15 Instant Pot Cheeseburger Soup Recipes Ranked Best to Worst
This instant pot cheeseburger soup ranking compares 15 creamy, beefy versions to find the fastest route to a rich, cheesy weeknight bowl. If you love cheeseburger soup inspiration, start with our Cheeseburger Soup collection, then browse the full Cozy Soups & Chili hub for more.
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Beginner
Comparison
compared
Table of Contents
Option 1: Instant Pot Cheeseburger Soup
Instant pot cheeseburger soup takes the classic diner-style soup and puts it under pressure, turning raw potatoes and beef stock into a tender, well-seasoned base in just 5 minutes of cook time. Ground beef and bacon are browned directly in the pot, then carrots, celery and onion soften alongside them before the stock and potatoes go in for a single sealed cook. Once the pressure releases, milk and grated cheddar are stirred in off the heat to keep the sauce smooth rather than split. The whole method uses one pot and around 45 minutes start to finish, which is what makes it the version most home cooks reach for on a weeknight.
Option 2: The Classic Version
The classic cheeseburger soup, the one that predates the Instant Pot by decades, builds its body from a proper butter-and-flour roux rather than potato starch and pressure. Vegetables and beef simmer uncovered in stock for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are soft, then the roux is whisked in separately and stirred through to thicken the broth before the cheese goes in. It needs more attention at the hob, since a roux can turn lumpy or catch if it's left unstirred, but it rewards that attention with a silkier, more velvety texture. Home cooks who grew up with the older Pillsbury-style version of this soup usually mean this stovetop method.
Cost Comparison
Both versions cost almost the same to make: expect to pay around £9-£11 for a 6-serving batch using minced beef, a bag of potatoes, a block of cheddar and basic pantry seasoning, working out to roughly £1.60 per bowl. The Instant Pot version has a slight edge because it uses less stock, 700 ml versus up to 1 litre for a longer stovetop simmer, since some liquid evaporates during an uncovered cook, and needs no extra butter for a roux. The classic version adds around 30-45 g of butter and 30-45 g of flour to the shopping list, a small but real cost most recipes don't mention. Neither method needs specialist ingredients, so the real cost difference comes down to how much stock and butter reduce or evaporate during cooking.
Taste and Texture
The Instant Pot version tastes noticeably more concentrated because the sealed pot doesn't let any stock evaporate, so every flavour from the beef, bacon and Worcestershire sauce stays in the pot. Its texture leans on the natural starch released from small-diced potatoes cooked under pressure, giving a slightly looser, brothier soup unless it's simmered a little longer at the end. The classic stovetop soup, thickened with a roux, is consistently silkier and clings to the spoon more, closer to a chowder than a broth. Side by side, tasters usually describe the Instant Pot version as beefier and the classic version as creamier, which comes down entirely to how each one is thickened.
Time and Effort
The Instant Pot method takes about 45 minutes total, but only 15 of those minutes need active attention, since the rest is sealed pressure cooking and a short quick release, so it's genuinely a set-and-check recipe. The classic stovetop version takes closer to 70-80 minutes, including a 20-25 minute simmer plus separate roux-making, and it needs someone at the hob nearly the whole time to prevent scorching or lumps. For a weeknight after work, that 25-35 minute time gap is significant. The trade-off is control: the stovetop method lets you adjust thickness and seasoning gradually as you go, while the Instant Pot locks in its seasoning before you can taste-test.
Best Choice by Situation
Choose the Instant Pot version for busy weeknights, batch cooking for the freezer base without the dairy stirred in yet, or when you only have one pot and 45 minutes to get dinner on the table. Choose the classic stovetop version for a lazy Sunday, when you want a thicker, chowder-style bowl, or when you're cooking for someone who prefers a smoother, more traditional texture. Both scale up easily to feed a crowd, though the Instant Pot version is safer for large batches since it doesn't need constant stirring to avoid a scorched pot. For most households cooking on a weekday, the Instant Pot version is the better everyday choice, with the stovetop version kept for when time isn't the deciding factor.
The Recipe
The Recipe We Recommend
15 min
30 min
45 min
6
Beginner
Ingredients 6 Person(s)
Directions
Step 1: Brown the beef and bacon
Set the Instant Pot to Sauté on high and add the bacon first, letting the fat render for 2 minutes. Add the 450 g (1 lb) ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, for 5-6 minutes until no pink remains and a meat thermometer inserted into the beef reads at least 71°C (160°F), the safe minimum internal temperature for ground beef. Drain off all but about 15 ml (1 tbsp) of the fat so the soup doesn't turn greasy, and season the meat with a pinch of salt and pepper as it browns.
Step 2: Soften the vegetables
Add the onion, carrots and celery to the pot with the beef and bacon still in it. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent and the carrots start to soften at the edges. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, watching closely so it doesn't catch and turn bitter.
Step 3: Deglaze and add the stock
Pour in about 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the beef stock and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to lift any browned bits; trapped fond can trigger the Instant Pot's Burn warning during pressure cooking. Add the remaining stock, the diced potatoes, garlic powder, smoked paprika and Worcestershire sauce, then stir everything to combine.
Step 4: Pressure cook
Lock the lid in place and set the valve to Sealing. Cook on Manual or Pressure Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes; the potatoes are cut small so they don't need longer. The pot will take roughly 10-12 minutes to build pressure before the timer starts counting down.
Step 5: Quick release and check the potatoes
Carefully turn the valve to Venting for a quick release, keeping hands and face clear of the steam. Once the pin drops, open the lid and pierce a potato cube with a fork; it should give with almost no resistance. If a few pieces are still firm, switch back to Sauté and simmer uncovered for 2 minutes.
Step 6: Stir in the milk and cheese
Switch the pot to Sauté on low or Keep Warm; the mixture must not boil once dairy goes in, or the cheese can turn grainy. Stir in the 240 ml (1 cup) milk, then add the grated cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding more. The soup should turn glossy and coat the back of a spoon within about 3 minutes.
Step 7: Rest and serve
Turn off the pot and let the soup sit uncovered for 5 minutes; it will thicken noticeably as it cools slightly and the potato starch settles. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with extra cheddar, crispy bacon bits and a scatter of chopped pickles or spring onion for that classic cheeseburger finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but hold back the milk and cheese until you reheat. Cook the beef, vegetable and potato base as normal, then cool and refrigerate it for up to 3 days before stirring in the dairy fresh on the hob or Sauté setting. Adding cheese and milk ahead of time and then reheating can cause the sauce to split or turn grainy, since dairy doesn't hold up well to being cooled and reheated twice. This make-ahead trick also means the flavours have more time to develop overnight.
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