Pre-Summer Comfort: Just 5 ingredients. I make it when I want dinner handled hours ahead of the cookout.

This 5-ingredient slow cooker cheeseburger soup is what I turn to when I want something cozy bubbling away long before everyone shows up for a pre-summer cookout. It has all the spirit of a Midwestern church-basement cheeseburger casserole, just in soup form, with browned ground beef, potatoes, and a golden, cheesy broth. I started making this years ago so I could have dinner handled hours ahead of the main grilling, and it’s become a little tradition—folks can grab a warm bowl while the burgers and brats are still just a promise on the patio.

Ladle this soup into sturdy bowls and top with a little extra shredded cheese if you like. It’s right at home next to a basket of buttered dinner rolls, cornbread, or even plain saltine crackers for crumbling. A simple green salad or a plate of sliced garden tomatoes and cucumbers balances the richness. If you’re serving it before a cookout, keep the bowls on the smaller side so people still have room for whatever comes off the grill.

Servings: 6

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80/20 or leaner)

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it into small crumbles as it cooks. Cook until no pink remains and the meat is nicely browned in spots, about 7–10 minutes. Drain off excess fat if there is a lot in the pan.

Add the diced onion to the browned beef in the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and begins to turn golden around the edges, about 3–5 minutes. This little bit of caramelizing gives the soup a deeper, homestyle flavor.

Transfer the browned beef and onion mixture to the slow cooker, spreading it out in an even layer on the bottom.

Add the frozen diced hash brown potatoes with peppers and onions to the slow cooker. There is no need to thaw them first; just pour them in and gently stir to combine with the beef and onion.

Pour the beef broth over the mixture in the slow cooker. Stir gently to make sure everything is evenly distributed and mostly submerged in the liquid.

Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours, or on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the liquid is hot and lightly thickened. The soup should look like a thick, golden broth with tender bits of meat and vegetables suspended throughout.

When the soup is hot and the potatoes are fully tender, reduce the heat to LOW (or switch to the KEEP WARM setting). Add 2 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese to the slow cooker, a handful at a time, stirring after each addition until the cheese is fully melted and the soup turns rich and golden. This may take 3–5 minutes of gentle stirring.

Taste the soup and, if desired, season lightly with salt and pepper from your pantry, keeping in mind that the cheese and broth already add saltiness. If the soup seems too thick, stir in a splash of water or additional broth; if it seems too thin, let it sit uncovered on LOW for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the soup in the slow cooker, cover, and let it sit for 5–10 minutes so the cheese melts into a soft, glistening layer on top. Serve the soup straight from the slow cooker, giving it a gentle stir as you ladle it into bowls.

If you’d like to stretch this soup a bit further, you can stir in an extra cup of beef broth or water and let it simmer on LOW until warmed through. For a touch of classic burger flavor without adding more ingredients, serve with mustard and ketchup on the table so folks can swirl in just a dab to their bowls. A spoonful of sour cream from the fridge on top of each serving cools the richness and gives it a little tang, much like a cheeseburger with a creamy sauce. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can lightly mash some of the tender potatoes right in the slow cooker with the back of a spoon to thicken the soup without adding anything else. For those watching fat, choose lean ground beef and drain it well after browning; you can also skim any fat that rises to the top of the soup as it cooks. Food safety tips: Always brown the ground beef thoroughly before it goes into the slow cooker; it should be fully cooked with no pink remaining and reach at least 160°F. Do not put raw ground beef directly into the slow cooker for this recipe. Keep the soup above 140°F if you are holding it for serving during a long afternoon; most slow cookers’ KEEP WARM setting will do this. Cool leftovers promptly—within 2 hours—by transferring them to shallow containers, then refrigerate and use within 3–4 days, reheating until steaming hot before serving again.