One-Pot Cheeseburger Soup with Rice

This one-pot cheeseburger soup with rice is creamy, flavorful, and so so tasty. It's kind of like Hamburger Helper, but in soup form and without all of the crap. I used rice instead of a roux to create a thick base, so it is flourless and totally gluten-free. I made this soup with almond milk to lighten it up a bit, but you can use whatever milk you prefer--it's perfectly creamy either way. You can even omit the cheese to make it dairy free if that's your style. Best of all, it only takes a little over half an hour to make, so it's perfect for a lazy weeknight in.

Here's what you'll need for this cheeseburger soup.

• Lean ground beef ($6.40)
• Short grain white rice ($3.63). I used arborio rice, which gives this soup a really great texture. Use whatever you have or prefer.
• Yellow, white, or sweet onion ($1.00)
• Garlic ($0.46)
• Celery ($1.38)
• Shredded carrots ($1.88)
• Sharp cheddar cheese ($1.86)
• Milk ($1.80). I used almond milk to lighten this up a bit, but you can use regular milk if you prefer.
• Beef broth ($1.33)
• Typical fridge and pantry ingredients and spices:
  • Oil (we used avocado)
  • Ground cayenne
  • Crushed red pepper
  • Dried oregano
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Mustard powder
  • Paprika
  • Cumin
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Excluding the typical pantry and fridge ingredients, the ingredients for this cheeseburger soup cost around $19.74, or about $3.29 per serving.

Here's how you make it.

Add oil to a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Then add onions and celery and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until fragrant and beginning to soften, stirring occasionally. Add ground beef and cook 6 to 7 minutes, or until cooked through.

Once the beef is cooked, add shredded carrots and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then add rice and cook for 3 minutes, or until the rice begins to change color.

Next, add 1 cup of beef broth, 1 cup of milk, ground cayenne, crushed red pepper, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Then add another cup of broth and another cup of milk and let the rice absorb most of the liquid again, around 10 minutes or so.

Finally, add another cup of broth and another cup of milk. Cook until thickened, but still soupy, about 5 minutes. Add cheese and stir until melted, then serve!

If you like your soup thicker, cook a bit longer; if you like it runnier, add more broth and milk.

Ideas for toppings...

• Sour cream or greek yogurt
• Shredded cheddar, colby jack, or pepper jack
• Pickled jalapeños
• Diced onions or green onions
• Avocado
• Tomatoes
• Hot sauce

If you like this soup, you should also try..

• Pantry Rice and Tomato Soup
• One-Pot Easy Classic Chili
• One-Pot Buffalo Chicken Chili
• Creamy Cauliflower and Baked Potato Soup