Creamy Potato Hamburger Soup (Printable)
Hearty slow cooker soup with ground beef, tender potatoes, and rich creamy broth for easy comfort food.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb lean ground beef
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 cups russet potatoes, peeled and diced
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Broth & Dairy
07 - 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
11 - 3 tbsp cream cheese, softened
→ Thickeners & Seasoning
12 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
13 - 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - 1 tsp dried parsley
15 - 1/2 tsp paprika
16 - Salt and black pepper to taste
# Directions:
01 - Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula, until fully browned. Drain excess fat and set aside.
02 - Transfer the cooked beef to the slow cooker. Add the diced potatoes, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic.
03 - Sprinkle the flour, thyme, parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper over the ingredients. Stir well to evenly distribute the seasonings.
04 - Pour in the beef broth. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the potatoes and vegetables are fork-tender.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and softened cream cheese until smooth and no lumps remain.
06 - Stir the cream cheese mixture into the slow cooker along with the heavy cream and shredded cheddar cheese. Mix until fully incorporated.
07 - Cover and continue cooking on HIGH for an additional 20-30 minutes, until the soup is creamy and slightly thickened.
08 - Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh chives, extra shredded cheddar, or crumbled bacon if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything happens in the slow cooker so you can walk away and come back to something magnificent
- The way the cream cheese melts into the broth creates this velvety texture that feels indulgent without needing any fancy techniques
02 -
- The soup will thicken considerably as it cools so don't panic if it seems slightly thin when you first finish cooking
- Adding cold dairy to a hot slow cooker can sometimes cause curdling so let the milk and cream cheese sit at room temperature while the soup cooks
03 -
- Cut your potatoes into uniform cubes so everything finishes cooking at the same time
- Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre shredded because the anti caking agents in bagged cheese can make the soup grainy