Beer and Cheese Soup

5 from 3 reviews

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.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Beer and Cheese Soup, Beer and Cheese Soup Recipe, Beer Cheese Soup, Cheddar ale soup

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings people

Calories 632kcal

Author Chef Kathy McDaniel

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.

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.

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