I perfected an Easy Low Carb Cheeseburger Soup that comes together in one pot in 30 minutes, with a little bacon to make it impossible to ignore.
I needed dinner fast so I threw together something that nails burger flavor without the bun. My Easy Low Carb Cheeseburger Soup shows up when I’m too wiped to fuss, and yes it’s mostly about browned ground beef and a bit of chopped bacon for that smoky slap.
Somehow it becomes creamy and sloppy and totally wrong in a good way, then everyone asks for seconds. Folks also call it Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Soup when they wanna brag about the bacon.
I mess things up sometimes, but this bowl always pulls me back, curious about why it tastes so much like a grill.
Ingredients
- Ground beef: rich in protein and iron, gives soup a hearty savory beef flavor
- Bacon: smoky, fatty, adds salt and crunch, not very healthy in big amounts
- Cauliflower: low carb, high fiber, soaks up flavors and kinda stands in for potatoes
- Sharp cheddar: melty, tangy cheese flavor and extra protein, very comforting
- Cream cheese and heavy cream: give silky texture and extra richness, yes it s indulgent
- Pickles: chopped pickles add bright sour crunch, they cut through the richness
- Mustard and Worcestershire: boost tangy umami, small amounts really wake it up
- Onion and garlic: basic aromatics, give savory sweet depth and essential background flavor
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb ground beef
- 4 to 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz cream cheese, cubed
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 cups cauliflower florets, riced or finely chopped
- 1/2 cup dill pickles, chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives or green onions for garnish
How to Make this
1. Chop the bacon then cook it in a large pot over medium heat until crisp, scoop it out onto paper towels and leave about 1 to 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot.
2. Add the ground beef to the pot, break it up and brown it with a pinch of salt and pepper, about 5 minutes, then drain off any excess fat but keep some for flavor; transfer browned beef to a bowl.
3. Add the 2 tablespoons butter to the pot, sauté the diced onion until translucent about 3 minutes, add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
4. Stir in the riced cauliflower, paprika, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, toss for a minute so the cauliflower picks up the flavors.
5. Pour in the 4 cups beef broth, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 6 to 8 minutes.
6. Lower heat to very low, add the cubed cream cheese and 1 cup heavy cream, stir or whisk until smooth; adding the cream cheese on low keeps it silky — warm cream or room temp cream cheese melts easier.
7. Return the browned beef and about half the cooked bacon to the pot, then add the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, stirring gently until melted and smooth; avoid boiling once the dairy is in.
8. Stir in the chopped dill pickles, taste and adjust salt and black pepper as needed; if it gets too thick add a splash more beef broth or cream.
9. Serve hot topped with the remaining bacon and chopped chives or green onions, makes about 4 to 6 bowls and ready in roughly 30 minutes.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy pot or Dutch oven (6 qt) for cooking the bacon, browning the beef and simmering the soup
2. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife for chopping bacon, onion, pickles and garlic
3. Slotted spoon or tongs to lift out crispy bacon and drain fat
4. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring the cauliflower and cheese in the pot
5. Mixing bowl to hold the browned beef while you cook the onion and garlic
6. Measuring cups and spoons for broth, cream, mustard, and spices
7. Whisk to smooth in the cream cheese and heavy cream so it gets silky
8. Box grater or hand grater for shredding the cheddar, plus paper towels to drain the bacon
FAQ
Easy Low Carb Cheeseburger Soup Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Ground beef: ground turkey or chicken (leaner, similar texture); ground pork or pork/beef mix (richer and juicier); crumbled tempeh or plant-based crumble (vegan option, add a splash of oil); diced cooked roast or shredded steak if you want chunkier bites.
- Bacon: pancetta or smoked prosciutto (same salty, smoky fat); turkey bacon (lower fat); smoked paprika plus a bit of butter or oil for smoky flavor without pork; crumbled breakfast sausage for a heartier, spiced swap.
- Heavy cream: full-fat canned coconut milk (dairy-free, still rich); half-and-half or whole milk mixed with 2 tbsp melted butter per cup to mimic cream; plain Greek yogurt thinned with milk and tempered into the hot soup (lower fat, tangy); sour cream thinned with milk.
- Cauliflower (riced): riced or finely chopped broccoli (similar texture); grated zucchini, well squeezed of excess water (lighter, cook a bit longer); riced kohlrabi or turnip (low-carb, more potato-like bite); shirataki/konjac rice for ultra low-carb, no starch.
Pro Tips
1) Save at least a tablespoon of the bacon fat and use it to brown the beef, it adds a lot more depth than plain oil. If you want it less greasy blot the bacon on paper towels but still keep a little fat for flavor.
2) Get the cream cheese and heavy cream closer to room temp before you add them. Warm cream cheese melts way smoother, you can microwave it 10 to 20 seconds, then whisk in low heat so the dairy never boils or it can get grainy. Also grate your own cheddar, the pre-shredded stuff has anti clumping powder and wont melt as nicely.
3) Texture tricks: pulse the cauliflower extra fine in a food processor or rice it twice so it blends into the broth and feels more like mashed potatoes. If it gets too thin add a splash more broth and simmer a bit, too thick add cream or another splash of broth. If you want it ultra silky, briefly blitz with an immersion blender but dont overdo it or youll lose the chunky bits.
4) Make ahead and reheating hacks: store the soup without the garnish bacon if you plan to reheat, crisp fresh bacon or broil reserved pieces right before serving for the best texture. For freezing, keep dairy out, freeze the base then add cream and cheese when reheating so it doesnt separate.
Easy Low Carb Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
I perfected an Easy Low Carb Cheeseburger Soup that comes together in one pot in 30 minutes, with a little bacon to make it impossible to ignore.
6
servings
683
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy pot or Dutch oven (6 qt) for cooking the bacon, browning the beef and simmering the soup
2. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife for chopping bacon, onion, pickles and garlic
3. Slotted spoon or tongs to lift out crispy bacon and drain fat
4. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring the cauliflower and cheese in the pot
5. Mixing bowl to hold the browned beef while you cook the onion and garlic
6. Measuring cups and spoons for broth, cream, mustard, and spices
7. Whisk to smooth in the cream cheese and heavy cream so it gets silky
8. Box grater or hand grater for shredding the cheddar, plus paper towels to drain the bacon
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
4 to 6 slices bacon, chopped
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups beef broth
1 cup heavy cream
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 cups cauliflower florets, riced or finely chopped
1/2 cup dill pickles, chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped chives or green onions for garnish
Directions
- Chop the bacon then cook it in a large pot over medium heat until crisp, scoop it out onto paper towels and leave about 1 to 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot.
- Add the ground beef to the pot, break it up and brown it with a pinch of salt and pepper, about 5 minutes, then drain off any excess fat but keep some for flavor; transfer browned beef to a bowl.
- Add the 2 tablespoons butter to the pot, sauté the diced onion until translucent about 3 minutes, add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Stir in the riced cauliflower, paprika, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, toss for a minute so the cauliflower picks up the flavors.
- Pour in the 4 cups beef broth, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Lower heat to very low, add the cubed cream cheese and 1 cup heavy cream, stir or whisk until smooth; adding the cream cheese on low keeps it silky — warm cream or room temp cream cheese melts easier.
- Return the browned beef and about half the cooked bacon to the pot, then add the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, stirring gently until melted and smooth; avoid boiling once the dairy is in.
- Stir in the chopped dill pickles, taste and adjust salt and black pepper as needed; if it gets too thick add a splash more beef broth or cream.
- Serve hot topped with the remaining bacon and chopped chives or green onions, makes about 4 to 6 bowls and ready in roughly 30 minutes.
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.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 439g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 683kcal
- Fat: 59g
- Saturated Fat: 31g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Polyunsaturated: 3.3g
- Monounsaturated: 20g
- Cholesterol: 180mg
- Sodium: 1027mg
- Potassium: 576mg
- Carbohydrates: 7.1g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 1.3g
- Protein: 33g
- Vitamin A: 700IU
- Vitamin C: 25mg
- Calcium: 272mg
- Iron: 1mg
