Ultimate Cheeseburger Soup Diner Comfort in a Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
• 1 pound (450g) ground beef (80/20 blend recommended)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (approximately 1 cup/150g)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (approximately 1 cup/150g)
• 2 stalks celery, diced (approximately 1 cup/100g)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups (950 ml) beef broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce/411g) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup (240 ml) milk (whole milk recommended for richness)
• 12 ounces (340g) shredded cheddar cheese (sharp cheddar preferred for flavour)
• Cooked crumbled bacon (optional)
• Diced pickles (optional)
• Diced tomatoes (optional)
• Shredded lettuce (optional)
• Sour cream (optional)
• Chopped green onions (optional)