Cheesy Beef and Potato Soup with Ground Beef | Cozy Weeknight Dinner
Cheesy beef and potato soup is a thick stew of browned ground beef, tender russet potatoes, and melted cheddar simmered into one creamy pot.
Sharp cheddar, russet potatoes, and beef broth build the flavor, and the whole pot is ready in about 45 minutes and makes six bowls for a weeknight dinner.
| Prep | Cook | Total | Servings | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 min | 30 min | 45 min | 6 servings | Medium |
Why We Make It on Repeat
- One pot, fast cleanup: everything browns and simmers in a single pot, so you're left with one pan to wash.
- High protein, filling: ground beef and two cups of melted cheddar give each bowl about 25 grams of protein, enough to make the soup a full meal on its own.
- Ready inside an hour: from browning the beef to the first spoonful, cheesy beef and potato soup is done in about 45 minutes.
Cheesy Beef Potato Soup Ingredients
- Ground beef: gives the soup its protein and a savory base; ground turkey works if you want a leaner pot, similar to the beef used in our Sweet Potato Ground Beef Bowl.
- Russet potatoes: starchy flesh breaks down slightly as it simmers, thickening the broth on its own; Yukon golds hold their shape better if you prefer firmer bites.
- Yellow onion: cooked until soft, it adds sweetness under the beef; a shallot works fine in a smaller batch.
- Garlic: minced and bloomed in the fat left from the beef, it rounds out the aroma of the pot.
- Beef broth: the savory liquid that carries the potatoes to tender; swap in chicken broth for a lighter taste.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: shredded off the block (not pre-shredded, which melts grainier) so the soup turns smooth; Colby jack melts similarly with a milder bite.
- Whole milk: loosens the roux into a creamy base; half-and-half makes it richer if that's what's in your fridge.
- Butter and flour: cooked together into a roux before the liquid goes in, thickening the soup without any graininess.
You'll find exact amounts and the full method in the recipe card below.
How to Make Cheesy Beef Potato Soup
- Brown the ground beef. Cook the ground beef in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, about 6 minutes. Drain off most of the fat, leaving just a thin layer to cook the onion in.
- Soften the aromatics and build the roux. Add the diced onion to the same pot and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds more until fragrant. Push the beef and onion to one side, melt the tablespoon of butter in the cleared space, stir in the 1/4 cup flour, and cook for 1 minute until it turns lightly golden and smells toasty, then stir everything together.
- Simmer the potatoes until tender. Pour in the beef broth and add the diced potatoes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered until a fork slides through the potatoes easily, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Stir in the milk and cheese. Lower the heat so the soup barely bubbles, then stir in the milk. Add the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts smoothly before adding more, so the soup turns thick and glossy instead of grainy.
- Season and garnish. Stir in the smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt, then taste and add more salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and finish with a scatter of chopped chives or green onion.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Boiling the soup after the cheese goes in: high heat makes cheddar separate into grease and strings; keep the pot at a low simmer once the cheese is added.
- Cutting potatoes unevenly: pieces of different sizes cook at different rates, leaving some mushy and others hard; cut them into uniform half-inch cubes.
- Skipping the roux: without the butter and flour cooked together first, the soup stays thin and separates once the cheese melts in.
- Using pre-shredded cheese: the anti-caking coating on bagged shreds keeps it from melting smoothly, leaving a grainy texture instead of a silky one.
If You Want to Change It
- Swap the protein: ground turkey or shredded rotisserie chicken work in place of beef, similar to the chicken in our High Protein Chicken Meal Prep Bowls.
- Add a vegetable: stir in a cup of chopped broccoli or corn in the last 10 minutes, the way we do in our Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup.
- Turn up the heat: add diced jalapeño with the onion or a pinch of cayenne with the seasoning for a spicier pot, in the style of our Quick and Easy Taco Soup Recipe.
- Lighten it up: use 2% milk and reduced-fat cheddar instead of whole milk and full-fat cheese.
- Let it simmer longer: transfer everything to a slow cooker after browning the beef and let it cook on low for 4 hours, similar to the method in our Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup Recipe.
Before You Make Cheesy Beef Potato Soup
What potatoes work best for this soup?
Russet potatoes are the better choice because their starch breaks down slightly as they simmer, thickening the broth on its own. Yukon golds work too, but they hold their shape more and leave a thinner broth.
How do you keep the cheese from turning grainy?
Shred the cheese from a block yourself, since bagged shredded cheese is coated in starch that resists smooth melting. Add it off the boil, in small handfuls, stirring each batch into the hot broth until it disappears before adding more.
Can this soup be made ahead and reheated?
It can be made a day ahead and reheated gently on the stove over low heat, stirring often so the cheese doesn't separate. The potatoes continue to soften in the fridge, so add a splash of broth when reheating if it has thickened too much.
Cheesy Beef and Potato Soup
A thick, creamy soup made with browned ground beef, tender russet potatoes, and melted sharp cheddar, simmered in one pot in about 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the ground beef: Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the ground beef, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, about 6 minutes. Drain off most of the fat, leaving a thin layer in the pot.
- Cook onion and garlic: Add the diced onion to the pot and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Make the roux: Push the beef and onion to one side of the pot, melt the butter in the cleared space, then whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute until lightly golden and fragrant, then stir everything together.
- Add broth and potatoes: Pour in the beef broth and add the diced potatoes, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer until tender: Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until a fork slides easily through the potatoes, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Lower the heat: Turn the heat down so the soup barely bubbles before adding any dairy, which keeps the cheese from turning grainy later.
- Stir in the milk: Pour in the whole milk and stir to combine, letting the soup warm through for about 2 minutes.
- Melt in the cheese: Add the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts smoothly before adding more, so the soup turns thick and glossy.
- Season the soup: Stir in the smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Garnish and serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with chopped chives or green onion while it is hot.
More Recipes You'll Love
- Best Homemade Creamy Potato Soup Recipe: a classic, turkey bacon-topped potato soup finished with cheddar and sour cream.
- Cheesy Mashed Potato Puffs Recipe: baked potato puffs loaded with cheese, good for using up leftover mashed potatoes.
- Easy Ground Beef Philly Cheesesteak Bowls: a skillet bowl with ground beef, peppers, and melted cheese built for meal prep.
- Cabbage and White Bean Soup: a lighter, vegetable-forward soup for nights you want something brothier.
