I call this Easy Low Carb Cheeseburger Soup because it pulls classic burger flavors into one potato-free pot in about 30 minutes with just a little bacon.

Jump to Recipe

I never believed a bowl could fix a week till I made Easy Low Carb Cheeseburger Soup after an awful day. One pot, thirty minutes, and maybe a little bacon and suddenly things felt less impossible.

The deep, familiar hit of ground beef and smoky bacon fools your brain into thinking it’s cheating, but it’s not. It’s kind of wild how it tastes like the classic you miss, kind of like Cheeseburger Soup Without Potatoes, only faster and cleaner.

I kept finding reasons to go back for one more spoonful, and yeah, I had to hide the spoon.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Ground beef adds savory protein and iron, gives soup a hearty, beefy base.
Bacon gives smoky crunch, salty umami, it’s tasty but high in saturated fat.
Onion and garlic add aromatic sweetness and sharpness, tiny carbs, big flavor.
Cream cheese adds creamy tang, thickens broth, supplies fat, very low carb.
Heavy cream brings silky richness and mouthfeel, mostly fat, few carbs.
Shredded cheddar melts into soup, gives calcium and protein, sharp flavor boost.
Riced cauliflower is low carb potato swap, adds fiber and mild texture.
Tomato paste adds concentrated tomato tang, small carbs, balances richness.

Ingredient Quantities

1 lb ground beef (80-85% lean)

6 slices bacon, chopped

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp butter

4 cups beef broth (low sodium preferred)

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 cups riced cauliflower (fresh or frozen)

2 tbsp tomato paste or 1/4 cup sugar free ketchup

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp yellow mustard

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Salt and black pepper, to taste

2 tbsp chopped fresh chives or green onions for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. In a large pot over medium heat cook the chopped bacon until crisp, scoop most of it out with a slotted spoon onto paper towels, leaving about 1 to 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot.

2. Add the ground beef to the pot, season with a little salt and pepper, brown it while breaking it up with a spoon until no pink remains, then drain off excess fat but keep the browned bits in the pot.

3. Lower heat a touch, add the butter, then stir in the diced onion and minced garlic and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Stir in the tomato paste or sugar free ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard and smoked paprika, cook for about 1 minute to wake up the flavors.

5. Pour in the beef broth and add the riced cauliflower, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom, bring to a simmer and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes (don’t overcook or it’ll get mushy).

6. Turn the heat to low and add the softened cream cheese in chunks and the heavy cream, whisk or stir until smooth and creamy (tip: cube the cream cheese so it melts faster, an immersion blender makes it extra silky).

7. Stir in the shredded sharp cheddar a little at a time until fully melted and the soup is thick and cheesy, taste and adjust salt and black pepper as needed.

8. Fold most of the cooked bacon back into the pot, save some for garnish, simmer 1 more minute to meld flavors, then ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chopped chives or green onions before serving.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven for browning bacon and simmering the soup
2. Slotted spoon to lift bacon out and drain off fat
3. Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to break up ground beef and stir
4. Chef’s knife for chopping bacon, dicing onion and mincing garlic
5. Cutting board
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for broth, cream and seasonings
7. Whisk or immersion blender to smooth the cream cheese into the soup (immersion gives extra silky results)
8. Ladle and bowls for serving plus paper towels to drain the bacon bits

FAQ

Can I make this soup ahead and store it? A: Yes. Cool then refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. For longer keep, freeze up to 3 months but know texture of the cream cheese can get a bit grainy after thawing. Thaw overnight in fridge and reheat gently on low heat, stirring till smooth.

Is this really low carb and keto friendly? A: Pretty much. Using riced cauliflower instead of potatoes keeps carbs low. Use the sugar free ketchup option and watch portion size. For stricter keto, skip the tomato paste or use less and add more cream or cheese for fat.

How do I thicken the soup without flour? A: The cream cheese and heavy cream do most of the thickening. If you want it thicker, simmer a bit longer to reduce, blend a cup of the soup and stir it back in, or sprinkle a very small pinch of xanthan gum while whisking to avoid clumps.

Can I make this in a slow cooker or Instant Pot? A: Yes. For slow cooker brown beef and bacon first for best flavor, then add onion, garlic, broth, cauliflower and seasonings and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours. Stir in cream cheese, cream and cheddar at the end until melted. For Instant Pot sauté beef, onion and garlic, add broth and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes, quick release, then add dairy off heat and stir until smooth.

Any good swaps for ingredients I don’t have? A: Greek yogurt can replace some heavy cream but add it off heat to avoid curdling. Shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack can stand in for cheddar. If you want smoky flavor without bacon, add a bit of smoked paprika and a splash of liquid smoke very sparingly.

How do I reheat leftovers so the cheese does not separate? A: Reheat slowly over low to medium low heat, stirring often. If it looks grainy, whisk in a little extra cream or a small knob of butter off the heat and keep stirring till it comes back together. Avoid high heat or it might split.

Easy Low Carb Cheeseburger Soup Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Ground beef (80-85% lean): swap for ground turkey (85% lean) or ground pork, or even plant based crumbles plus a splash of olive oil if you want less red meat.
Bacon: use turkey bacon, diced pancetta, or stir in 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and extra salt to mimic the smoky bite if you dont have bacon.
Cream cheese: mascarpone for a richer feel, full fat Greek yogurt thats been strained for tang, or coconut cream for a dairy free option.
Riced cauliflower: riced broccoli, finely diced zucchini (squeeze out extra water), or shredded cabbage for similar texture and low carbs.

Pro Tips

1) Crisp the bacon all the way and scoop most out, but dont toss the fat. Use a tablespoon or two to brown the beef so you get those browned bits flavoring the whole soup. If you want crunch, crisp some bacon extra and reserve for topping.

2) Cube the cream cheese and let it sit at room temp while you cook so it melts faster and smoother. Stir it in on low heat and if it looks a little grainy, blitz quickly with an immersion blender for a silky finish.

3) Treat riced cauliflower gently. Cook just until tender and not mushy, and if you used frozen, thaw and squeeze out extra water first so the soup doesnt get watery.

4) Grate your cheddar from a block and add it gradually off the heat so it melts creamier and wont turn greasy. Taste at the end and add a tiny splash of vinegar or lemon if it feels flat; that brightens the whole bowl.

Easy Low Carb Cheeseburger Soup Recipe

Recipe by Nicky Smith

0.0 from 0 votes

I call this Easy Low Carb Cheeseburger Soup because it pulls classic burger flavors into one potato-free pot in about 30 minutes with just a little bacon.

Servings

servings

Calories

701

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven for browning bacon and simmering the soup
2. Slotted spoon to lift bacon out and drain off fat
3. Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to break up ground beef and stir
4. Chef’s knife for chopping bacon, dicing onion and mincing garlic
5. Cutting board
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for broth, cream and seasonings
7. Whisk or immersion blender to smooth the cream cheese into the soup (immersion gives extra silky results)
8. Ladle and bowls for serving plus paper towels to drain the bacon bits

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef (80-85% lean)
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
4 cups beef broth (low sodium preferred)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups riced cauliflower (fresh or frozen)
2 tbsp tomato paste or 1/4 cup sugar free ketchup
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp yellow mustard
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives or green onions for garnish (optional)

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat cook the chopped bacon until crisp, scoop most of it out with a slotted spoon onto paper towels, leaving about 1 to 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot.
Add the ground beef to the pot, season with a little salt and pepper, brown it while breaking it up with a spoon until no pink remains, then drain off excess fat but keep the browned bits in the pot.
Lower heat a touch, add the butter, then stir in the diced onion and minced garlic and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste or sugar free ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard and smoked paprika, cook for about 1 minute to wake up the flavors.
Pour in the beef broth and add the riced cauliflower, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom, bring to a simmer and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes (don’t overcook or it'll get mushy).
Turn the heat to low and add the softened cream cheese in chunks and the heavy cream, whisk or stir until smooth and creamy (tip: cube the cream cheese so it melts faster, an immersion blender makes it extra silky).
Stir in the shredded sharp cheddar a little at a time until fully melted and the soup is thick and cheesy, taste and adjust salt and black pepper as needed.
Fold most of the cooked bacon back into the pot, save some for garnish, simmer 1 more minute to meld flavors, then ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chopped chives or green onions before serving.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.