My husband came home last Tuesday absolutely drenched from the rain, and the first thing he said was “please tell me you’re making something warm.” I wasn’t planning on it, but one look at him standing there dripping in the doorway and I knew exactly what we needed.
This soup right here saved that entire evening. The kind of meal that makes you forget you were cold five minutes ago. Tender potato chunks swimming in the creamiest, cheesiest broth with little bites of seasoned ground beef throughout. It’s the kind of comfort that wraps around you like a blanket.
The smell alone while this was simmering had him hovering around the kitchen asking “is it ready yet?” three different times. And when I finally ladled it into bowls, he didn’t say a word for the first four bites. Just that satisfied silence that tells you everything.
**INGREDIENTS:**
• 1 lb ground beef
• 4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley for garnish
**INSTRUCTIONS:**
Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium heat until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. Remove and set aside.
In the same pot, melt the butter and sauté the onion until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir constantly for about a minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
Slowly pour in the beef broth while stirring to avoid lumps. Add the diced potatoes.
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
Stir the cooked ground beef back into the pot.
Pour in the milk and let it warm through for 2–3 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until it melts into a velvety, golden broth.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
He went back for seconds before I even finished my first bowl. That’s how you know it’s a keeper.