Let’s think of three of the most comforting foods in existence:

1. Cheeseburgers. 2. Soup. 3. Pasta.

And how many of those did we manage to fit in this soup? All of them. Which is to say, it just might be the most comforting soup out there.

See, this soup isn’t for the faint of heart — It’s creamy. It’s cheesy. It’s very indulgent. It’s basically like a homemade hamburger helper style hug in a bowl and when you’re looking for that kind of comfort there’s no sense playing around. Cheeseburger Macaroni Soup is exactly where you turn.

Now I know a number of people are going to look at this picture of the ingredients and ask me one question:

Can I use something else instead of the Velveeta?

No. No, you can’t. Or at least, you can’t and then expect the same results. See, Velveeta melts like nobody’s business and it gives soup a velvety texture that cheddar just can’t replicate. In a soup like this, you just gotta go for it.

You’ll be so glad you did.

You simply want to brown up some ground beef and once it’s brown, stir in some butter. I know that sounds crazy but it’s because you’re about to toss in a bunch of vegetables followed by some flour to thicken things up. And I can promise you that butter and beef smells really good. Once those veggies (onions, carrots, and celery) are soft, you’ll start adding in some broth and then finally the macaroni which cooks right in the soup.

The cream and Velveeta get stirred in off the heat just to ensure things stay nice and smooth. And they shouldn’t give you any trouble, because Velveeta is made to melt.

You know how oftentimes when you have a “cheese” soup, it isn’t really all that cheesy? That’s not the case here. This is CHEESY. But it’s beefy too, and oh-so-creamy. And right when you thought it might be too indulgent, that chewy macaroni is there to carry you through. What I’m saying is, it’s comfort in a bowl if anything ever was.