Cheeseburger Soup
This recipe delivers the delectable flavors of your favorite cheeseburger in a warm, comforting soup, ready in just 50 minutes.
This recipe delivers the delectable flavors of your favorite cheeseburger in a warm, comforting soup, ready in just 50 minutes.
- Carbohydrate 188.604813054351 g
- Cholesterol 3089.05265589697 mg
- Fat 652.580167784493 g
- Fiber 18.2954897577387 g
- Protein 756.660153807632 g
- Saturated Fat 211.329903533104 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (5315g)
- Sodium 3778.52873288661 mg
- Sugar 170.309323296612 g
- Trans Fat 57.2229417948635 g
- Calories 9827 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat: cook and stir vegetables and beef , until beef is brown.
- Stir in basil and parsley. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.
- Melt the remainder of butter and stir in flour. Add the milk, stirring until smooth.
- Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Do not boil.
Standard cheeseburgers rely on the structural integrity of a toasted bun and seared meat patties, but translating those identical flavor profiles into a liquid medium requires a completely different approach to texture. Building this dish starts with rendering ground beef alongside diced onions, carrots, and celery, where browning the protein creates essential fond on the bottom of the pot. Cubed potatoes provide the primary body, releasing starches into the chicken broth as they simmer for twelve minutes until fork-tender.
Achieving a velvety consistency depends entirely on how the dairy and thickening agents are integrated into the simmering broth. A traditional blond roux made from melted butter and four tablespoons of all-purpose flour acts as the stabilizing agent, preventing the milk fats from separating when heated. Whisking the milk directly into the warm roux before incorporating it into the pot ensures a smooth, lump-free base that coats the back of a spoon.
Temperature management is critical during the final stages of dairy incorporation to prevent the proteins in the cheddar cheese and sour cream from curdling. Bringing the liquid to a boil activates the thickening power of the flour mixture, but the heat must be reduced to a gentle simmer before stirring in two cups of cubed cheddar. Once the cheese melts completely, folding in one-quarter cup of sour cream and heating through just until warm preserves the emulsion, keeping the soup glossy and thick.
Home cooks looking to modify the base can easily swap ingredients, though substitutions alter the final mouthfeel significantly. Skim milk will yield a thinner broth compared to whole milk or heavy cream due to the lower fat content, while root vegetables like turnips can replace potatoes for a lower carbohydrate profile without sacrificing the earthy foundation necessary for a savory potage.
