Cheeseburger Soup:

Cheeseburger Soup:

This easy cheeseburger soup recipe features flavorful bacon, cheddar cheese, burger seasoning, and a touch of classic spices! These flavors combine to make the best soup recipe!

Ingredients:

5 strips bacon 2 tablespoons reserved fat. (Optional, see notes)

1 pound ground beef

Salt/pepper

½ cup light beer see notes

2 tablespoons butter

1 yellow onion

¾ cup diced carrots

2  celery ribs, diced

3  garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon hot sauce

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

2 teaspoons ketchup

2 teaspoons  pickle juice

1/3 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup beef broth

1 ½ cups half and half

1 ¼ lb.Golden, russet, or red Yukon potatoes

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Spices

½ teaspoon each: brown sugar, garlic powder

¼ teaspoon each: onion powder, paprika, smoked paprika

 Instructions:

Cooking bacon

Note: This soup can be made without bacon if desired, but it adds a lot of flavor to the broth. If necessary, 2 tablespoons of butter can be used in place of the bacon fat.

Slowly cook bacon in a 4.5-quart stock pot  over low heat. (I cut the bacon in half to make it easier to fit  in the pan and  cook evenly.) While the bacon is cooking, measure out the remaining ingredients. Once cooked, set aside on a plate lined with paper towels. Once cool, chop, reserving 2 tablespoons  bacon fat.

Remove any dark spots from the pot, but leave as much bacon  as possible as this will add flavor to the soup.

Brown the meat.

Sprinkle the minced meat lightly with salt or pepper.In the same  pot over medium-high heat, cook and crumble until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain the fat and reserve the minced meat.

Prepare the soup.

Add beer and use a silicone spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the pot. This will  flavor  the broth. Let it bubble over medium heat until reduced by half, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Add reserved bacon fat, butter, onions, carrots, celery and garlic.Cook for 5-6 minutes until  vegetables are soft.

Add  Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, mustard, ketchup, pickle juice and seasonings. Stir to combine.

Add the flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes until the smell of raw flour disappears.

Add the chicken stock in small splashes, stirring constantly.Add half-and-half beef broth  in the same manner.

Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the cooked minced meat back into the soup. Partially cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Peel

potatoes and cut  into small cubes.Add to  soup and stir. Partially cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until  potatoes are  tender.

Reduce heat to low and gradually add cheddar cheese until melted and blended. Sprinkle with bacon and serve!