In the colder months, I am always on the lookout for comfort food and this hamburger potato soup always hits the spot. Full of hearty ground beef and potatoes, veggies, and crispy bacon, this a hearty meal all in one bowl.
This easy soup brings together all of the flavors of a bacon cheeseburger (and those potatoes channel a side of fries). It's creamy without dairy and decadent and is perfect for warming up from the inside on a cold day.
The next time you're looking for a bowl full of comfort, try this simple soup. And if you're looking for some other creamy soups to add to your list, you might want to check out my chicken butternut squash soup, gluten free potato soup or fan favorite vegan broccoli cheddar soup.
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Why You’ll Love This Creamy Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
- It’s simple - This is an easy recipe that you can make on busy weeknights or for a crowd.
- Great for meal prep - You can make this easy soup and have it ready to be reheated during the week.
- Customizable - This base recipe can be easily added to with your own favorite veggies, spices, herbs, or protein.
Ingredient Notes
This hamburger potato soup recipe calls for fairly simple ingredients that you can find at most grocery stores.
- Ground Beef - You can adjust the amount of beef to your liking, but stick with a pound and a half or less. Using lean ground beef will minimize the amount of fat that needs to be drained.
- Bacon - Bacon helps to add depth of flavor and makes the perfect garnish, too. I like to use thick cut bacon - be sure to slice it before cooking. If you're following a gluten free or dairy free diet make sure you're buying bacon with no additives. I like Boars Head or Applegate Farms brands.
- Yellow Onion - Dice the onion into uniform pieces so that it cooks evenly.
- Carrots - Shred the carrots yourself as the pre-shredded variety from the store tend to be dried out.
- Garlic - Mince the garlic evenly, or use jarred garlic.
- Salt - Kosher salt works well, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
- Paprika - Paprika adds subtle flavor to the soup. If you like smoky flavor, try using smoked paprika.
- Black Pepper - Ground black pepper adds gentle heat to the soup.
- Pinch of Thyme - Thyme adds just a touch of fresh herbal flavor.
- Chicken Broth - This is the base of the soup -- you can also use beef broth or vegetable broth. If you're following a gluten free diet, make sure you're using gluten free chicken broth. This is an ingredient that frequently has hidden gluten. I like Pacific Foods brand.
- Potatoes - Cut the potatoes into evenly sized cubes before adding them to the soup. This will help them to cook easily and also make them easier to blend.
- Vegan Heavy Cream - Use your favorite brand of vegan heavy cream - I like the Silk brand. If you're not dairy free, use dairy heavy cream in the same measure.
- Nutritional Yeast - Nutritional yeast adds umami to the soup to give it a cheesy flavor.
- Vegan Sour Cream - Sour cream adds to the creamy thickness of the soup. If you're not dairy free, use regular sour cream in the same measure.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Not Dairy Free - use dairy heavy cream and sour cream in the same measure.
- Ground Meat - Use any other ground meat that you like. Ground pork, ground turkey, and ground chicken will work, too.
- Heat - For some extra flavor and spiciness, use cayenne pepper powder or hot sauce. You can also add some red pepper flakes.
- Earthiness - Sprinkle in some cumin to add earthy flavor.
- Potatoes - While blending them helps to make the soup creamy, you can also leave them cubed. You can use any kind of potatoes but Russet potatoes and Yukon Gold work well.
How to Make Hamburger Potato Soup
While the list of steps to make this bacon cheeseburger soup recipe may look a little long, all of the steps are super easy!
STEP 1: Brown the ground beef in a dutch oven pot over medium heat. Once cooked through, remove the beef to a separate dish and set aside. Discard the fat.
STEP 2: Add the bacon pieces to the soup pot and cook until crispy. Remove the cooked bacon and drain it on a paper towel lined plate.
STEP 3: Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat. Then add the onions and carrots to the bacon fat and cook until softened.
STEP 4: Add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and thyme and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.
STEP 5: Add the potatoes and chicken broth to the pot. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft enough to piece with a fork.
STEP 6: Remove half of the cooked potatoes and puree them with an immersion blender. Then return the potato puree to the soup.
STEP 7: Add the cooked ground beef and bacon pieces to the soup. Then pour in the heavy cream. Stir the soup and cook for about 5 minutes uncovered.
STEP 8: Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the vegan sour cream and nutritional yeast.
Storage Notes
Store leftover soup in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat to 165 degrees before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Because of the potatoes it doesn't freeze that well. I recommend refrigerating leftovers and eating them within 4 days.
I've topped my soup with bacon pieces and shredded vegan cheese. You can also add onions, tomatoes, gluten free croutons, green onions or whatever you like to eat with burgers.
Yes, you can use ground chicken or ground turkey in place of the beef. I'd recommend sauteeing it in a bit of olive oil since it has less fat than beef.
Yes! Add the onions, carrots, garlic, spices, potatoes and broth to your slow cooker. Cook for about 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Cook the ground beef and bacon on the stovetop, then add to them to the crockpot along with the cream. Cook in the slow cooker for an additional 60 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the sour cream and nutritional yeast right before serving.
Other soup recipes to consider:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Dairy Free Hamburger Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef can use up to 1.5 pounds
- 8 ounce Bacon cut into ½” pieces
- 1 Cup Yellow Onion diced
- 1 ½ Cups Carrots shredded
- 3 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Pinch Dried Thyme
- 32 ounce Gluten Free Chicken Broth
- 4 Cups Potatoes cut into 1” cubes
- 1 Cup Non-Dairy Cream
- 3-5 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
- ¼ Cup Vegan Sour Cream
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a dutch oven over medium heat. Break it into bite sized pieces. Remove the cooked beef from the pot and discard the fat.1 pound Ground Beef
- Return the pot to heat and add the bacon pieces. Cook until crispy. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel lined plate.8 ounce Bacon
- Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.
- Add the onions and carrots to the pot with the bacon fat. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes or until the onions begin to turn translucent.1 Cup Yellow Onion, 1 ½ Cups Carrots
- Add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and thyme and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.3 Cloves Garlic, 1 teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Paprika, ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper, Pinch Dried Thyme
- Add in the potatoes and chicken broth. Stir well. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.32 ounce Gluten Free Chicken Broth, 4 Cups Potatoes
- Remove half of the potatoes and blend them until smooth. Return the potato puree to the pot.
- Add the beef and bacon bits back into the soup pot. Reserve some of the bacon pieces for topping the soup.
- Add in the cream and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes uncovered.1 Cup Non-Dairy Cream
- Remove from heat and stir in the nutritional yeast and sour cream.3-5 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast, ¼ Cup Vegan Sour Cream
- Serve warm topped with shredded cheese and bacon pieces.
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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