1 lb. ground beef
2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
2 teaspoons dried thyme, divided
6 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons flour
8 cups chicken broth
8 oz. uncooked elbow macaroni
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
4 sesame seed buns, diced into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
Garnish:
sliced green onion, for garnish
shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place sesame seed bun cubes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Bake for 10 minutes or until crispy on the outside.
Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add ground beef, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon thyme, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Brown the beef, crumbling with a spatula until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.
Heat butter in the same large pot over medium heat (no need to wipe it out or drain the grease).
Add onion, carrots, celery, and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, the remaining 1 teaspoon oregano, and the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, and cook for another minute.
Then add flour and stir to coat veggies. Cook for one more minute, stirring frequently.
Add a splash of chicken broth to deglaze the pot, scraping all the yummy bits off the bottom. Stir in the remaining chicken broth and macaroni noodles along with another pinch of salt and pepper.
Turn heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer.
Once it begins to simmer, turn heat to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes or pasta is al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Remove soup from heat. Stir in heavy cream and shredded cheese.
Then add the white balsamic vinegar.
Add cooked ground beef back into the pot. Heat the soup over medium heat for a couple minutes, until the beef is heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve soup with sesame seed bun croutons and garnish with green onions and shredded cheddar cheese and enjoy!
EQUIPMENT
measuring cup
NOTES
Shred your own cheese. Freshly shredded cheese melts better and will give you a smoother texture. It’s worth the extra few minutes of prep! Pre-shredded cheeses are coated in cellulose which helps prevent them from clumping but also means they won’t melt as well.
This cheeseburger chowder will thicken as it cools. Feel free to add an extra splash or two of broth of cream to loosen it up.
NUTRITION
Serving Size:Calories: 465Sugar: 4.3 gSodium: 1175.7 mgFat: 26.3 gSaturated Fat: 15.2 gCarbohydrates: 31.3 gFiber: 2.2 gProtein: 25.7 gCholesterol: 106.8 mg
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