Hamburger Potato Soup

Hamburger Potato Soup that’s hearty, cheesy, and full of flavor. With ground beef, potatoes, and a creamy, comforting base, this easy soup is the ultimate family favorite. Whether you need a quick dinner on a hectic night or a cozy meal to enjoy on a cold day, this recipe delivers every time.

Love More Soup Recipes? Try My Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup or this Tuscan Chicken Soup next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Tender ground beef, creamy potatoes, and melted cheese come together in a hearty, comforting bowl that both kids and adults will love. It’s quick to make with just a few simple pantry staples, and you can easily swap in ground chicken or turkey if that’s what you have on hand. Thick, cheesy, and satisfying, it pairs perfectly with a slice of crusty bread for dipping.

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Ingredient List

For the Soup Base:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef (I buy the 90/10 lean – learned my lesson with the fatty stuff)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced small (white onion works too)
• 2 large carrots, diced small
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or that jarred stuff if you’re in a hurry)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley

For the Hearty Body:

• 4 large russet potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled and cut into ½” cubes
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken broth (low-sodium is fine)
• 2 cups whole milk (don’t use skim – trust me on this)
• ½ pound Velveeta cheese, cut into chunks

Optional Toppings:

• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Chopped green onions

Why These Ingredients Work

I figured out after way too many failed attempts that lean ground beef is the way to go. Too fatty and you get this gross slick on top. Too lean and it tastes like cardboard. Those russet potatoes fall apart just enough to make everything thick without getting weird and gluey. And Velveeta – I know, I know, it’s not fancy – but it melts perfect every single time. I tried real cheddar once and it turned into these gross lumps floating around. Sometimes cheap wins.

Essential Tools and Equipment

You need a big pot – mine’s this beat-up Dutch oven I got when I got married that’s been through everything. Sharp knife for chopping stuff, cutting board, wooden spoon for stirring, measuring cups. Nothing you don’t already have sitting around.

How To Make Hamburger Potato Soup

Brown the Beef and Veggies

Heat up that olive oil in your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Throw in the ground beef, onion, carrots, salt, pepper, and parsley all at once. Break up the meat with your spoon as it cooks. I usually just whack at it while it’s cooking – doesn’t have to be perfect. Takes about 8-10 minutes until the beef isn’t pink anymore and the onions look see-through. Make sure you drain off the grease or you’ll have a greasy mess.

Add the Garlic

Toss in that garlic and let it cook for about 2 minutes. The whole kitchen starts smelling good right about now. My dog always comes running when she smells this part.

Make the Flour Base

Here’s the part my mom never told me about – dump the flour over everything and stir it around until it’s all coated. Cook it for another minute or two. First time I made this I skipped this step and wondered why my soup was so thin. Live and learn.

Pour in the Broth

Pour the chicken broth in slowly while you scrape the bottom of the pot with your spoon. All those brown crusty bits stuck down there? That’s where the good stuff is. Scrape it all up.

Add Potatoes, Milk, and Cheese

Add those potato chunks, milk, and Velveeta pieces. Stir everything around and let it come to a boil. Don’t walk away during this part – milk boils over fast and makes a huge mess on your stove.

Simmer Until Done

Turn the heat way down to medium-low and let it bubble gently for 30-35 minutes. Stir it every once in a while so nothing sticks. You’ll know it’s done when you can poke the potatoes easily with a fork and the soup looks thick enough to coat your spoon. Sometimes mine takes longer if I cut the potatoes big.

Serve It Up

Scoop it into bowls and pile on the cheese and green onions if you’ve got them. My kids skip the green onions but load up on extra cheese.

You Must Know

Don’t you dare skip the flour step! I learned this the hard way when I tried to rush things once and ended up with watery soup that nobody wanted to eat. Also, scrape up those stuck bits when you add the broth – my mom taught me that trick years ago.

Personal Secret: I cut my potatoes while the beef is browning. Saves time and they don’t sit around getting brown. Also, if you’re like me and forget to buy fresh garlic half the time, that jarred minced stuff works just fine.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Get the beef properly browned – don’t stir it constantly like I used to do. Let it sit and develop color.
• Keep the heat at medium-low once everything’s in there. I scorched a whole pot last winter by having it too high.
• Taste it before serving – I always need to add more pepper than the recipe calls for.
• If it gets too thick while sitting, just splash in some milk. Happens to me every time I make it ahead.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

• Loaded Style: My brother-in-law adds crumbled bacon and sour cream – his kids go crazy for it
• Veggie Boost: I throw in frozen corn sometimes, especially if I need to use up what’s in the freezer
• Spicy Kick: My husband likes it when I add some red pepper flakes. Not too much though – the kids still need to eat it
• Different Cheese: My sister swears by using cream cheese instead of Velveeta, but honestly, I think Velveeta wins every time

Make-Ahead Options

This soup tastes even better the next day – something about all those flavors hanging out together overnight. I make a big batch on Sunday and we eat it all week. Just reheat it gently and add a splash of milk if it got too thick in the fridge.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Look, the timing on this is pretty forgiving. If your potatoes take longer than 35 minutes, so what? Just let it keep cooking. I’ve had batches that needed 45 minutes because I cut the potatoes too big. The soup will tell you when it’s ready – it should coat your spoon and the potatoes should mash easily against the side of the pot.

Serving Suggestions

We eat this with those crusty rolls from the grocery store bakery section – you know, the ones that are probably too expensive but smell amazing. My kids like it with crackers. My husband dumps hot sauce on everything, including this soup (which honestly hurts my feelings a little). Sometimes I make grilled cheese sandwiches if I’m feeling ambitious, but usually we just eat it as-is.

How to Store Your Hamburger Potato Soup

Refrigerator: It’ll keep for 3-4 days covered in the fridge. Sometimes longer if we’re being honest – I’ve eaten 5-day-old soup and lived to tell about it.

Reheating: Heat it up slowly on the stove, stirring every few minutes. Add milk if it looks too thick. Microwave works too but stir it halfway through or you’ll have volcanic soup explosion.

Freezing: You can freeze it, but the texture gets a little weird when you thaw it. The potatoes get kind of grainy. I still do it sometimes when I’ve made too much, but fresh is definitely better.

Allergy Information

Contains: Dairy (milk, cheese), gluten (flour)

Dairy-Free: I’ve never tried it, but my lactose-intolerant neighbor uses coconut milk and some kind of fake cheese. Says it’s decent but not the same.

Gluten-Free: You could probably use cornstarch instead of flour, but I haven’t tested it myself.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?

Sure, but it’ll taste different. Turkey’s pretty bland compared to beef, so you might want to add more seasonings. My sister does this because her husband’s on some diet.

What if I don’t have Velveeta?

Regular shredded cheese works, but you have to be careful or it gets all clumpy. Add it slowly and stir like crazy. I learned this lesson the expensive way.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yeah, but brown the beef first in a pan. Then dump everything in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low. It’s not quite the same texture, but it works when I’m super busy.

Why are my potatoes still hard?

Either they’re cut too big or you didn’t cook it long enough. I’ve done this so many times. Just keep cooking – they’ll get there eventually.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear about your favorite variations or family additions.