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This single serving cheeseburger soup is rich, creamy, and packed with flavor. Made with ground beef, potatoes, fresh vegetables, and cheddar cheese, it delivers the taste of a classic cheeseburger in a warm, comforting bowl. Ready in 30 minutes!
Featured Comment
“…the original version of this soup is a linger-over-every-bite bowl of yumminess. I’m looking forward to trying the variations, too.”
– J A H
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfectly Portioned: Made for one, so there’s no waste or leftovers.
- Quick and Easy: Ready in 30 minutes.
- Simple Ingredients: Uses ground beef, potatoes, cheddar cheese, and fresh vegetables for great flavor.
- One-Pot Meal: Everything cooks in one pot, making cleanup a breeze.
I turn to this cheeseburger soup when I want something warm and full of flavor. It’s the kind of meal that feels like comfort in a bowl, with layers of richness from the beef and cheese balanced by the vegetables and broth.
What makes it special is how all those familiar cheeseburger flavors come together in a completely different way. It’s not just soup. It’s satisfying, flavorful, and exactly what I want when I’m in the mood for something hearty and homemade.
Looking for more single serving soups? Try our lentil soup for one, single serving chicken tortellini soup, single serving tomato soup, single serving potato soup, and clam chowder for one.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch cheeseburger soup recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Ground Beef: Adds classic cheeseburger flavor and heartiness. You can use ground turkey for a lighter version. If you’ve got extra ground beef, consider using it in single serve Italian wedding soup, single serving cottage pie, or our small batch lasagna rollups recipe.
- Onion: Brings mild sweetness and depth. Leftover onions can be used in a single serving bangers and mash, small pot roast, or single serving chicken fried rice.
- Carrot: Adds a hint of sweetness and texture. If you’ve got a few extra carrots, use them in our small carrot cake recipe or our recipe for chicken and dumplings.
- Celery: Provides a touch of freshness and crunch. Extra celery can be used in our baked stuffed fish recipe, small batch tomato sauce, or single serving red beans and rice.
- Chicken Broth: Creates a savory base for the soup. Leftover broth can be used in single serving Brunswick stew or our small hashbrown casserole recipe.
- Yukon Gold Potato: Makes the soup filling and creamy. If you’ve got extra potatoes, you can use them to make a small batch of mashed potatoes or our potatoes O’Brien recipe.
- Heavy Cream: Adds richness and smoothness. Extra cream can be used to make single serve vanilla ice cream, small batch Alfredo sauce, or a small crustless spinach quiche.
- Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Gives the soup bold, cheesy flavor. Consider using any extra cheese in our small twice baked potato casserole recipe or our recipe for single serving chicken tetrazzini.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Make this cheeseburger soup your own with these simple tweaks:
- Bacon Cheeseburger Soup: Stir in crumbled bacon for extra flavor.
- Vegetarian Version: Swap ground beef for plant-based crumbles and use vegetable broth.
- Spicy Soup: Add cayenne or red pepper flakes.
- Loaded Toppings: Finish with sour cream, green onions, and chopped pickles.
- Mushroom Addition: Sauté mushrooms with the beef for extra heartiness.
How To Make Cheeseburger Soup
These photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this single serve Cheeseburger Soup recipe. See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- In a 2-quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with the edge of a spatula, and cook for about 3 minutes, until browned. Drain and remove the beef from the pan, cover, and set aside to keep warm.
- In the same pan, heat a little more of the olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly for 1 minute to cook the flour.
- Pour in the broth, add the potatoes and the cooked ground beef. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, stirring once or twice during cooking.
- Stir in the cream, cheese, and pepper. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens to your liking.
- Pour the soup into a bowl, top with extra shredded cheese and chopped green onions if desired, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Sauté the Vegetables: This enhances their natural flavor before adding the broth.
- Use Sharp Cheddar: It adds a richer taste, while mild cheese can get lost.
- Dice Potatoes Evenly: Small, uniform cubes cook faster and evenly.
- Thicken as Needed: Simmer longer or add a little more flour for a thicker soup.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this single serving cheeseburger soup with a simple side for a heartier meal:
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, ground turkey or chicken can be used for a lighter version, but the flavor will be slightly different.
This recipe makes a single serving, but if you double it, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Add a splash of broth or water to thin it to your liking.
Absolutely! Just double the ingredient amounts.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this single serve cheeseburger soup or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Cheeseburger Soup For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil -divided
- 4 ounces lean ground beef
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1 small carrot -chopped (about ½ cup chopped carrots)
- 1 celery rib -chopped
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 1 medium Yukon gold potato -peeled and diced (about ⅔ cup diced potatoes/3 oz)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 1.5 oz)
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with the edge of a spatula, and cook for about 3 minutes, until browned. Drain and remove the beef from the pan, cover, and set aside to keep warm.
- In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly for 1 minute to cook the flour.
- Pour in the broth, add the potatoes and the cooked ground beef. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, stirring once or twice during cooking.
- Stir in the cream, cheese, and pepper. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens to your liking.
- Taste the soup, add additional salt if needed. Pour the soup into a bowl, top with extra shredded cheese and chopped green onions if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
- Sauté the vegetables before adding the broth to bring out their natural flavors.
- Use sharp cheddar cheese for the best flavor; mild cheese can get lost in the soup.
- Cut the potato into small, even cubes to ensure they cook through quickly.
- For a thicker soup, simmer a bit longer or use a touch more flour.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Errands can wait a bit, the original version of this soup is a linger-over-every-bite bowl of yumminess. I’m looking forward to trying the variations, too. Thank you for taking everyday cooking up another notch!
I made this exactly according to the recipe–this time. I can’t wait to try it with crisp bacon and fresh mushrooms. I used extra sharp cheddar and it was perfect. Thank you Joanie
I’m so happy you enjoyed the soup! Thank you so much for your feedback.
Excellent recipe.
Thank you!