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Cheeseburger Macaroni Soup

Cheeseburger macaroni soup with a thick cheddar broth, tender elbow macaroni, and melty shredded cheese. Ground beef is browned and sautéed with onion and garlic for a hearty, cozy one-pot meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef
  • 1.5 lb ground beef Use 80/20 for best flavor; drain fat after browning.
Elbow macaroni
  • 2 cup elbow macaroni Uncooked elbow macaroni.
Aromatics and broth
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 3 garlic Minced cloves.
  • 4 cup beef broth
Cheddar soup base
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
  • 2 cup shredded cheddar
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
Serving and seasoning
  • pickles For serving, sliced or chopped.
  • green onions For serving, sliced.
  • extra cheddar Optional extra shredded cheddar for topping.
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, then drain the fat to prevent greasiness.
  2. Continue cooking until the beef is evenly browned and crumbled, keeping it in the pot for the next step.
Sauté aromatics
  1. Sauté the diced onion for 3 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Stir constantly so the garlic becomes fragrant without browning too dark.
Build the cheddar broth
  1. Add the beef broth, condensed cheddar cheese soup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, and garlic powder, then bring the mixture to a boil.
  2. Boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring to fully combine the cheese soup into the broth.
Cook the macaroni
  1. Add the elbow macaroni and cook for 8-10 minutes until tender.
  2. Stir occasionally during cooking so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom.
Finish with cheese and cream
  1. Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheddar until melted and smooth.
  2. Keep the heat low while melting the cheese to maintain a creamy texture.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then turn off the heat for serving.
  2. Serve topped with pickles, green onions, and extra cheddar.

Notes

Pro tip: drain the beef fat after browning and keep the heat low when adding the cream and shredded cheddar to avoid grainy cheese. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently, adding a splash of broth or milk if thickened. Freezing is not recommended because pasta texture can change after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and reduce the cheddar slightly.