5-Ingredient Crockpot Cheeseburgers

These crockpot cheeseburgers are delicious! And they are over the top versatile. You can cook them in the crockpot or on the stovetop. As a freezer meal, you can freeze them before or after cooking. Or change up the flavors just by tossing in a bit of spice or changing your flavor of the cheese. Heck, you can swap the meat as well. 'Cause ground sausage and leftover chicken work too!

These and a few other sandwich meals like it have become our go to recipes around here. Not because I don't use my slow cooker(s), I do...there are in an insane amount of recipes coming out in the next couple months... I mean cause of the HEAT.

There are times even grilling is just too much to deal with. So I started experimenting with all sorts of different crock pot sandwiches. This one is one of those.

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Crockpot Cheeseburger Versatility

Here are the details on how to make and change and use this meat filling. If you come up with any other ideas...let me know! I'd love to include it :)

Hybrid Crockpot Meals

Cooking Crockpot Cheeseburgers in the Crockpot

The easiest way to make these crockpot cheeseburgers is with a bit of planning ahead. If the meat is pre-made, then you can toss this yumminess either in the skillet or in the slow cooker. The crockpot comes in handy for multiple reasons...the stove top is quicker but the filling doesn't have as much time to cook together.

It's also super handy if you're feeding a crowd. You can make an insane amount of this filling in one crockpot...like enough for 16 to 20 sandwiches. It can cook while you are doing other stuff then you just freeze it. So next time you're having a party, watching the game or doing a pot luck...here you go.

1. Make-Ahead Slow Cooker Ground Beef is your first ingredient. If you don't want to go that route, then brown the mixture in the skillet. You need 2 servings of the make-ahead meat. From scratch that is 2 pounds of ground beef, 1 minced onion and 2 to 3 garlic cloves. You do NOT have to add the onion and garlic, that's a personal choice of mine. We eat it in everything...
2. You'll need cheese. You can use just about any kind you want. I used the original Velveeta. You can use any sort though. regular cheeses will take a bit more stirring...and a bit more evaporated milk.
   • So cheese variation wise you can choose all sorts of flavors here. If you stick with Velveeta...you've got original, Mex and queso and jalapeno. those are off the top of my head, there are probably more by now.
   • You can also use any sort of shredded cheese. And here, your variations for these crockpot cheeseburgers have just sky-rocketed. We're moving into the realm of never being bored with that plain old sandwich again!
3. The second cheese is the cream cheese flavor. You'll need a canister of cream cheese. The flavored cream cheeses by Philadelphia add a bit more zip. If you can find it, just use a block of cream cheese that's been softened. Dicing it up works a bit better than what I did in the pictures. Just FYI.
   • Cream cheese variations include Onion and Chive, Jalapeno, Garden Vegetable, and Olive.
4. Evaporated Milk is the last main ingredient. How much you'll need will vary depending on what sort of cheese from #2 you use. AND if you intend to freeze it. Freezing it, seems you need a bit more milk if you are freezing it after cooking. It tends to thicken up a lot.

Stovetop Method for Busy Day Meals

Of course, this recipe can be made on the stovetop. It's very easy and not much different than making sloppy joes.

• Upside to the stovetop version, super quick. Busy, busy days call for this at times :)
• A downside, it's just not as tasty. Something about the slow cooker allows almost any recipe you make and toss in to meld the flavors so much more.
• The stove top version is very easy and as follows...toss in and fry the meat (with or without onion and garlic, your choice). Turn the burner to low and add your choice of cheeses. Cover and cook until the cheeses melt.

Pinnable & Printable for Crockpot Cheeseburgers

Freezer Directions Printable Recipe

For this recipe, you'll need to start with precooked hamburger. A long time ago I actually tried crockin' raw hamburger meat with other foods. It was one of the grossest things I've ever seen. The dogs literally wouldn't eat it. It was horrid. So, that's just FYI and please learn from my mistake there. But since then, I've learned from that mistake and I'm going to plug the make-ahead ground beef mix recipe.

It really can be an awesome CYA sort of thing. It will cook itself overnight too. So consider looking into it. You can always pre-cook a bunch in the skillet too, that's just going to require a bit of babysitting. So whichever you decide to do a bunch of precooked ground beef bagged up and waiting in the freezer...that's just a good thing to have around.

Recipe

5-Ingredient Crockpot Cheeseburgers

Gwen

You'll generally get 4 servings per 1 pound of meat you use for these crockpot cheeseburgers. Changing your cheeses makes this a recipe that'll never get boring. Using it as a freezer meal makes your life easier. Win-Win!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 serving of pre-cooked ground beef + 1 med diced onion ~or~ 1 serving make-ahead crockpot ground beef
• 8 ounces Velveeta or any shredded cheeses flavors you want
• 1 canister Onion & Chive cream cheese
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup evaporated milk

Instructions

 

• Toss everything in the bag.
• Partially zip the bag and squeeze out as much air as possible and seal.
• Label with contents and date cooked or "use by" date, your choice (good up to 3 months)

To Cook in the Slow Cooker:

• Defrost at least 30 minutes on the counter or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Dump the contents in your crock pot.
• Cover and cook on low for 2 to 4 hours until the cheeses are melted.
• Serve on buns

To Cook in the Skillet:

• Two options here in the beginning...
• You can start with make-ahead ground beef via the crock pot ground beef recipe or the make-ahead freezer ground beef skillet method (either will need defrosted in the refrigerator for a few hours)
• OR
• Cook the ground beef and minced onion in a skillet over medium heat until cooked and no longer pink. Stir and chop frequently.
• Add the minced garlic and cooked another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Drain the grease off the meat and turn the heat to low.
• Add the cheeses and milk the skillet, cover and allow the cheeses to melt (2 to 5 minutes, depending on the type of skillet and the heat it inducts).
• Stir to combine and serve on buns or in wraps.

Want to Save Even More Time?

• Pre-cook everything. These crockpot cheeseburgers freeze GREAT! Just pre-cook according to the recipe directions above, cool and freeze. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. You can warm it up in a skillet or in the crockpot. Or even the microwave. How's that one for a 5-minute meal!

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!