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Low Carb Cheeseburger Soup – An Easy Keto Recipe

If you are looking for a low carb soup that will leave you feeling full and satisfied, you are going to love this Cheeseburger Soup recipe. All the classic flavors of your favorite burger mixed together into a delicious and warming soup.

At the beginning of every new year many people make resolutions that include eating healthier and/or losing weight. Therefore many of us will experiment with a Keto or low-carb diet.

However when you are on a diet that limits carb intake eating standard hamburger buns are out of the question. And although you can get your cheeseburger fix by ordering a burger without the bun, this is another option to get that craving satisfied.

cheeseburger soup

However, when you do a search fo cheeseburger soup many of the recipes call for the addition of diced potatoes. Unfortunately, although potatoes are a vegetable, they are also full of carbohydrates.

Therefore, to keep this recipe low-carb and Keto friendly I have replaced the diced potatoes with cauliflower rice. Although you could just skip the potatoes all together, the cauliflower rice adds a nice texture and thickens the soup nicely.

And for those who are worried about tasting the cauliflower, don’t worry! With all of the flavors that are happening in this soup, you don’t taste the cooked cauliflower rice at all!

Low Carb Cheeseburger Soup Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1⁄2 of a small onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 12 oz package frozen riced cauliflower
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1⁄4 cup half and half
  • 3 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • salt, to taste
  • ground black pepper, to taste

Optional Garnish Ingredients

  • diced pickles
  • diced onions
  • crumbled bacon
  • shredded cheese

More About The Ingredients

1. Ground Beef

I prefer to use lean ground beef, at least a 90/10 mix. If you use lean ground beef you may not even have to drain the meat before adding the other ingredients.

However, if you want to make this low-carb cheeseburger soup recipe even healthier, use ground turkey or ground chicken instead. Just be sure to add a little extra virgin olive oil to the pan when you cook it so that it does not stick.

Another healthy alternative for those who are vegetarian is to use plant based crumbles in place of the meat in this recipe. Again, just be sure to use a little oil when browning the meat.

cauliflower rice in bowl
Although you can make your own cauliflower rice, you can also easily find frozen cauliflower rice at the grocery store.

2. Cauliflower Rice

Although you can make Homemade Cauliflower Rice, frozen cauliflower rice is easy to find in most grocery stores.

Bags of the riced cauliflower are found in the freezer section with the other frozen vegetables. However, you can often find fresh cauliflower rice in the cut and prepared refrigerated produce section as well.

3. Half and Half

For those who are reading this recipe from outside of the United States, half and half is an equal mixture of half cream and half milk. However, if you can’t find half and half, use heavy whipping cream instead.

You can also use whole milk, however the soup consistency will be thinner. Just be sure if you are using milk to add it when the heat is on low so that it doesn’t curdle.

4. Shredded Cheese

As always, it is best to shred your own cheese rather than using store-bought, packaged shredded cheese. This is because the pre-shredded cheese contains an anti-coating agent that prevents the cheese from clumping together.

However, this coating also makes it more difficult for the shredded cheese to melt. Therefore, for best results it is recommended that you purchase a block of cheddar cheese and shred it right before adding it to your low-carb cheeseburger soup.

fresh grated Cheddar cheese
It is best to shred your own cheese, but you can certainly make this cheeseburger soup with pre-shredded cheese.

Although, I am also a realist and know that sometimes it is much more convenient and easier to dump in a bag of the cheese that you bought at the grocery store. And that is okay too! Just understand that the melted cheese may be a little stringy when it melts.

5. Cream Cheese

You will only need 1/2 of a bar of a standard size cream cheese block. Although sometimes you can find smaller packages of cream cheese that are sold in 4 ounce bars as a smaller alternative.

However, if you end up using half of the cream cheese bar and need a great recipe for the remaining cream cheese, be sure to make this Mini Cheeseball recipe. Just be sure to serve it with celery sticks so that you can stay on your Keto diet!

6. Garnish Ingredients

Although the garnish ingredients are optional, I highly suggest using them to top your soup. The diced dill pickles add such great flavor to the soup, that I promise that you will think you are eating an actual cheeseburger (well mostly)!

hamburger and onions
If you use ground beef in this recipe, you will not need to add any oil to the pot. However, if you use a leaner cut of meat, be sure to add oil so that it does not stick to the bottom when cooking.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. The first step in making this low-carb cheeseburger soup is to cook the cauliflower rice according to package directions. Then set it aside while you brown the meat.

2. Add the ground beef and diced onions in a large sauce pan and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain the meat mixture and set it aside.

3. Now, using the same sauce pan that you cooked the ground beef in, add the butter and the riced cauliflower and saute for 2-3 minutes.

4. Then add the ground beef mixture, chicken broth, half and half, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper to the pot and stir. Bring the soup to a low simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Next, add half of the shredded cheddar cheese, stirring until it melts. Then add the remaining cheese and stir until it is well incorporated. Adding the cheese slowly will help it melt better.

6. Divide the softened cream cheese into 4 sections, then add all 4 sections to the pot and stir until melted. The cream cheese will make the soup nice and creamy, however it also helps the soup thicken.

Continue to cook the soup until the desired consistency is reached.

cheese in low carb cheeseburger soup
Once you have added the cream cheese, allow the soup to thicken to the desired consistency.

Thicken The Low-Carb Cheeseburger Soup

If you want your soup thicker, here is an optional step. Use a blender to blend a portion of the ingredients together.

Do this by removing 1 cup of the soup and blend it together in a high powdered blender. Or stick an immersion blender directly into the pot and blend until the desired consistency is reached.

Serve warm and garnish with bacon, diced pickles, cheese and/or diced onions.

Enjoy! Mary

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Low-Carb Cheeseburger Soup

cheeseburger soup

A low-carb soup that contains all the flavors of a classic cheeseburger. A filling meal that is perfect for any Keto diet.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 of a small onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 12 oz package frozen riced cauliflower
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1/4 cup half and half
  • 3 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
  • 4 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • salt, to taste
  • ground black pepper, to taste

Optional Garnish Ingredients

  • Diced pickles
  • Diced onions
  • Crumbled bacon
  • Shredded cheese

Instructions

  1. Cook riced cauliflower according to package directions. Set aside.
  2. Add ground beef and diced onions in a large sauce pan and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
  3. Add the butter and the riced cauliflower to pan and saute for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add the ground beef mixture, chicken broth, half and half, Italian seasoning salt & pepper to the pot and stir.
  5. Bring the soup to a low simmer for 20 minutes.
  6. Add half of the shredded cheddar cheese, stirring until it melts. Add the remaining cheese and stir until it melts.
  7. Divide the softened cream cheese into 4 sections, then add to the pot and stir until melted and the soup thickens to the desired consistency.
  8. Option: For a thicker soup, use an immersion blender in the pot to until desired thickness is achieved.

Notes

Recipe provided by Make Your Meals

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 676Total Fat: 52gSaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 183mgSodium: 1310mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 41g

Nutritional Information is to be used as a general guideline only . Nutritional calculations will vary from the types and brands of the products used.

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