Great Taste Coaster

OK, you are just going to have to trust me on this one. It sounds less than appealing. It sure doesn’t look so good in the picture. But really, it’s quite good and well worth trying. Really. I promise.

We made the Cheeseburger Soup from Cuisine at Home’s Splendid Soups & Spectacular Sides cookbook the other night and were pleasantly surprised. I think the key is to follow the recipe as written. The shoestring fries and chopped dill pickle at the end are far more than just garnish; they really make the dish.

It’s hard to describe the flavor of this one as anything other than “It tastes like a cheeseburger.” I think it’s mostly the ketchup, mustard and pickles that trigger that thought/reaction, but it’s definitely a good flavor. And the soup, while certainly not a light dinner, isn’t as heavy as you might expect.

Be sure to use lower-fat ground sirloin for this one rather than chuck, or the soup will end up greasy.

Try it. This is the manliest soup you’ll ever make. :)

Cheeseburger Soup

1 lb. ground sirloin
1 cup onion, diced
3/4 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrot, diced
1 tsp garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups russet potatoes, peeled, diced
1 tsp dried basil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1.5 cup whole milk
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup ketchup (Heinz!)
2 Tbsp yellow mustard (French’s!)
dill pickles

Brown beef in 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat, cooking until the meat begins to brown. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Saute for 10 minutes.

Stir in broth, potatoes, basil, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Melt 3 Tbsp butter in saucepan over medium heat, whisking in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add milk, whisking and scraping until smooth. Add mixture to soup and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer.

Add cheese, ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, and stir until cheese is melted. Serve with shoestring fries and chopped pickles.

Shoestring Fries

Cut peeled russet potatoes into thin strips. Fry in about 1/2 inch of 350° vegetable oil until golden, drain, and sprinkle with salt.