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–+ servings
Beer Cheese Soup in a white bowl with a spoon and bacon and green onions on top.
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Beer Cheese Soup

This Beer Cheese Soup recipe is easy to make and is super cozy, with plenty of cheese and beer options for a restaurant quality soup.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 cups
Calories: 438kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Soup

  • 4-6 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 3 Tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce I use Frank’s hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 5 tablespoons flour
  • 12 oz. beer see notes
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups half and half half milk/half cream
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese see notes
  • 2 Green onions diced

Seasonings

  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • ½ teaspoon each: dried thyme, smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon each: salt, pepper
  • 1 pinch cayenne optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep Work

  • Cook the bacon slowly over low heat in a in a 3.5-quart soup pot. (I cut my bacon in half, it’s easier to fit it in the pan and have it cook evenly.) While the bacon cooks, measure out remaining ingredients. Once the bacon is cooked, set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Chop once cooled and reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings.
  • Wipe any dark spots from the pot but leave as much bacon remnants as you can, as that will add flavor to the soup.

Make the Soup

  • Add reserved bacon drippings and butter to the pot over medium heat and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the pot. Add the diced onions and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. They should begin to brown and caramelize, this adds a nice sweet offset to the beer.
  • Add the garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Stir to combine. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
  • Add the beer in small splashes, stirring continuously. (It will be thick.)
  • Add the chicken broth and half and half in the same manner. (If desired, you may use an immersion blender to blend the onions fully into the broth.)
  • Add the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle bubble. Let it simmer gently, reduce, and thicken for 15 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
  • Reduce heat to low and let the soup cool for a minute. Remove the bay leaf. Gradually sprinkle in the shredded cheese, stirring continuously. (Doing so over low heat ensures that the dairy doesn’t separate, which maintains a smooth consistency.)
  • Garnish with bacon and green onions and serve!

Notes

Pro Tips
  • Cheese: I use Cracker Barrel Sharp Yellow Cheese for this recipe. It adds a nice color and tastes great. A combination of cheese adds a nice depth of flavor. A little bit of Cabot Hot Habanero Cheese adds a nice kick. Gouda cheese makes a nice addition as well.
  • Shred the cheese from a block. It will melt and taste much better than pre-shredded.
  • Beer: Use a beer that you would want to drink, be careful about using very hoppy beer or something super strong in taste, as it will transfer that flavor in to the soup. (I'll admit, I like using Bud Light.) Tuckerman Pale Ale is good too, but stronger in flavor.
  • The hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard powder are flavor enhancers in this soup that can't be tasted outright. I use Frank's Hot Sauce. 
  • Crock Pot: Due to the dairy content in this soup, I don't recommend cooking this in the crock pot as it can curdle. The stove top method also allows us to simmer and reduce the soup which concentrates the flavor and thickens the broth. It also cooks off the alcohol. (That's something that can't be replicated in the crock pot.)
  • Be sure to pair this with my crusty, airy, No Knead Bread for dipping!
Storage
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This soup does freeze and reheat pretty well even though it's dairy based. (The flour helps with that.)
The Nutritional Information provided is an estimate and is per cup. This recipe makes approximately 6 cups.

Nutrition

Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 914mg | Potassium: 264mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1031IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 441mg | Iron: 1mg