One Pot Creamy Potato and Hamburger Soup (No Heavy Cream)
On Dec 01, 2024, Updated Oct 14, 2026
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Tender potatoes, crumbled lean beef, carrots, and celery simmer together in a creamy cheddar broth for a hearty, comforting Potato and Hamburger Soup. Real sharp cheddar melts right into the milk-based broth, so there’s plenty of cheese flavor without heavy cream. Everything cooks in one pot, with 25 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber per serving.
Table of Contents
- A Creamy, Cheesy Broth With Real Cheddar and No Heavy Cream
- Choose Your Potatoes Based on the Texture You Want
- How to Make Hamburger and Potato Soup
- Getting the Broth Just Right
- Finish Your Bowl with Your Favorite Toppings
- Meal Prep and Storage
- More Cozy Soup Recipes
- One Pot Creamy Potato and Hamburger Soup (No Heavy Cream) Recipe
Potato soup is one of my favorite cold-weather dinners, but I’m usually figuring out what to serve with it so everyone gets enough protein, too. Adding ground beef was an easy way to make the soup itself more of a meal. I also worked in some veggies, but still wanted that classic cheddar potato soup flavor.
A Creamy, Cheesy Broth With Real Cheddar and No Heavy Cream
Milk and sharp white cheddar are two ingredients I usually have in the fridge, so they were my starting point. On my first try, the cheddar gave it that rich, sharp flavor I love, but the broth was still too thin for my liking.
A simple flour slurry was the missing piece! I whisk the flour into reserved broth until smooth, then let that mixture simmer with the potatoes before adding any milk or cheese. The flour thickens the broth first, so the milk and sharp cheddar can add creaminess and flavor without relying on heavy cream.
Here are a few more reasons I love making it:
- 25g protein + 4g fiber per serving. Lean ground beef, potatoes, carrots, and celery make this substantial enough to serve as dinner on its own.
- No heavy cream or processed cheese. Milk and freshly shredded sharp cheddar go into an already-thickened broth, so you still get a creamy, cheesy finish.
- The potato texture is up to you. Russets soften and thicken the broth more, Yukon Golds stay creamy but intact, and red potatoes hold their shape the best.
- Everything cooks in one pot. The beef browns first, then the vegetables, potatoes, broth, milk, and cheddar all build on the same base.
Choose Your Potatoes Based on the Texture You Want
The potatoes change the texture of the soup, and a few choices for the broth make a difference, too. Here’s what to keep in mind:
Russet, Yukon Gold, and red potatoes all work here. Which one to choose depends on how you like the potatoes in your bowl:
- Russet potatoes: These soften and break down more as they simmer, adding extra body to the broth. Choose them if you like softer potato pieces that blend into the soup a little.
- Yukon Gold potatoes: You get creamy, tender bites that keep more of their shape. They’re a good middle ground if you want soft potatoes without losing the pieces in the broth.
- Red potatoes: These hold their shape well, so they’re a good choice if you like distinct potato chunks in every spoonful.
What Else You’ll Need
Here are a few other ingredient choices that make a difference:
- Ground beef: I like 93% lean ground beef because it gives the soup plenty of savory beef flavor without leaving a lot of grease in the pot.
- Milk: I prefer 2% or whole milk. Both give the broth more richness than skim without needing heavy cream.
- Sharp white cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar gives me enough cheesy flavor without needing processed cheese. I shred it from a block or cut it into very small cubes so it melts smoothly into the broth.
- Chicken broth + Worcestershire sauce: I use chicken broth because it keeps the creamy base lighter in color, then add Worcestershire for deeper savory beef flavor.
For full recipe instructions and complete list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
How to Make Hamburger and Potato Soup
The potatoes simmer in the broth before the milk and cheddar go in. Here’s how I bring it all together:
- Brown the beef and add the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break it up as it cooks, until no pink remains, about 10 minutes. Stir in the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the potatoes: Pour in 5 cups of chicken broth, then add the Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and peeled potatoes cut into ½-inch cubes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Thicken the broth: In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the remaining 1 cup of broth with ¼ cup of flour until smooth.
- Slowly stir it into the soup, then simmer for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Stir in the milk: Reduce the heat to low, then slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly until it blends into the broth.
- Melt in the cheddar: Add the cheddar a little at a time, stirring until fully melted. I like to serve my potato and hamburger soup while it’s warm, with a few favorite toppings on the table.
jamie’s tips
Getting the Broth Just Right
Whether you like a thicker soup or a little more broth in your bowl, here are a few ways to get it how you want:
- Give it time to thicken. Don’t worry if the broth still looks thin right after adding the slurry. It needs time to simmer and thicken, so let the potatoes finish cooking before deciding it needs anything else.
- Turn the heat down when adding the cheese. Too much heat can leave the cheese grainy or oily. I turn it down to low so the cheddar gently melts into the broth instead of bubbling away.
- Loosen it up if needed. If the finished soup is thicker than you like, start by stirring ¼ cup of extra broth into the pot. Check the consistency before adding more.
Finish Your Bowl with Your Favorite Toppings
I usually keep the toppings pretty simple because the broth already has plenty of cheddar flavor. Sliced green onions and a little extra sharp cheddar are my go-tos, but if I want more of a loaded baked potato feel, I’ll add crumbled bacon and a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream.
A few favorites:
- Green onions: Add a fresh onion bite that cuts through the rich broth.
- Crumbled bacon: Gives the soup a smoky, salty crunch.
- Extra sharp cheddar: A little on top melts into the hot soup as you eat.
- Greek yogurt or sour cream: Adds a cool, tangy contrast to the creamy cheddar broth.
Meal Prep and Storage
I like dividing the leftovers into lunch portions so they’re ready to grab. Here’s how to get a head start and keep the soup for later:
- Prep ahead: Chop the onion, carrots, and celery and shred the cheddar up to a day ahead. Keep the vegetables and cheese in separate covered containers in the fridge.
- Refrigerate: Divide leftover soup into shallow, airtight containers and keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. These containers are my favorite for soup because they seal well, and I can see exactly what’s inside.
- Reheat: Warm the portion you need over low heat, stirring often, until it reaches 165°F. You can also microwave in short intervals, stirring between each. If it’s thickened in the fridge, add broth 1 tablespoon at a time to loosen your bowl.
More Cozy Soup Recipes
If you’ve made and loved this Creamy Hamburger and Potato Soup or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and comments below!
One Pot Creamy Potato and Hamburger Soup (No Heavy Cream)
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef, 93% lean
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 6 cups chicken broth, divided
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1.5 cups milk, 2% or whole
- 8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, cubed small or shredded from a block
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large soup pot and heat on medium heat. Add ground beef and cook through until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
- Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to get all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add 5 cups of the chicken broth, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup add remaining 1 cup broth and ¼ cup flour. Whisk until smooth with no lumps. Add to the soup slowly and stir until fully combined with the soup. Continue simmering until the potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.
- Very slowly add in milk, stirring constantly.
- Finally, add cheese slowly, stirring constantly until it is fully melted.
Notes
- Choose potatoes based on the texture you want. Russets soften and thicken the soup more, Yukon Golds stay creamy but hold their shape, and red potatoes stay the firmest.
- Freshly shredded cheddar melts best. Sharp cheddar from a block gives the broth more flavor and a smoother texture than pre-shredded cheese.
- The soup thickens as it sits. Don’t worry if the broth looks slightly loose while it’s still hot.
- For leftovers: Reheat gently over low heat and add broth a little at a time if the soup has thickened in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
Perfect soup for a cold blustery day! I appreciate that it used milk and not cream or half and half. I added some dill pickles to my bowl.
So glad you enjoyed it!! Adding pickles to this sounds amazing 🙂
My whole family, including my very picky kids, LOVED this soup. Absolutely delicious and so filling for a cozy winter meal.
Yay! Kid-approved recipes are always the best compliment! Thank you so much for leaving a review 🙂
This recipe is perfect for winter; when you’re wanting a cozy soup, but also some protein. The worcestershire sauce really brings this together. My husband and his brother really appreciated it, too! Thank you!!!
Definitely one of my favorite cozy soups! Thank you for your kind review!
The serving size is missing from the recipes.
We loved this recipe (6 year olds and picky husband included). It was even more delicious as leftovers the next day!
Yay! So glad to hear you loved it! It’s kid and husband approved in my house too which is always a win!
This sounds delicious. Do you drain the ground beef after cooking? Thank you.
You don’t have to! I recommend lean ground beef so it’s really not necessary.
This was excellent!!! I will be making this again!!
Thanks for trying and leaving a review!
I made this soup yesterday. Very good, easy to make, and satisfying. Another great recipe that is full of protein and fiber. Thank you.
Thanks Carol!
Flavor is perfect, and it is very creamy and cozy. It was more “soupy” than I prefer, even with the thickener, so I let it cook down quite a while. Next time I would probably cut the broth in half just for my preferences.
Thank you for this easy recipe! Wonderful soup for winter weather. We used almost two pounds of ground turkey and enjoyed the heartiness. It also works nicely with a mixture of unsweetened almond milk, skim milk, and a bit of heavy cream. 🙂
Yum! Thanks for leaving a review Melissa!