Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

By kayjayjohnson

Ingredients

• for the soup:
• 8 slices thick-cut bacon
• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 2 T. Lipton Onion Soup Mix
• 4 T. butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 16 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 c. reduced sodium beef broth (chicken broth is also fine, but we prefer the beef)
• 2 14.5-oz. cans diced fire roasted tomatoes (undrained)
• 2 10.75-oz. cans cheddar cheese soup
• 2 c. half and half
• 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 c. ketchup
• 1 T. prepared mustard
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. medium hot chili powder (We love the one from Penzeys!)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. Lawrys seasoned salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 c. light sour cream
• optional (but highly recommended!) garnishes:
• dill pickle chips
• shredded cheddar cheese
• for the toasted garlic buns:
• 1 dozen whole wheat dinner rolls, sliced
• butter
• Penzeys Sandwich Sprinkle (or your favorite garlic seasoning salt)

Preparation

Step 1

In a heavy pot with tall sides (a small to medium sized stock pot works great) over medium heat, fry the bacon. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Let cool, then roughly chop and set aside.

Drain the bacon grease and return pot to the burner. Add the hamburger, breaking it into smaller chunks. Sprinkle with Lipton Onion Soup mix and stir. Once the hamburger is thoroughly browned, remove to another plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Set aside.

Drain any hamburger grease from the pot and add the butter. Once it is mostly melted, add the onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Stir well. Cook until thoroughly softened, about 15 minutes.

Add the browned hamburger back to the pot, followed by the beef broth, tomatoes, cheddar cheese soup, half and half, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, Lawrys salt, and black pepper. Let the soup heat up as you occasionally stir it. Once hot, stir in the sour cream and chopped bacon. Let it cook another minute or so, then serve with a garnishing of dill pickle chips and shredded cheddar cheese, with toasted garlic buns for dipping.

For the toasted garlic buns…lightly butter the cut sides of each dinner roll. Sprinkle lightly with Penzeys Sandwich Sprinkle. Grill, cut/buttered side down, on a grill pan or griddle over medium-high heat until nicely browned.