Keto Cheeseburger Soup

Name: Keto Cheeseburger Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 small onion (chopped (60g)); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1.1 lb ground beef (500g); 6 small slices of thin cut streaky bacon (smoked or unsmoked, chopped (90g)); 1 cup tinned chopped tomatoes (240g); 1 - 2 tbsp tomato puree; 1.5 tsp Dijon mustard; 2 cups beef broth; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper; 1/3 cup cream cheese (80g); 1.5 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese (170g); 3 tbsp chopped parsley; 1/3 cup heavy cream (80g); 1/4 cup chopped fresh cherry tomatoes (38g)

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This soul-satisfying keto cheeseburger soup is a wonderful belly-warmer. It is my low carb version of this all-American comfort food classic. A creamy, rich soup with ground beef that is seriously family-friendly. Only 3.3g net carbs per serve.

A pot with cheeseburger soup and a ladle.

Have you ever heard of bacon cheeseburger soup? This hearty, chunky soup has all the flavor of a cheeseburger with bacon, but without the bun.

My kids love it, because it's super tasty. But we also like it because the idea of a cheeseburger soup is simply fun.

In essence, it is a thick soup with ground beef and a few extras thrown in that remind us of a cheeseburger: tomatoes, bacon, cheese, and even pickles or croutons.

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Why You'll Love It
Ingredients
Instructions
Variations
Toppings
Recipe FAQs
Storage
More keto soups
Recipe

Why You'll Love It

Delicious! Creamy texture and packed with flavor
Nourishing. A protein-rich and filling soup that is great as a standalone meal
Quick. Only 5 minutes prep and ready in 30 minutes
Easy. An uncomplicated recipe for beginner cooks
Versatile. Can be made ahead and reheated
Great for batch cooking. This soup is freezer-friendly
Keto-friendly and gluten-free. Only 3.3g net carbs per serving

These will be the best 30 minutes you spend cooking this week.

Ingredients

Let's take a look at the ingredients for a low carb cheeseburger soup:

Onion and garlic. I like to use fresh, because the taste is better. However, you could season the beef with onion powder and garlic powder if you are strapped for time.
Ground beef. Choose a lean ground beef.
Bacon. This should be thinly sliced. Bacon lardons work as well.
Chopped tomatoes and tomato puree.
Beef stock or beef broth. Option to use chicken broth for a milder taste.
Cream cheese and heavy cream. Adds creaminess.
Cheese. This could be shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack.
Seasoning: Salt, pepper and Dijon mustard.

Instructions

This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

Step 1: Fry the onions and garlic in a large pot or dutch oven over a low heat until soft and translucent.

Step 2: Add the ground beef and bacon and cook until the beef is browned.

Adding beef broth and tomatoes to ground beef in a saucepan.

Step 3: Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, Dijon mustard, beef stock, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil.

Stirring ground beef and tomato sauce in a saucepan with a spoon.

Step 4: Reduce to a simmer and cook until the soup thickens.

Adding grated cheese and other ingredients to the soup.

Step 5: Add the cream cheese plus part of the cheddar and the parsley. Mix well until the cheese melts. Stir in the heavy cream and take off the heat.

Step 6: Pour the cheeseburger soup into soup bowls and top with the remaining cheese and parsley as well as some chopped fresh tomatoes.

Top Tip

Don't leave out the Dijon mustard! It really lifts the taste. For extra flavor, you can also add 1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce.

Variations

More vegetables: Add 2-3 stalks of celery and 1 small carrot to the recipe. You don't want to use more than that because of the additional carbs. Small cauliflower florets also work well.

Change the meat: Keto cheeseburger soup also tastes great with ground chicken to ground turkey.

Toppings

Below are ideas for optional toppings:

Bacon pieces
Shredded cheese
Keto croutons
Sugar free pickled gherkins or dill pickles. The tanginess adds an interesting twist!

You can even enjoy the soup with a proper burger bun. For this, I recommend my Keto dinner rolls.

Recipe FAQs

Is cheeseburger soup keto?

If you make this recipe, yes! Traditional cheeseburger soup recipes are not keto-friendly, because they are made with potatoes. I have omitted them here. A replacement for the potatoes could be very small cauliflower florets.

What kind of cheese can I use?

Cheeseburger soup requires two types of cheese. Cream cheese makes it velvety and rich. And sharp cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack adds additional flavour. You could also use Gouda.

Can I leave out the tinned tomatoes?

Yes, you can use more beef stock instead. However, I think the tomatoes complement the beef flavour. Think keto bolognese!

Can I double the recipe?

Absolutely. This soup is great for meal prep and you can double, triple or quadruple the recipe as you wish. For larger amounts, fry the beef in batches so it can brown evenly.