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Creamy Hamburger Potato Soup

hand holding bowl of creamy soup garnished with cheese and green onions.

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5 from 1 review

This creamy hamburger potato soup is easy to make with basic ingredients, and it is so cozy and comforting! Cheese and sour cream bring the creaminess big time. Plus, the slight tanginess from the sour cream adds a brightness that elevates this homey soup.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) russet or gold potatoes
  • 1 large onion (about 12 ounces/340 g)
  • 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil (avocado oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, etc.)
  • 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) lean ground beef (see note 1)
  • 1/2 cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • 5 cups (1.2 L) beef broth
  • 6 ounces (170 g) cheddar cheese (about 1 3/4 cups when shredded) (see note 2)
  • 1 cup (240 g) full-fat sour cream
  • salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Prep the produce: Wash the potatoes to remove any dirt, then peel them and cut them into about 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) cubes. Chop the onion. 
  2. Add the oil to a large Dutch oven or soup pot set over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and ground beef. Stir and cook until the beef is browned and onions are translucent, about 6 - 7 minutes. While cooking, break the beef up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon.
  3. Add the potatoes, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to the pot. Continue to stir and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Pour in the beef broth. Stir the soup, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot with the spoon. Turn the heat up to bring the soup to a boil. Boil the soup for 1 - 2 minutes; the liquid in the soup should start to thicken during this time.
  5. Turn the heat down to bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer the soup, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce the potatoes ("fork-tender"). Stir the soup occasionally during cooking. If needed, adjust the heat to maintain the simmer. 
  6. Towards the end of cooking, shred the cheddar cheese, set aside.
  7. When the potatoes are fork-tender, turn the heat off the stove and move the soup pot off the hot burner.
  8. Add the sour cream to a small bowl. Gradually mix in about 1 cup of hot liquid from the soup (this tempers the sour cream to help prevent it from curdling when added to the hot soup). Add the tempered sour cream into the soup and stir to combine.
  9. Mix the shredded cheese into the soup. Taste the soup and add salt and/or more black pepper to taste.

Notes

  1. I used 93% lean ground beef in this recipe. If you want to substitute regular (not lean) ground beef, just drain any excess grease after browning the beef and before adding the potatoes, flour and seasonings.
  2. Freshly shredded cheese works best here, rather than pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has added anti-caking ingredients that can make the soup less smooth.
  3. I don't recommend substituting low fat or fat free sour cream, which are more likely to curdle in the soup due to their lower fat content. If desired, you can substitute 1 cup heavy cream for the sour cream. 
  4. Salt is only added at the very end because the broth, sour cream and cheese all contain a fair amount of salt. The amount of salt needed will vary based on the broth you are using and your own tastes!
  5. The nutrition information below is an estimate only; the nutrition counts of your dish will vary based on the brands and exact amounts of ingredients used. This information was provided by an online nutrition calculator, and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full nutrition disclosure policy.

Nutrition