Bacon Cheeseburger Soup is a good, creamy take on America’s favorite cheeseburger. The soup is full of flavor, easy to make and comforting.
Ingredients
12 slices of bacon, chopped
1 pound of ground meat
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup celery, diced
1 ¾ pounds potatoes, cubed and peeled, about 4 cups
3-4 cups of chicken broth
½ teaspoon red bell pepper flakes
1 teaspoon of dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1 teaspoon of dry oregano
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 cup of whole milk or cream
½ cup of sour cream
16 ounces of grated cheddar cheese
Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
In a large frying pan or in a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until it is crisp. Remove the bacon and set it aside, leaving ¼ of the drippings in the pot.
Add the meat to the pot, don’t move or break it for 3-4 minutes, so that it gets well browned. Begin to shred the meat and cook it until it is brown and no longer pink. Drain it and set it aside.
Reduce heat to medium-low, add the butter and once it has melted, add the chopped onion. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the rest of the vegetables: carrots, celery and potatoes. To add more flavor, cook the vegetables for 7-10 minutes until they are tender or proceed to add the chicken broth.
Add 3 cups of chicken broth and the dried herbs: red bell pepper flakes, parsley, basil and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir and add the meat, stir and if the soup is too thick, add one more cup of broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Add sour cream and heavy cream. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
Turn off the heat and add the cheese until it melts.
Add ¾ of the bacon.
Serve garnished with remaining bacon and fresh parsley.