Pour chicken broth over ground beef, plus 3 ingredients, into slow cooker for a creamy meal that’s the one everyone asks for

This slow cooker 5-ingredient Amish-style cheeseburger soup is exactly the kind of recipe I lean on during busy workweeks: minimal chopping, no browning, and the slow cooker does the heavy lifting. The base idea feels like something you’d find at a small-town church potluck—simple pantry staples that turn into a creamy, cozy bowl everyone goes back for seconds of. You literally pour chicken broth over raw ground beef, toss in three more ingredients, and let it simmer into a rich, cheesy soup that tastes like a deconstructed cheeseburger. It’s weeknight-friendly, budget-friendly, and the kind of meal my friends always ask me to bring when the weather turns chilly.

Serve this cheeseburger soup piping hot in deep bowls with a sprinkle of extra shredded cheese on top. It pairs perfectly with crusty bread, buttered dinner rolls, or even garlic toast for dunking. I like to add a simple green salad or sliced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes on the side to balance the richness. For a fun, burger-night twist, set out toppings like dill pickle chips, green onions, or a drizzle of ketchup and mustard so everyone can customize their bowl. It also reheats well, so it’s great for meal prep lunches with a side of crackers or a small fruit cup.

Servings: 6

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80–90% lean, raw)

Place the raw ground beef in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Gently break it up with a spoon or your hands into large chunks so it can cook evenly, but don’t worry about crumbling it completely.

Pour the chicken broth evenly over the raw ground beef in the slow cooker, making sure all of the meat is moistened. This is the base that will gently cook the beef and turn into a flavorful soup.

Add the condensed cream of potato soup and the condensed cheddar cheese soup directly to the slow cooker. Do not dilute the soups with water. Stir gently, just enough to combine the soups and broth around the beef while still leaving the meat in small chunks.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the ground beef is fully cooked through and breaks apart easily when stirred. Halfway through the cooking time, give the soup a quick stir to help the beef finish breaking up and to keep everything cooking evenly.

Once the beef is cooked and the soup looks thick and creamy, stir in the shredded cheddar cheese a handful at a time until melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper if desired (the canned soups and cheese are salty, so taste before adding).

Ladle the hot cheeseburger soup into bowls and serve immediately. If you like, top each bowl with extra shredded cheese, chopped green onions, or a few pickle slices for a classic cheeseburger vibe.

For a slightly lighter version, you can use 93% lean ground beef and reduced-fat condensed soups, though the texture will be a bit less rich. If you want more veggies without adding extra ingredients to the main 5, stir in a cup of frozen mixed vegetables or frozen diced hash browns during the last hour of cooking. To stretch the soup for more people, add 1 extra cup of chicken broth and serve it over cooked egg noodles or rice. For a bacon cheeseburger twist, sprinkle cooked, crumbled bacon over each bowl right before serving. If you prefer a thicker, stew-like texture, leave the lid off for the last 20–30 minutes on HIGH to let some liquid evaporate, or mash a few of the potato bits from the cream of potato soup against the side of the slow cooker to naturally thicken it. This soup also holds up well for meal prep—cool completely, refrigerate in airtight containers, and reheat gently over low heat on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or milk if it gets too thick.