to melt before adding more.
• For a more sure way to avoid clumps, whisk the cheese into 2 cups of hot broth in a bowl first. Then, stir it back into the pot. It’s more work (and dishes), so I usually don’t bother with this.
• Keep the heat low when adding the cheese. High heat can make it clump or turn grainy.
• Want a thicker texture? This soup has a cheesy broth and I love it that way, but you can easily make it thick if you want! Remove some of the liquid together with all (or most) of the cauliflower, puree in a blender, and stir back in. (This is the same trick I use for my easy broccoli cheddar soup without requiring a thickener.) You can also thicken this cheeseburger soup by adding room-temperature cream cheese and letting it melt, like I do for cream of broccoli soup .
• Want more flavor? Sometimes I saute a diced onion, diced celery or carrots, and a few cloves of minced garlic in the bacon grease before adding the beef. You can use butter or olive oil to saute them if you skip the bacon.
• Not a fan of cauliflower? I chose it because it has a neutral flavor, but you can use other veggies you’d put in vegetable soups , like broccoli or cabbage. Sometimes I use root vegetables , like turnips or rutabaga . For a more hearty option, diced potatoes work great. Keep in mind that potatoes and root veggies will take longer to cook, so just make sure they get soft.

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.

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 1 lb Ground beef ▢
• 1/2 cup Cooked bacon (crumbled; or raw chopped bacon) ▢
• 1 head Cauliflower (chopped into florets) ▢
• 3 1/2 cups Chicken broth, reduced sodium (or beef broth) ▢
• 1 cup Milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk) ▢
• 1 tsp Dried parsley ▢
• 3/4 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 2 cups Cheddar cheese (shredded) ▢
• 1/2 cup Heavy cream ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. In a large pot , brown the bacon for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, until crispy. If your bacon is uncooked, this will take longer.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef. Cook for 8-10 minutes , stirring occasionally and breaking apart with a spoon or spatula, until browned.
3. Add the cauliflower, chicken broth, almond milk, dried parsley, sea salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes , until the cauliflower is tender.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in the cheddar cheese and heavy cream, until the soup is smooth and the cheese is melted.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

• Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you avoid clumping the cheese, get a thicker texture if you prefer, add-ins for extra flavor, and swaps if you’re not a fan of cauliflower.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
• Meal prep: This cheeseburger soup stores beautifully, so you can easily make it ahead for lunch! Sometimes I just pre-cook the bacon and beef, and chop the cauliflower, then it makes cooking faster the day-of.
• Reheat: Warm on the stove, stirring often, or microwave on medium power.
• Freeze: This soup will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months, as long as you use almond milk and not dairy milk. (The cream is just fine. ) Thaw overnight in the fridge and stir often when reheating.
• Note on nutrition info: The numbers here are based on almond milk for the milk of choice. Carbs and calories will be higher if you use regular milk.

📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my 30 Dinners In 30 Minutes and Winter Ebook Bundle !

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

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Cheeseburger Soup