Name: Carnivore Cheeseburger Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 1 lb = 450 g ground beef; 2 cups = 470 ml bone broth; 7 oz = 200 g freshly shredded Cheddar; 3 pastured egg yolks; unrefined sea salt to taste

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Now that the weather has turned chilly, my Carnivore Cheeseburger Pie sounded like just the thing for a satisfying dinner. Then I looked at my schedule. I didn’t have time to heat the oven, let alone bake a pie. But I did have time to put its cheeseburger flavors into a soup pot and make a quick, hot dinner.

Ground beef and Cheddar were obvious choices for the soup, but I had to decide what would be the liquid base. Heavy cream would have made the soup richer, yet there was already dairy in the cheese. I wanted to avoid adding more.

Instead, I used bone broth as the base and egg yolks to thicken the soup and add richness. They also helped make it the nourishing meal I had in mind. It turned out so satisfying and tasty that salt was the only seasoning it needed. I was prepared to rummage through the spice cupboard, but one taste convinced me to leave it alone.

If your spice cupboard is feeling neglected, don’t worry. As usual, I’ve included my best ideas for seasonings and other variations at the end of the post.

How to Make This Carnivore Cheeseburger Soup

This soup is pretty easy to make once you know a couple of things to watch for. Don’t worry — I’ll walk you through each step:

Brown 1 lb (450 g) of ground beef in a skillet…

…crumbling it into small pieces as it browns. Use a little tallow or butter for frying if needed.

Here we go.

Transfer the cooked beef to a medium saucepan.

Pour in 2 cups (470 ml) of bone broth.

Add a little unrefined sea salt, depending how salty your bone broth is.

Mix well…

…and bring the soup to a simmer.

Place 3 pastured egg yolks in a small bowl.

Slowly whisk in about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the hot soup, adding a little at a time.

This helps prevent the yolks from scrambling when you add them to the saucepan.

Turn off the heat. Add 7 oz (200 g) of freshly shredded Cheddar to the saucepan, reserving a little for garnish if you like.

Stir…

…until the cheese has melted.

Pour in the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly.

Warm the soup over low heat, still stirring, until it thickens slightly. Don’t let it boil.

Ready! Taste and add more salt if needed.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved Cheddar.

Yum!

Here’s the recipe for you to enjoy:

Carnivore Cheeseburger Soup

Yield: 1—4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

If your spice cupboard is feeling neglected, don’t worry. As usual, I’ve included my best ideas for seasonings and other variations at the end of the post.

Ingredients

1 lb = 450 g ground beef
2 cups = 470 ml bone broth
7 oz = 200 g freshly shredded Cheddar
3 pastured egg yolks
unrefined sea salt to taste

Instructions

Brown the ground beef in a skillet, crumbling it into small pieces while cooking. (Use tallow or butter for frying, if needed.) Transfer the cooked ground beef into a medium saucepan.
Pour in the bone broth and the salt. Bring to a simmer.
Place the egg yolks into a small bowl. Whisk lightly.
Slowly whisk in about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the hot soup, adding a little at a time. This step prevents the yolks from scrambling when added to the soup.
Turn off the heat. Add the cheese to the saucepan. Stir until all the cheese has melted.
Finally, add the egg yolks, stirring all the time.
Warm the soup over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens a bit. Do not boil!
Taste the soup and add salt if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with shredded Cheddar.

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Tips for Variations

I love this soup with just unrefined sea salt, but there’s no reason every pot has to taste exactly the same. If you add seasonings, start with a small amount: the Cheddar and browned beef already bring plenty of flavor. Keep in mind that seasonings and some of the additions below will make the soup no longer strictly carnivore.

Bacon cheeseburger soup

Cook 4–6 slices of bacon until crisp. Crumble the bacon and sprinkle it over the finished soup so it stays crisp. You can also brown the ground beef in a little of the bacon fat. Taste before adding salt, as bacon and Cheddar may provide enough on their own.

Try another cheese

Replace the Cheddar with the same amount of freshly shredded Gouda for a milder soup, or use Swiss cheese for a stronger and tangier flavor. For a sharper bite, try a mix of Cheddar and Parmesan, using about 6 oz (170 g) Cheddar and 1 oz (30 g) finely grated Parmesan. Whichever cheese you choose, turn off the heat before stirring it in.

Blue cheese burger soup

Replace 2 oz (55 g) of the Cheddar with crumbled blue cheese. Stir it in with the remaining Cheddar after turning off the heat. Taste before adding salt, since blue cheese can be quite salty. If you’re a fan of bold flavors, top each bowl with crispy bacon, too.

Swap the meat

Ground pork makes a rich, tasty soup, while ground turkey gives you a lighter version. Brown either one thoroughly before adding it to the saucepan. If you use lean turkey, a little butter or tallow when browning helps give it more flavor. Ground lamb also works if you’d like a bolder-tasting soup; I’d pair it with a milder cheese such as Gouda.

Classic cheeseburger seasonings

For a familiar cheeseburger flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder to the broth. Let the soup simmer briefly before adding the egg yolks and cheese. These seasonings are low-carb, but they aren’t carnivore — although many carnivores are able to include some seasonings in their diet, so you do you.

Mustard and black pepper

Stir 1/2 teaspoon of mustard powder and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper into the broth. The mustard gives the Cheddar a little lift without making the soup taste strongly of mustard.

Smoky cheeseburger soup

Add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika to the broth. For an even smokier version, top the finished soup with crispy bacon. Taste before adding more salt.

Herby cheeseburger soup

Add 1 teaspoon of dried Italian herb mix or Herbes de Provence with the broth and let it simmer briefly with the beef. Choose a mix without added sugar; if your Herbes de Provence contains lavender, start with 1/2 teaspoon so it doesn’t take over the soup.

Closing Thoughts

My oven got the evening off, and I got a hot bowl of cheeseburger soup. I’d call that a good arrangement. A warm bowl of soup at the end of a busy day feels especially good right now.

The fall school holiday has started, and as this post goes live, I’m taking my son to my mom’s for a few days. He’ll have a change of scene, and my mom will take over the cooking for a bit. I love making his meals, including food for school, but a short break from meal planning will give me more time to catch up on my own work. Everyone wins!

If you make the soup, I’d love to hear what you think. And if you come up with a variation I haven’t mentioned, tell me about that too. My notebook is always open to another good soup idea.