Hearty Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Preheat a large skillet over high heat, cooking ground beef until it reaches a dark brown color and has crumbled into small pieces, taking around 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the cooked ground beef from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set it aside, discarding any excess fat.

In a separate 3-quart saucepan, cook the bacon over high heat until it's evenly browned and crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the saucepan with a slotted spoon and place it on paper towels to drain excess fat. Leave the remaining bacon grease in the saucepan.

Sauté sliced carrots, chopped celery, and diced onion in the bacon grease over high heat until they're tender, taking around 10 minutes. Add some chicken broth, diced potatoes, and the previously cooked ground beef to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover it, letting it simmer until the potatoes are tender, taking around 10 to 12 minutes.

While the soup is cooking, clean out the skillet you used earlier and melt some butter in it. Whisk in flour to create a smooth paste, cooking it over high heat and stirring frequently until it's bubbly and slightly thickened, taking around 3 to 5 minutes.

Carefully whisk some milk into the flour-butter mixture until it's well combined and very smooth. Pour this milk mixture into the soup, whisking to combine, and bring it to a boil. Simmer the soup for about 2 minutes, then add some shredded Cheddar cheese and stir until it's melted. Season the soup with some dried basil, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Remove the soup from heat. Ladle it into bowls and sprinkle with crispy bacon and additional shredded Cheddar cheese.