Spicy Cheeseburger Soup

Total Time

Prep: 15 min. Cook: 30 min.

Makes

8 servings (2 quarts)

Updated: Jun. 30, 2023
This creamy and spicy cheeseburger soup brings my family to the table in a hurry. I love the warming zip of cayenne, but it also tastes terrific without it if you like milder flavor. With a few simple side dishes, this soup is a full meal.
Spicy Cheeseburger Soup Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups water
  • 2 cups cubed peeled potatoes
  • 2 small carrots, grated
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon beef bouillon granules
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
  • 2-1/2 cups 2% milk, divided
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 8 ounces cubed Velveeta
  • 1/4 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
  • 1/2 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, combine the first 9 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
  2. Stir in beef and 2 cups milk; heat through. Combine flour and remaining milk until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; stir in cheese until melted.
  3. Add cayenne pepper if desired. Top with bacon just before serving.

Test Kitchen Tips
  • Buy several pounds of bacon when it’s on sale. Put the strips in a single layer on jelly roll pans and pop them in the oven to bake at 350° until crisp. Place the strips on paper towels to drain before storing them in single layers in a freezer container. It’s easy to remove only the number of strips needed for a quick breakfast, sandwich or salad. A short time in the microwave reheats the bacon.
  • Using lean ground beef instead of beef that’s 80% lean saves 45 calories per 4-ounce serving of beef. Lean ground beef is also 29% lower in saturated fat.
  • Check out 20 more cheeseburger-inspired recipes.
  • Peppers (Hot)
    Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers; the oils can burn skin. Avoid touching your face.

    Nutrition Facts

    1 cup: 351 calories, 20g fat (10g saturated fat), 81mg cholesterol, 1063mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 1g fiber), 22g protein.