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Creamy Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup with Pickles (Easy 5-Ingredient Recipe)

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This creamy crockpot cheeseburger soup with pickles is a comforting, 5-ingredient meal that tastes just like a cheeseburger in soup form. The pickles add a bright, tangy crunch that cuts through the richness, making it a weeknight favorite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground beef (80/20 works best)
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup dill pickle slices, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons pickle juice
  • 3 cups frozen hash browns (cubed or shredded)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Optional toppings: extra chopped pickles, crispy bacon bits, fresh chives, a drizzle of ketchup or mustard

Instructions

  1. Brown the beef. Heat your skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it apart with your spoon. Cook until no pink remains, about 6-8 minutes. Don’t drain all the fat — leave about a tablespoon for flavor. Add the diced onion in the last 2 minutes and let it soften. Stir in the minced garlic for the final 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Transfer to the slow cooker. Dump the beef mixture into your 6-quart crockpot.
  3. Add the broth and hash browns. Pour in the 4 cups of beef broth. Add the frozen hash browns directly — no thawing needed. Stir gently to combine.
  4. Season and stir. Add the Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, and a pinch of black pepper. Hold off on salt for now. Give everything a good stir, cover with the lid, and set your slow cooker to LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.
  5. Add the cream cheese. About 30 minutes before serving, cut the softened cream cheese into cubes and drop them into the soup. Stir until mostly melted. It will look a little streaky at first — that’s fine. Keep stirring gently until it smooths out.
  6. Stir in the cheddar. Once the cream cheese is fully incorporated, add the shredded cheddar in handfuls, stirring between each addition. This prevents clumping and ensures even melting.
  7. Finish with pickles and brine. Turn off the slow cooker. Stir in the chopped dill pickles and the 2 tablespoons of pickle juice. Taste the soup now — this is where the magic happens. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.
  8. Let it rest. Let the soup sit for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to marry and the texture to settle.
  9. Serve and garnish. Ladle into bowls and top with extra chopped pickles, a sprinkle of fresh chives, or crumbled bacon if you’re feeling extra. A drizzle of ketchup or mustard across the top makes it look like a real cheeseburger.

Notes

Don’t rush the cream cheese — let it soften at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Shred your own cheddar for the smoothest melt. Add pickles at the end to keep them crunchy. Watch the salt — the broth, cheese, and pickles all contribute. If the soup is too thin, mash some hash browns against the side of the crockpot or stir in a cornstarch slurry.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot cheeseburger soup, creamy cheeseburger soup, slow cooker soup, cheeseburger soup with pickles, easy 5-ingredient recipe, comfort food, weeknight dinner

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