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Creamy potato and hamburger soup with tender potato cubes and ground beef in a bowl.

Crockpot Creamy Potato & Hamburger Soup

Crockpot creamy potato and hamburger soup with ground beef, tender potato cubes, milk or half-and-half, and cheddar. Brown the beef first, slow-cook the potatoes in broth, and add the dairy and cheese at the end.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 7 hours 35 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef lean preferred
  • 5-6 medium potatoes peeled and cut into roughly 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 cups chicken broth lower-sodium preferred
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 3 cups whole milk or half-and-half add near the end; use cold dairy when mixing with flour
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese freshly shredded preferred
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour optional; whisk into some cold dairy before adding
  • 2 tablespoons butter optional, stirred in at the end
  • Chopped green onions or fresh parsley optional, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease.
    Ground beef browned into small crumbles in a skillet.
  • Transfer the cooked beef to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the peeled potatoes, cut into roughly 1/2-inch cubes, along with the diced onion and minced garlic.
    Browned beef, diced potatoes, onion and garlic in the slow cooker before adding broth.
  • Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the dried parsley, thyme, and basil. Season lightly with salt and black pepper, reserving the final adjustment until after the cheese has melted.
    Chicken broth and dried herbs stirred into the beef and potatoes.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the potato cubes are tender all the way through. Continue cooking if needed. For more body without the optional flour, gently mash a few of the cooked potatoes against the side of the crock.
    Tender potato cubes and browned beef after slow cooking in the broth.
  • If using the optional flour, first whisk it into a small portion of the cold milk or half-and-half until smooth. Stir this mixture and the remaining dairy into the soup. If omitting flour, stir in the dairy directly. Cover and cook on HIGH for about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot and, if using flour, slightly thickened. Allow more time if needed; avoid a hard boil.
    Milk stirred into the hot potato and hamburger soup before adding cheddar.
  • Turn the slow cooker OFF and let the soup stand for about 5 minutes, until it is no longer bubbling. Add the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, stirring each addition into the hot soup until melted before adding more.
    Shredded cheddar melting into the creamy potato and beef soup.
  • Stir in the optional butter until melted. Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper. If the soup is thicker than you prefer, stir in a small splash of milk or broth.
    Finished creamy potato and hamburger soup in the slow cooker.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and serve while hot. Green onions or fresh parsley are optional garnishes, and the soup can be served without them. Crusty bread or dinner rolls work well alongside.
    A bowl of creamy potato and hamburger soup viewed from above.

Notes

Yield is approximately 8 servings and depends on potato size and portion size. Use a 6-quart slow cooker and cut the potatoes into evenly sized pieces. The time fields are estimates for the LOW method, including the dairy and cheese finish. The potato stage takes about 6 to 7 hours on LOW or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH; allow another 30 to 45 minutes for the dairy, then a few minutes to melt the cheddar. Add the optional flour only after mixing it smoothly with cold dairy, and allow it to cook until the soup thickens. Add the cheddar after turning off the heat. The optional garnish may be omitted.