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If you love cheeseburgers and mac and cheese, this One Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni Soup is a lighter, one-pot version of a classic comfort food. Made with simple ingredients and less heaviness, it still delivers the same creamy, cheesy flavor you love. It’s everything you want in a cozy cheeseburger soup, but balanced enough for an easy weeknight dinner or meal prep.
I always come back to one pot meals when I want dinner to feel easy but still taste amazing. This lighter cheeseburger soup recipe is quick to prep, packed with flavor, and works for any night of the week.
Although lightened up slightly, it’s still thick and creamy. As it sits, it continues to absorb liquid, making it even heartier and more flavorful.
If you’re looking for more one pot meals, try my Cheesy Taco Rice Skillet or Firecracker Ground Chicken.
A Better Cheeseburger Macaroni Soup
Many cheeseburger soup recipes tend to lean heavy, but this version is more balanced. It still has all the creamy cheesy flavor that you expect but uses ground turkey and milk to keep things lighter without sacrificing taste.
Here are a few reasons you’ll love it:
- A comfort meal you can feel good about. This soup has all the rich indulgent flavor of a cheeseburger and mac and cheese combined in one cozy bowl. It’s made with ground turkey instead of beef and milk instead of heavy cream.
- High-protein and filling. With 29g of protein per serving, this is a hearty meal that actually keeps you full.
- One pot for easy cleanup. Everything comes together in a single pot, making it perfect for busy nights.
- Family-friendly and kid-approved. This is one of those recipes that everyone loves.
- Perfect for leftovers. The flavors deepen as it sits, making it just as good (if not better) the next day. It’s great for leftovers and meal prep!
Ingredient Notes
This recipe uses simple ingredients, but each one helps build the creamy texture and classic cheeseburger flavor.
For full recipe instructions and complete list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Ground turkey: This recipe calls for ground turkey instead of red meat, so it’s a bit leaner. I prefer 93% lean for the best balance of texture and flavor.
- Uncooked macaroni noodles: I recommend using Barilla’s Protein Plus elbows for this one to bump up the protein a bit! It tastes nearly identical to regular elbow noodles.
- Chicken broth: Chicken broth works best for this, but chicken stock or veggie broth would work as well. You could also use beef broth but it will have a bit of different flavor.
- Milk: This recipe calls for milk instead of heavy cream. I recommend using 2% or whole milk, or the soup will not be creamy enough.
- Sharp white cheddar cheese cubes: Any cheddar will work for this soup, but I personally like to use sharp white cheddar. I recommend buying a whole block of cheese from the grocery store and cubing or shredding it yourself versus pre-shredded cheese. Velveeta cheese is common in cheeseburger soup but I love the real deal!
- Carrots, celery, and onion: I like to use a simple combination of diced carrots, celery, and onion.
- Fresh garlic: You’ll need to grab some fresh cloves of garlic for the best flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce is a classic burger ingredient and adds just the right amount of flavor to this soup!
- Flour: You’ll need some regular all purpose flour to thicken the soup a bit.
- Oil: Any neutral oil will work, I prefer using olive oil or avocado oil.
Variations
- Ground beef instead of turkey. Use lean ground beef instead of ground turkey for a more classic beef burger flavor.
- Add more veggies. Use other veggies like chopped cauliflower or broccoli. Cauliflower adds a delicious creaminess to soup.
- Use potatoes instead of noodles. Add cubed gold potatoes, red potatoes, or russet potatoes.
- Make it creamier. For an extra creamy soup, add a couple tablespoons of heavy cream.
- Add a kick of heat. Add a small can of diced green chiles or some diced jalapeño.
- Add toppings: Top your finished soup with bacon and some diced pickles or pickle relish for more cheeseburger flavor.
How To Make Macaroni Cheeseburger Soup
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot on the stove top on medium heat. Add the ground turkey and cook through until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and sauté for 5-6 minutes on medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.
- In a small separate bowl add ~¾ cup of hot broth from the soup pot and 2 tbsp flour. Whisk until smooth with no lumps. Note: If you prefer a thicker soup, use 3-4 tbsp of flour.
- Add the mixture to the soup slowly and stir until fully combined with the soup. Add pasta and continue simmering until al dente, about 10 minutes.
- Very slowly add in milk, stirring constantly. Finally, add cheese slowly, stirring constantly until cheese is fully melted.
- Top with crumbled bacon pieces, sliced green onions and extra shredded cheese if desired.
Jamie’s Tips
Expert Recipe Tips
- Cut the vegetables evenly. Dice the carrots, celery, and onion into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly and give the soup a better texture.
- Cook pasta just until al dente. It will continue absorbing the liquid after it’s done cooking.
- Use cubed cheese. Do not use pre-shredded cheese as it doesn’t melt as smoothly and can make the soup grainy. Instead, use a block of cheese cut into cubes.
- Adjust the consistency. If the soup is too thick, you can add a splash of milk or broth.
- Taste and adjust at the end. A little extra salt, pepper, or Worcestershire can make a big difference in bringing out the cheeseburger flavor.
Serving Suggestions
- Top it like a cheeseburger: Sprinkle some extra cheddar cheese, crispy bacon bits, or sliced green onions on top (or all of them!). For extra creaminess, add a dollop of sour cream or plan Greek yogurt right before serving.
- Add something for dipping: Serve with crusty bread or garlic bread to soak up the creamy broth. It’s especially good when the soup thickens slightly and becomes extra scoopable.
- Make it a full comfort meal: Lean into the cheeseburger vibe and serve with a side of crispy french fries or onion rings.
- Balance it out: Since the soup is rich and hearty, pair it with something fresh on the side like a simple salad or roasted vegetables.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover cheeseburger soup with macaroni in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavor deepens as it sits, making it even better the next day!
The pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it rests, so the soup will thicken in the fridge.
To reheat, warm gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of milk or broth to loosen it back to your desired consistency. Stir well as it heats to keep the texture smooth and creamy.
To freeze, I recommend freezing the soup without the pasta and add freshly cooked macaroni when reheating. Pasta can become soft after freezing and thawing. If freezing the fully prepared soup, expect a softer texture once reheated.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
If you’ve made and loved this One Pot Macaroni Cheeseburger Soup or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and comments below!
One Pot Macaroni Cheeseburger Soup (Creamy & Lighter)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni, Barilla Protein Plus for extra protein
- 1.5 cups milk, 2% or whole
- 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, cubed or shredded from a block
- crumbled bacon, green onions and extra shredded cheese for topping
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large soup pot and heat on medium heat. Add ground turkey and cook through until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
- Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and sauté for 5-6 minutes.
- Add chicken broth, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.
- In a small bowl add ~¾ cup of hot broth from the soup pot and 2 tbsp flour. Whisk until smooth with no lumps. Add to the soup slowly and stir until fully combined with the soup.
- Add pasta and continue simmering until al dente, about 10 minutes.
- Very slowly add in milk, stirring constantly.
- Finally, add cheese slowly, stirring constantly until cheese is fully melted.
Notes
- Great for leftovers: The flavors deepen as it sits, making it even more flavorful the next day.
- To reheat: Warm over low heat and stir in a little milk or broth to maintain a creamy texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
10/10 for this hearty, wholesome, cozy soup! Easy to make and even better to eat!
This soup is delicious and so easy. I added a 10 oz bag of cauliflower to the soup, puréed it with some of the 2% milk and added it back in at the end. Loved the extra creaminess it provided, plus sneaky veggies!
Ooooh such a great idea! I’ll definitely be trying this myself 🙂
This is an IMMEDIATE new household favorite! Our whole house (including my 2nd grader and toddler) cleaned their bowls. The only substitute I made was using a mix of beef/chicken bone broth for a protein boost. It is truly a nourishing, comforting, healthy balanced meal with a quick clean up.
Yay! Glad you loved it! 🙂
Delicious! Easy soup for a weeknight! White cheddar gave it a yummy flavor! Husband added pickles! Better than the other cheeseburger soup recipes I’ve tried!
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed thank you for leaving a review Amy 🙂
I think I just found my new favorite soup!! SO delicious. I was a little worried about how the ground turkey would taste (rather than ground beef) but trust me, there’s no need to worry. There’s so much flavour in this soup you could put any meat in it and it probably wouldn’t matter. I will be making this over and over again for sure!
Yay! I’m so happy you loved it! This is definitely one of my favorites too 🙂 thank you for the kind words!
Used half the cheese and it was still delicious. Will make again. I love how quickly it came together!!!
Easy and flavorful. A big hit in my house.
Hi Jamie! Love your recipes! Does it matter whether you use ground turkey breast or a mix of white and dark ground turkey? There is a difference in the taste between the two.
I typically use ground chicken breast but either will work just fine!
This came together so easily and was so delicious! My husband and the kids all loved it as much as me. Will definitely make it again and I love how much it made. Plenty of leftovers!😋 thank you for a delicious one pot soup recipe, really hit the spot in this cold weather🤗
I want to make this tomorrow. Can I easily make this in a slow cooker? Any adjustments you would suggest?
Thanks
I unfortunately haven’t made it that way so I can’t say!
Jamie,
Instead of using a slow cooker, I made it as written. It’s so simple, but everyone in the family said, “This is Soooo good, ” without any “prompting” from me. My son, who has a very sensitive stomach, went back for seconds.
I’m adding it to my permanent collection.
(And yes, I LOVE soups!)