When I first heard about this recipe I thought there was no way it could taste like one of my favorite fast food sandwiches. Then when I added the jar of dill relish this pot of soup started to smell exactly like a Big Mac. I couldn’t believe it!
And the flavor- this soup is creamy, meaty, pickle-y, and just all around good. And, somehow it manages to taste a lot like the burger we all know and love.
For the cheese we’re using American cheese just like is used for most fast food burgers. You can use either the white or orange variety but you’ll need to take steps to keep it from clumping together in the hot soup.
The easiest way to do this is buy a block of American cheese from the deli. Pop it in the freezer and then once it’s hard shred it.
You can also use singles but you’ll need to break them up before adding them to the rest of the soup. And, it’s best if you add the cheese in portions, stirring in between each addition.
If you end up still having some melted chunks a few pulses of a stick blender can help break them up. If you want a really smooth soup you can keep going but I love the texture of the beef and lettuce so I wouldn’t aim for a perfectly smooth soup.
To keep this lower carb you leave the croutons off as a topping, but to me they add that “bun” element that really makes this soup taste more like a Big Mac.
This soup is filling and tasty- everything you could want for an easy weeknight dinner. If you’re. Big Mac fan this soup might just become one of your favorites.
Big Mac Soup
Yield(s): Serves 8-10
15m prep time
25m cook time
395 calories
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (8 oz) jar dill relish, undrained
- 1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 head of lettuce, shredded, plus extra for garnish
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 2-3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 14 oz American cheese, shredded
- croutons for serving
Preparation
- In large stockpot on medium heat brown ground beef with onions, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from pan and drain. Add butter to pan and melt. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in broth slowly until no chunks remain. Add beef and onions back to pan along with salt, pepper, relish, tomatoes, tomato paste, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard.
- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add lettuce, milk, and cheese and cover. Remove from heat and stir to combine. Allow to sit until cheese is fully melted. Optional: for smoother soup use a metal stick blender and pulse until soup is desired texture.
- Serve with croutons and shredded lettuce on top.
Recipe adapted from A Sutherland Belle.