Description
Hearty one-pot macaroni cheeseburger soup blends classic comfort food flavors in a single satisfying dish. Home cooks will savor rich beef, pasta, and cheese combined for a simple, delicious meal you can enjoy year-round.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef
- 8 cups (1.9 liters) chicken broth
- 8 oz (225g) elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 8 oz (225g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 6 tbsps (85g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (150g) yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup (130g) carrots, sliced
- 1 cup (100g) celery, sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tbsps (30g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsps dried oregano
- 2 tsps dried thyme
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Sear ground beef in a large pot over medium heat with dried oregano and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, crumbling meat until evenly browned. Set aside the cooked beef.
- Vegetable Sauté: In the same pot, melt butter and add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook on medium-high heat until vegetables soften and caramelize, about 10 minutes.
- Aromatic Infusion: Reduce heat, add minced garlic and remaining herbs. Allow aromatics to release their fragrance for one minute.
- Flour Integration: Sprinkle all-purpose flour over vegetables, stirring to create a uniform coating. Cook for an additional minute to eliminate raw flour flavor.
- Liquid and Pasta Incorporation: Pour chicken broth, scraping pot bottom to release browned bits. Add elbow macaroni and season with salt and pepper.
- Pasta Cooking: Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat. Cook pasta until al dente, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Cream and Cheese Finish: Remove from heat, stir in heavy cream and sharp cheddar cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Final Assembly: Return reserved ground beef to the pot, mixing thoroughly. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serving: Ladle soup into bowls, garnishing with additional cheese or fresh herbs for enhanced presentation and flavor.
Notes
Manage Meat Browning: Ensure ground beef is crumbled finely and browned deeply for maximum flavor development and texture consistency.
Control Pasta Cooking: Watch macaroni closely during simmering to prevent overcooking; aim for al dente texture to maintain structural integrity in the soup.
Cheese Melting Technique: Add cheese off direct heat and stir gradually to prevent separation, creating smooth and creamy consistency without graininess.
Customize Dietary Needs: Substitute ground beef with plant-based crumbles for vegetarian version, use gluten-free flour and pasta for celiac-friendly adaptation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 940mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 90mg