Servings: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef (or bison)
- ½ yellow onion, finely diced (1 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb. yellow, russet, or Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed clean and diced (1-2 medium-large potatoes, or 3 cups diced)
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced (1 ½ cups)
- 3 celery stalks, diced (1 cup)
- 32 ounces (4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth or beef broth
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (may substitute low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos)
- 1 ½ cups whole milk or half and half
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 strips bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch + ¼ cup cold water, optional to thicken
- Fine salt and black pepper
- Optional toppings: Fresh chopped parsley, diced or sliced dill pickles, diced red onion, additional bacon and cheese, a dash of ketchup or mustard, or crusty bread for dunking
Instructions
- Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Season with a dash of salt and pepper. Break up the meat as it cooks, using a large wooden spoon or a spatula. Cook until beef is cooked through and no longer pink, 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain excess liquid.
- To a large slow cooker, add the cooked beef mixture, potatoes, carrots, celery, broth, Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours (or until the potatoes are tender).
- To cook the bacon: Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until nice and crisp. Remove from heat and place on paper towels to drain. Once cooled, chop the bacon and set aside.
- About 30 minutes before serving, add the whole milk, cream cheese, and shredded cheese to the slow cooker, replace the lid and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and the soup is creamy.
- Optional step: To thicken the soup even more, in a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and cold water. Put the slow cooker on the high heat setting. Slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the soup, stirring as you pour it in. Replace the lid and cook another 15-30 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped bacon just before serving, reserving 2-3 tablespoons for topping. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with optional toppings and/or crusty bread for dipping.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe (1 1/4 cups)
- Calories: 490
- Fat: 25 g
- (Sat Fat: 15 g)
- Sodium: 890 mg
- Carbohydrate: 29 g
- (Fiber: 4 g
- Sugar: 9 g)
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 122 mg