This keto friendly, beefy Velveeta cheese soup makes a creamy, hearty meal. It’s a snap to make for weeknight dinners. By making our crock pot cheeseburger soup option, this cheese soup recipe is perfect for game day tailgating or football food for a Super Bowl party!
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The winter weather is getting colder, so now is the perfect time to try this easy dinner recipe.
This cheesy soup is a delicious combination of two of our favorite game day foods – Rotel dip and chili con carne.
Ground beef, diced Rotel tomatoes, and Velveeta cheese combine to create a fantastic soup that tastes like you’re eating soup and a burger! You can make it in less than 30 minutes on the stovetop, or 5-7 hours in a slow cooker.
Reasons We Love Velveeta Cheese Soup
- Budget Friendly – There are just 5 simple, low cost ingredients in this recipe, and you may even have all of them on hand already!
- Feeds a Crowd. This creamy, beefy, cheesy soup is ideal for feeding a hungry crowd.
- Two Cooking Options – Stovetop and Crockpot!
It’s easy and quick to make Velveeta cheese soup on your stove. But when you have a busy night coming up, assemble your crockpot cheeseburger soup in the morning before heading out. You’ll have a readymade dinner when you get home.
- Kid Friendly – It features familiar ingredients and flavors that even picky eaters will enjoy. (I mean, who doesn’t love creamy soup and burgers?) And you can easily adjust the spiciness to make it as spicy or mild as your family likes it.
- Keto Friendly – If you are on a keto diet, this keto cheeseburger soup will become one of your favorites!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
With only 5 ingredients, it’s a simple and budget friendly soup recipe. So, the next time you want to warm up on major comfort food, make this cheese soup recipe. We recommend serving it in homemade bread bowls!
- Rotel diced tomatoes – This is simply petite diced tomatoes with green chiles. Feel free to use regular diced tomatoes if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Ground beef – We use 85% lean ground beef. To reduce the calories and fat, you can use ground turkey or chicken.
- Velveeta – This is processed cheese, so it is higher in carbs than unprocessed cheeses.
For Keto Cheeseburger Soup
To reduce the carbs and make a keto cheeseburger soup, simply substitute 8 ounces of cream cheese and 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese for the Velveeta.
Equipment Used for Making Velveeta Soup
- Soup pot with lid or Slow Cooker
- Bowl – for serving
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Adjusting the Creaminess and Spiciness
As written, this recipe makes a thick and hearty cheeseburger soup.
For a thinner soup, add 1 cup of beef broth to your ingredients list.
For a spicier flavor, use Original Rotel. We use mild Rotel for just a hint of spiciness.
Making Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup
- For making keto cheeseburger soup in a crock pot, you will also need a large pot or skillet.
Start off by browning the ground beef in a skillet or pot over medium heat. When it’s about cooked through, add the onions, then the garlic.
IMPORTANT!
If you skip the step of browning the meat before slow cooking, your cheeseburger soup will be very greasy.
Turn the heat down to medium-simmer, and cook until the meat is completely browned and the onions are translucent.
Drain any excess grease through a fine mesh strainer, then add the mixture to your crock pot, along with the remaining ingredients.
- Crock pot cheeseburger soup should be cooked on LOW setting.
Set it to cook for 5-7 hours at low heat. Using the HIGH setting is not recommended, as the cheeses can scorch.
You are better off using the stovetop to prepare the soup, then keep it warm in the slow cooker.
When it’s ready, serve it alone or with your favorite garnishes. I like to top it with diced mild chiles and fresh cilantro.
Before you know it, you’re digging into a bowl of this delicious and creamy cheesy hamburger soup! Your family will love this recipe, especially on cool, rainy days.
Recipe Variations
This Velveeta soup recipe is pretty simple, as written. But there are a few ways you could change it up if you wanted to:
- Add veggies! Include some diced celery or green bell pepper to the beef while it’s browning. If you want, you can even substitute canned or frozen corn for the Rotel tomatoes.
- Increase the spiciness. If you want more spice, add a tablespoon or two of diced jalapeño peppers to the soup.
- Make it heartier. Add a can of black beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans to the soup to increase the fiber and protein. Or, add cooked potatoes for a cheeseburger chowder.
Serving Suggestions
This beefy Velveeta soup is perfect with a side of biscuits! We recommend our Cheddar Jalapeño Biscuits, Easy 3 Ingredient Biscuits, or Easy Drop Biscuits recipes.
We like to serve it with extra toppings, like guacamole, a dollop of sour cream or cream cheese, and fresh chopped parsley.
How to Store Leftovers
Velveeta soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Just put it in an airtight container and it will last in the fridge for a few days.
When you want to reheat it, I recommend doing so on the stovetop. Heat it over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s hot throughout.
You could also reheat it in the microwave, but be aware that the cheese may become stringy. If you don’t mind that, then, by all means, reheat away!
Freezing Velveeta Cheese Soup
To freeze the cheese soup, first let it cool completely. Then, transfer it to a freezer-safe container. We suggest using freezer-safe storage bags or plastic containers with lids.
PRO TIP
Be sure to leave some headspace at the top of the bag to allow the soup to expand.
The night before you want to serve it, thaw the frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight. Then, reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it’s hot throughout.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t recommend adding the ground beef without browning it first. If you like set it and forget it slow cooker recipes, brown a batch of ground beef and then separate it into smaller freezer bags. Then you can add it to the slow cooker for recipes like this slow cooker cheese soup recipe.
You can use diced tomatoes and diced green chiles instead of the Rotel. You can also substitute generic brands of Rotel-style diced tomatoes and green chiles. It doesn’t have to be the Rotel brand.
Beefy Velveeta Cheese Soup (Keto Friendly!)
Equipment
- Slow Cooker or Soup pot with lid
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 20 ounces Rotel Mild diced tomatoes undrained (see post for substitutions)
- 1 pound Velveeta Cheese cut into cubes (see post for substitutions)
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Stove Top Instructions
- In a medium dutch oven or soup pot, brown the beef, onions, and garlic; drain fat off.
- Add Rotel and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Add a lid to the pot, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in Velveeta until it melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with crushed corn chips, cheese, or even bacon bits. Leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Crock Pot Instructions
- Brown the beef, onions, and garlic in a skillet. Drain fat and add to the crockpot. Add the rest of the ingredients, and cook on low for 5-7 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
- Garnish with crushed corn chips, cheese, or even bacon bits. Leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
This post, originally published October 2019, was updated with new content and republished in January 2023.
What can I do to reduce so much sodium?
I recommend using no salt tomatoes, and skipping the salt in the recipe. You can further reduce sodium by using the Velveeta cheese substitution (shown in the blog post under substitutions) of 8 ounces of cream cheese and 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.