I know one of the joys of summer is standing around a hot grill loaded with burgers and hot dogs. You can smell it all over the neighborhood, and on a good day, your buddy from next door will come over with a fresh potato salad and pretty soon you have a backyard barbecue going on. 

If you aren’t in a warm climate, however, the idea of standing around the grill in January isn’t quite as appealing. I’ve done it. I tried to capture those summer vibes even though my teeth were chattering and my drink was more ice than liquid. Sorry, grill, but these times are made for cooking indoors. And they’re made for warm, comforting soups like stews and chowders. 

As a New Englander, I’ll say the first thing that comes to mind when I hear someone talking about chowder is a nice bowl of New England Clam Chowder, with plenty of potatoes and a thick, creamy broth. Or possibly a corn chowder; that’s good, too. 

What better way to get the best of both worlds than with a Cozy Cheeseburger Chowder? This recipe is loaded with potatoes, and the broth is thickened with all-purpose flour and fresh whole milk, just like your favorite clam chowder. 

One difference, however, is the addition of cheese that gets melted and stirred into the soup. This gives the chowder additional flavor while also giving you a thicker broth. Feel free to sub in the cheese of your choice if you prefer something like mozzarella or Swiss.

That’s enough for a perfectly splendid bowl of Cheeseburger Chowder, but if you really want to take it to the top, add crumbled bacon to each bowl. We all know it’s impossible to go wrong once you add nice, crispy bacon to the recipe.

Cozy Cheeseburger Chowder

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Chowders are soups that tend to be thickened or mixed with milk or cream. Because cheeseburgers already have their fair share of dairy, this kind of dinner-to-chowder conversion is a natural! Feel free to sub in the cheese of your choice if you prefer something like mozzarella or Swiss.

• Author: Addie Gundry
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6-8 1x
• Category: Soups

Ingredients

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• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 pound small red potatoes, quartered
• 1 cup beef broth
• 12 ounces Velveeta cheese, cut into small pieces
• 8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled, for garnish
• 2 hamburger buns, toasted and torn in pieces, for garnish

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Instructions

1. In a large pot, put in the beef, onion, celery, and pepper over medium heat. Cook for 8 minutes, until the meat is cooked through completely. Carefully drain off any fat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Stir in the flour and cook until all the flour has been absorbed. Stir in the milk, potatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
3. Add the cheese and stir until it has melted and the soup is well combined.
4. Ladle into bowls and top each with crumbled bacon and toasted bun pieces. Serve.