Instant Pot Cheeseburger Soup

When school starts, I rely a lot on the Instant Pot to prepare homemade meals for my family. This luxuriously creamy Instant Pot Cheeseburger Soup is hearty and satisfying, packed with ground beef, veggies, and cheese, and made without Velveeta. This quick and easy one-pot family dinner takes minutes to prepare and just 5 minutes to pressure cook.

Pressure Cooker Soup recipes are very popular on my blog, and it makes sense why, as I personally rely on them a lot. Whetherit’ss this IP Cheeseburger Macaroni or Chinese Orange Chicken, I know I can cook a comforting dinner quickly and effortlessly on a busy weeknight.

To make the best cheeseburger soup, I use creamy cheddar cheese, a combination of evaporated milk and cream, and some potatoes to give the soup texture that resembles your favorite cheeseburger in flavor without turning on the grill. The best way to serve this soup is to pile it with toppings. I usually make a topping bar with pickles, chopped tomatoes, crispy bacon, croutons, and shredded cheese for everyone to choose from.

Why you will love this recipe 

• All the flavor of a cheeseburger in a bowl: I can have all the flavors of my favorite burger and fries in a hearty bowl of soup, which is a comfort meal that the whole family loves.   
• Customize it: I can easily turn this soup from simple to loaded by adding bacon, shredded cheese, pickles, and croutons. 
• Feed a crowd: I can feed the whole family and have leftovers to save for meal prep ortomorrow’ss lunch.
• Frugal dish: Rather than going out for burgers and spending $20 per person, I can make this soup to feed everyone for under $20!

What you will need

• Meat: I use 85/15 lean ground beef for the best flavor while preventing excess grease from building up in the pot.
• Produce: Diced white onion turns sweet and mellow under pressure in the Instant Pot. Minced garlic provides a savory umami flavor that blends into the soup, coating everything.Chopped celery adds a grassy hint for an earthy undertone to cut through the fatty richness of the cheese, butter, and milk. Sliced carrots add natural sweetness, bright color, and nutrients and fiber.Potato chunks bulk up this soup and add natural thickness, with a taste similar to French fries to go with the burger. 
• Wet ingredients: I use a bit of canola oil to sauté the beef because itdoesn’tt impact the flavor and to keep the lean meat from sticking to the pot. Evaporated milk provides a velvety, rich creaminess without the risk of curdling. Beef broth enhances the meaty flavor while giving it an authentic cheeseburger taste. I use low-sodium beef broth to prevent it from being too salty. I stir in the heavy cream and sour cream at the end to create a thick, silky texture with a tangy flavor as it cools. 
• Dry ingredients: Shredded cheddar is stirred in after everything else is added, and the heat is turned off to let it melt smoothly and naturally, without worrying about it curdling or separating. 
• Seasonings: Besides salt and pepper, I add my homemade Italian seasoning,s dried parsley for earthy freshness, and smoked paprika to make it taste like it just came off the grill.  

How to prepare

Sauté the beef: First, I turn the pot to sauté and let the oil get hot before adding the ground beef. I let it brown well, then drain the grease, leaving just 2 tablespoons, and set the ground beef aside to drain. 

Glaze the veggies: I add the minced garlic and diced onion, letting them cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Then, I stir in the carrots, celery, Italian seasoning, parsley, paprika, salt, pepper, and potatoes.

Cook the soup: Now, I stir in the broth and evaporated milk, then close the lid and cook on high for 5 minutes, with a 10-minute natural release. 

Thicken the broth: Once it is done, I carefully open the lid and use a potato masher to mash half of the potatoes. If it is too thick, I add more broth. If it is too thin, I make a cornstarch slurry of equal parts cornstarch and broth and add it to the soup, stirring until thickened.

Melt the cheese: I slowly add the sour cream and heavy cream, stirring until fully combined, then add the shredded cheese to let it melt.

Ready to serve: The soup is now ready to be served with extra cheese, bread, and your favorite burger toppings. 

Expert tip

Choosing the right potatoes for this soup

It is important to choose the right potatoes for this soup so they are firm enough to hold their shape yet have enough starch to thicken the soup. I feel that red potatoes and fingerlings are too waxy to thicken the soup because theydon’tt mash well, and russets are too starchy and soft to withstand a 5-minute pressure-cooker cycle. I highly recommend Yukon Gold potatoes. They have just enough starch for both purposes and a buttery flavor I love.  

More tips to consider:

• Brown the beef first to caramelize the meat and lock in the flavors. It also helps reduce excess fat.
• Don’t forget to drain the grease. Even lean ground beef has grease. Youdon’tt want all that excess fat floating on top.
• Be sure to wait until the end to add the heavy cream and sour cream. Also, add it a little bit at a time so itdoesn’tt curdle. 
• Don’t add the cheese until the end either. It will get stringy and separate from the high heat.
• Cut the potatoes into same-sized cubes so they cook evenly.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Different meat: Try this with ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork for a different flavor. It is also delicious with ground sausage.
• Other vegetables: Any vegetables will work in this soup, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, pickles, green beans, corn, peas, and cauliflower.
• Bacon burger: There is no reason not to make this bacon burger soup. In fact, my kids love it this way! 
• Spicy burger: Make this a spicy cheeseburger soup by adding some jalapeños and red pepper flakes. 
• Additional cheeses: American cheese is always a good choice since that is what goes on a traditional burger. But there are so many different cheeses that go great on burgers, like Swiss, pepper jack, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, gouda, blue cheese, provolone, and brie. 

Serving suggestions:

My favorite way to serve this soup is with a sesame-seed bun, just like a real cheeseburger. Just the tops, though! The kids love this. Another fun way to enjoy this soup is by serving it in my homemade bread bowls. One of the best things about these is that I have fewer dishes to wash after dinner. And the kids love tearing off pieces of the bowl and dipping them in the soup. They are surprisingly easy to make with just a few basic ingredients.

I also like to make a fresh salad, often just tossing together lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese, and serving it with a variety of dressings. I like to use homemade dressings instead of store-bought so I can control the amount of salt, sugar, and other ingredients that go into them. My favorite with this soup is Thousand Island because it reminds me of the Big Mac sandwich. For dessert, apple fritters with maple glaze.

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerate: Leftovers will last for several days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.   
• Freezing: It can be frozen, but the dairy may separate as it thaws.  
• Defrost: Thaw the soup slowly overnight in the fridge. 
• Reheating: Reheat slowly on low and do not let it come to a boil. It may curdle or separate if it gets too hot.   

Frequently asked questions

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