First Step: Prepare Ingredients Gather all ingredients, dice the onion, slice carrots and celery, mince garlic, and shred cheddar cheese. Dice sesame seed buns if making croutons. Measure flour, broth, and pasta for easy cooking.

Second Step: Make Croutons Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss diced sesame seed buns with olive oil and salt, spread onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden and crispy. Set aside.

Third Step: Brown the Ground Beef In a large pot over medium heat, brown ground beef with 1 teaspoon each of oregano and thyme, salt, and pepper. Break up beef as it cooks until fully browned. Remove meat and set aside, leaving rendered fat in pot.

Fourth Step: Sauté Vegetables Add olive oil or butter to pot if needed. Sauté diced onion, carrots, and celery with salt and pepper until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, remaining oregano and thyme; cook another minute until fragrant.

Fifth Step: Create Soup Base Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stirring constantly to coat and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze pot with a splash of chicken broth, scraping browned bits. Add remaining broth and uncooked elbow macaroni, season with salt and pepper, and bring to simmer over medium-high heat.

Sixth Step: Simmer and Thicken Lower heat to a gentle simmer. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until macaroni is al dente and soup thickens slightly.

Seventh Step: Add Cream and Cheese Remove pot from heat, stir in heavy cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and balsamic vinegar until cheese melts and soup is creamy.

Final Step: Combine and Serve Return cooked ground beef to pot and warm over low heat briefly. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot topped with homemade sesame seed croutons, sliced green onions, and extra shredded cheddar cheese for garnish.