This creamy Beer and Cheese Soup recipe makes the most decadently rich and cheesy soup. Pour yourself a bowl of beer cheese soup and see what easy comfort food is all about!
Creamy Beer Cheese Soup
Whether it’s soup season, football season or just a regular dinner night at home, this creamy soup is sure to satisfy your comfort food cravings. If you are not a beer fan or a huge fan of soup in general, the smoky and cheesy flavor of this hearty soup will be enough to make you want to make it again and again.
What Does Beer and Cheese Soup Taste Like?
Beer and cheese soup tastes cheesy, with a subtle smoky flavor from a small amount of smoked cheddar cheese and crispy bacon, a mild hint of beer and a bit of zest from the addition of jalapeño pepper. As for texture, this decadent soup has a rich feel and a silky texture that balances the subtle crunch of the crispy bacon.
Just like our easy Beer Cheese Dip, you can serve this dish with some toasted bread or with Homemade Soft Pretzels.
What is Beer Soup Made of?
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the full list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.
- Beer: Although this cheddar beer soup can be made with any kind of beer, I usually choose a medium-bodied beer like a golden to amber pale ale. Pale ale has a lighter taste than a darker beer like stout, but it’s not as light as a Bud Light. If you worry about the alcohol content of this comforting soup, you can use a non-alcoholic beer (flavor may vary slightly depending on brand).
- Cheese: We added some interest to this cozy soup by combining sharp cheddar cheese, Gruyere cheese and smoked cheddar. Although we love this combination of flavors, using a single cheese type like sharp cheddar, gives this soup plenty of cheese flavor! For best results, use good quality cheese from a block of cheese. If you are on a tight budget, pre-shredded cheese will work too without much impact on texture or flavor.
- Chicken Broth / Chicken Stock: This ingredient can be substituted with vegetable stock. I don’t usually substitute broth with water because I like building layer upon layer of flavor.
- Butter: The recipe calls for unsalted butter to make a roux which thickens the soup but salted butter can also be used. Taste the soup before seasoning it with additional salt.
- Half and Half: This ingredient gives this cheesy beer soup a rich taste and a very creamy consistency with less calories and less fat than heavy cream. It’s like a nice compromise between using heavy cream and regular milk – (which can be used but will produce a less creamier soup, lighter).
- Fresh Jalapeño Pepper: Once in a while you get a super spicy jalapeño which can add some heat to the soup; however, a small jalapeño, seeded is most likely to add some zest and not a lot of heat. For a spicier soup, use fresh serrano pepper or your favorite hot sauce. If preferred, skip the jalapeño altogether.
Other Helpful Substitutions
- Reduce the amount of calories and dairy in this recipe by using plant-based oat milk. The soup won’t be as rich but equally delicious.
- Use cayenne pepper instead of fresh chilies.
- Use (yellow) sharp cheddar as your main cheese and combine it with sharp white cheddar for a different flavor profile.
- Use smoked gouda cheese instead of smoked cheddar.
- Make this delicious beer cheese soup gluten-free. Instead of a wheat beer choose a gluten-free beer option and gluten-free flour.
- Garnish the soup with scallions or green onions
How to Make Beer and Cheddar Soup?
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer it to a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess fat.
- Leave about two tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pan, lower the heat to medium heat and sauté the onion, celery and jalapeño until softened. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until aromatic.
- In the same pot, melt butter and sprinkle the flour to make a roux. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the roux begins to get lightly browned.
- Gradually, pour in the beer, stirring until the mixture starts thickening. Add the chicken broth slowly, while stirring constantly, then add the half and half and mix to combine. Bring to a gentle bubble, lower the heat and simmer.
- Gradually, sprinkle in the Gruyere and smoked cheddar cheese, mixing after each addition, until the cheese is fully melted. Next, gradually add the sharp cheddar cheese, mixing after each addition until the cheese melts.
- Add half of the cooked bacon into the soup, reserving the remaining bacon to use as a topping. Season to taste. Serve garnished with bacon and fresh thyme (optional.)
Tips For Success
- Cook the roux for a couple of minutes to get rid of the starchy taste of raw flour.
- After making the roux, pour in the beer a little bit at a time while stirring constantly, to prevent any lumps. Do the same when adding the broth.
- Remove the soup from the heat before adding the cheese.
- Add the cheese a bit at a time, stirring between each addition. Add additional cheese once the previous addition has melted.
- For a super smooth soup, don’t stir in the bacon. Simply add it as a topping.
- Serve the soup as a main course or as a starter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my Beer Cheese Soup Curdle?
Curdling usually happens because the soup is too hot when you add the cheese. The protein structure in cheese literally falls apart, breaking the emulsion and leaving you with a greasy pool of oil and cheese curds. This can also happen if you allow the soup to boil after adding all the dairy.
How Do you Fix Curdled Beer Cheese?
Trying to fix a broken cheese sauce or soup may work sometimes but, there are times when nothing but a miracle can bring back a broken emulsion . So first, let’s talk about preventing the cheese soup from curdling or breaking in the first place:
- Remove the soup from the heat before adding the cheese.
- Don’t let the soup boil after adding dairy. The hotter the soup gets, the grittier it becomes.
- Replace some of the cheese used in the soup with processed American cheese or Velveeta. Even though I am not a big fan of this type of cheese, I am very aware about the fact that they simply don’t break or curdle. As an added bonus, Velveeta adds a super creamy texture to this beer cheddar soup.
To fix curdled soup you need to try to re-emulsify the mixture. This usually requires a lot of elbow grease. Here are a few options worth trying when trying to fix a broken soup or sauce.
- Add a splash of cold heavy cream or half and half to the hot soup while continuously whisking vigorously. Make sure that the ingredient added has a high fat content (2%, fat-free milk and broth won’t work).
- With the soup over low heat, add an ice cube and whisk away. The shock of the temperature change may just work!
- Add a teaspoon of lemon juice and whisk vigorously. The acid in the citrus may help restoring the creaminess and smoothness of the soup.
Which Beer is Best for Beer Cheese Soup?
A medium-bodied beer like a golden to amber pale ale is an excellent choice when making beer and cheese soup. A darker beer produces a stronger flavored soup with a slight hint of bitter notes from the beer. If you like stronger flavors, this is a great option for you.
Does Beer and Cheese Soup Has Alcohol?
Yes, if you use alcoholic beer the soup will have alcohol in it. In this recipe, the soup is simmered, not boiled. For this reason, the alcohol doesn’t have a chance to evaporate remaining in the soup.
Storing Freezing and Reheating
- Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.
- I don’t recommend freezing this soup. The change in temperatures (freezing/thawing/reheating) definitely changes the texture of the soup.
- To reheat leftover soup, place the soup in a small saucepan and heat it over low heat, stirring as needed. You can also microwave the soup in small intervals, stirring often to prevent the soup from curdling.
Take a Look at These Other Delicious Soup Recipes
- Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)
- Potato Corn Chowder
- Italian Tomato Tortellini Soup
- Black Bean Soup
- Slow Cooker Enchilada Soup
- Ginger and Turmeric Carrot Soup
This post has been updated with new step by step photos. The recipe remains the same.
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Beer and Cheese Soup
Satisfy your comfort food cravings with this rich and creamy Beer and Cheese Soup. This easy to make one-pot soup recipe is cheesy and decadent. Serve it as a starter or as a main dish.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bacon (original or thick-cut), chopped into 1/3-inch pieces
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 12 ounces pale ale beer (lager or pilsner)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup half and half
- 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 2 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Optional
- chives and or fresh thyme, finely chopped
- toasted baguette, pretzels, croutons
Instructions
- In a 6qt soup pot or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy, about 6-7 minutes. When ready, using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess grease.
- Drain off some of the bacon fat, keeping about 2 tablespoons of the drippings in the pot to sauté the vegetables and aromatics. Lower the heat to medium heat.
- Add the celery, onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables become tender, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until aromatic, about 45 seconds.
- Next, add the butter and stir until completely melted. Sprinkle the flour into the pot to make a roux. Stir until the flour is fully incorporated and cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes or until the roux begins to get lightly browned.
- Gradually, add the beer, stirring until the mixture starts thickening, about 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth slowly, while stirring constantly then, add the half and half and mix to combine. Bring to a gentle bubble, lower the heat and simmer for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.
- Gradually, sprinkle in the Gruyere and smoked cheddar cheese, mixing after each addition, until the cheese is fully melted. Next, gradually add the sharp cheddar cheese, mixing after each addition until the cheese melts.
- Add half of the cooked bacon into the soup, reserving the remaining bacon to use as a topping. Season the creamy soup with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with crispy bacon, chopped chives and/or fresh thyme. Serve with toasted bread.
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Recipe Notes
-
- Cook the roux for a couple of minutes to get rid of the starchy taste of raw flour.
- After making the roux, pour in the beer a little bit at a time while stirring constantly to prevent any lumps. Do the same when adding the broth.
- Remove the soup from the heat before adding the cheese.
- Add the cheese a bit at a time, stirring between each addition. Add additional cheese once the previous addition has melted.
- For a super smooth soup, don’t stir in the bacon. Simply add it as a topping.
- Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.
- I don’t recommend freezing this soup.
- To reheat leftover soup, place the soup in a small saucepan and warm it up over low heat, stirring as needed. You can also microwave the soup in small intervals, stirring often to prevent it from curdling.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Beer and Cheese Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 632
Calories from Fat 450
% Daily Value*
Fat 50g77%
Saturated Fat 25g156%
Trans Fat 0.4g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 16g
Cholesterol 127mg42%
Sodium 747mg32%
Potassium 314mg9%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 1127IU23%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Calcium 590mg59%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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