Soups, Stews & Chili

Cheeseburger Soup with Bacon and Dill Pickles

By Clara ·
November 1, 2026

The bacon begins to sizzle, then the beef browns in the same pot, leaving savory drippings for the vegetables to soften in. That’s the start of this cheeseburger soup with bacon and dill pickles: familiar stovetop cooking, but with a broth that turns creamy and tangy as it comes together. I like that each spoonful has tender potatoes and beef, plus a little crunch from the pickles and bacon.

The pickle flavor comes through in two ways. Pickle juice goes into the broth while the potatoes cook, so its tang settles into the soup; chopped pickles go in at the end, where they keep their bright, briny bite. Sharp cheddar and half-and-half bring the rich cheeseburger feel without burying that contrast. The finished soup is hearty, creamy, and unmistakably dill-pickle forward.

Why the Pickle Goes in Twice, Not All at Once

Pickle juice and chopped pickles do different jobs here. The juice seasons the broth while the potatoes simmer, spreading a gentle tang through the whole pot. The chopped pickles join after cooking, so their sharper brine and firm texture stay distinct instead of disappearing into the soup.

That timing keeps the bowl from tasting either flat or overwhelmingly sour. Mustard supports the savory beef-and-cheddar side, while the pickle juice cuts through the richness. Fresh dill reinforces the pickle flavor without needing more juice. If you simmer the chopped pickles with the potatoes, they soften and lose the contrast that makes each bite interesting; keeping them for the finish gives you creamy broth alongside little pops of crunch.

The same balance is why I don’t treat the pickle juice as a garnish. It needs time in the broth, while the chopped pickles need a late addition. Together, they make the soup taste like a cheeseburger with dill pickles, not just a creamy potato soup with toppings.

The Ingredients That Give This Soup Its Cheeseburger Character

• Bacon — Regular sliced bacon is fine; choose a thicker cut if you want sturdier pieces in the finished soup. Pancetta can stand in, cooked until crisp, but it won’t bring the same smoky bacon flavor.
• Ground beef — The 85% lean beef gives the soup a meaty flavor and enough drippings to cook the vegetables. A leaner grind works, but leaves less fat in the pot and makes the beef taste a little less rich.
• Yukon Gold potatoes — Their creamy texture holds up well in a simmer without turning mealy. Red potatoes are a useful swap; cut them into the same-sized cubes, knowing they’ll taste a little less buttery.
• Sharp cheddar — Sharpness matters because the cheese has to stand up to beef, broth, and pickles. Buy a block and shred it yourself for the smoothest melt; Monterey Jack works in its place but makes the soup milder.
• Half-and-half — It gives the broth a creamy body without making the cheese flavor disappear. Whole milk works if that’s what you have, though the soup will be thinner and less rich.
• All-purpose flour — Cooking it briefly with the butter gives the broth a base that thickens evenly. For a gluten-free version, use the cornstarch method in the variation below rather than swapping in a flour blend without adjusting the method.

Build the Broth Before the Potatoes Go In

Render the Bacon, Then Brown the Beef

Cook the chopped bacon in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring now and then, until crisp. Move it to a paper towel-lined plate and leave about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pot. Add the ground beef, break it up as it cooks for 6–8 minutes, and brown it until it reaches 160°F; transfer it to a bowl and drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat. If the beef is still in large clumps, break those apart as it browns so they’ll be easy to spoon through the soup.

Soften the Vegetables and Cook the Flour

Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. The vegetables should look tender rather than browned; add the garlic and give it just 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in the butter until melted, then work in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the beef broth gradually so the flour disperses instead of forming lumps.

Simmer Until the Potatoes Yield Easily

Add the potatoes, salt, pepper, mustard, and pickle juice, then bring the soup to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat, and simmer for 12–15 minutes. Check a cube with a fork: it should slide in easily, but the potatoes should still hold their shape. If a cube is firm in the middle, keep simmering and check again rather than moving on with undercooked potatoes.

Finish Gently with Dairy, Cheese, and Pickles

Stir in the half-and-half and cooked beef, then cook over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, until the soup reaches 165°F. Keep it below a boil during this stage. Take the pot off the heat and gradually stir in the cheddar until melted, then add the chopped pickles, dill, and crisp bacon. The soup should look creamy, with the pickles and bacon still easy to spot throughout the bowl.

Easy Changes for a Different Bowl

Questions I Get Asked About This Cheeseburger Soup

Cheeseburger Soup with Bacon and Dill Pickles

Cheeseburger soup with bacon and dill pickles brings browned beef, crisp bacon, and tender potatoes together in a creamy cheddar broth. Dill pickles, pickle juice, and fresh dill add a tangy finish to this hearty stovetop soup.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 39 minutes mins

Total Time 59 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 770

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 6 bacon slices, chopped
• 1 lb ground beef 85% lean
• 1 yellow onion medium, diced
• 2 carrots medium, peeled and diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1.5 lb Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 0.5 tsp kosher salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 2 tbsp dill pickle juice
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 cup dill pickles finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped

Equipment

• 1 6-quart Dutch oven

Method

 

1. In a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp.
2. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pot.
3. Add the ground beef and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and it reaches 160°F.
4. Transfer the beef to a bowl and drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot.
5. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
6. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
7. Stir in the butter until melted.
8. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
9. Gradually whisk in the beef broth.
10. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper, mustard, and pickle juice.
11. Bring the soup to a boil.
12. Cover and simmer over low heat for 12–15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
13. Stir in the half-and-half and cooked beef.
14. Cook over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, until the soup reaches 165°F, without letting it boil.
15. Remove the pot from the heat.
16. Gradually stir in the cheddar until melted.
17. Stir in the chopped pickles, dill, and bacon.
18. Serve.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, gradually stir in the cheddar off the heat and avoid boiling the soup after adding dairy. Refrigerate leftovers for 3–4 days; freezing is not recommended because the dairy and cheese may separate. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.