Cheeseburger Soup

Perfect Pairing:  Mix ‘n Chop

Here in Chicago we are still smack dab in the middle of winter.  We are to the point where it is no longer charming in any way.  The snow is dirty, the cars are salty(as is my coat and, inevitably, my dark jeans), the potholes are growing, and everyone is just super ready to see some green grass and birds.  I guess if you want to see a silver lining it would be that it is still soup season!  It is a very thin silver lining.

Soup is one of my favorite winter foods because it always seems to get better leftover and it is so simple.  I think I have made a batch of soup almost every Sunday in 2015 so it can be enjoyed all week long. 

My mom first had a version  of this Cheeseburger Soup earlier this year made by a friend and she asked for the recipe.  She has probably made it 4 times since then and it quickly became a family favorite.  I made a few variations from the original recipe to lighten it up just a bit.

It is just really darn good soup.  Kind of a nice change from your standard chili or noodle soup.  I feel like I should maybe apologize for using processed cheese.  It is not very "foodie" of me.  So, sorry about that.  All things in moderation?

I have a lot of tools in my kitchen and some are probably (definitely) superfluous but one I really love is the Mix ‘n Chop from Pampered Chef.  It is the perfect tool for breaking up ground meat.  I’m a big fan.  If you want to purchase one here is a link to my favorite Pampered Chef consultant, Julie.

One year ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Chocolate Sauce and Oreo Ice Cream Pie

Two years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Butternut Squash Risotto

Three years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Oven Roasted Salmon in a Lemon Broth with Pea Puree

Cheeseburger Soup

Adapted by Lindsay at Perfecting the Pairing from Taste of Home

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef (I used 90% lean)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 carrots, chopped
• 4 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 Tb Italian seasoning (you could use any variety of dried herbs according to taste)
• 6-7 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into ½ inch pieces
• 3 Tb butter
• ½ cup flour
• 3 cups milk (I used 1%), divided
• 16 oz processed cheese (I used 2% velveeta), cubed
• 1 tsp salt
• Pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat a large soup pan over medium heat, add beef and break up with a Mix ‘n Chop or a wooden spoon.  Sauté until beef is cooked through, remove beef from pan and set aside.  Drain off any excess grease leaving a thin layer in the pan.  Add the chopped onions, carrots, celery, and Italian seasoning to the pan.  Sauté about 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender, but still slightly crisp.

Add chicken broth, potatoes, and beef to the pan.  Bring to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes until potatoes are cooked through but not mushy.  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan, whisk in the flour until it forms a paste.  Slowly add one cup of milk to the paste whisking constantly until smooth.  Once the potatoes are just cooked add the milk and flour mixture, remaining 2 cups of milk, cubed cheese, and salt and pepper to the soup.  Stir occasionally until the cheese completely melts.  Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.  

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