Beer Cheese Soup

Beer Cheese Soup is a cozy soup full of flavor. Made with bacon, beer, milk, cream, sharp cheddar and seasonings, it’s comfort in a bowl!

Soup season is one of my favorite seasons! There is not much better than sitting down to a steamy bowl of soup on a cool day. Whether it is a broth-y noodl-y soup like Chicken Udon , creamy like Ham and Potato Soup or hearty like Beef Stew with Red Wine, I am a HUGE soup fan.

And now it is time to add Beer Cheese Soup to the list because, you guys, this soup is SO comforting. So flavorful. And it is definitely going to be in our rotation on the regular.

Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make it:

Beer Cheese Soup Ingredients:

Don’t be intimidated by the ingredients for this soup. Yes, it is kind of long but it is not too complicated and most of them you might even have on hand!

• BACON: Bacon adds meaty smokiness to the soup.
• BUTTER: Will add richness.
• CELERY/YELLOW ONION: Both of these add texture and flavor to the soup.
• GARLIC
• FLOUR: Flour is going to help thicken the soup.
• BEER: You can use a light beer like Pilsner or Lager. I used a Hefeweizen because wheat beers pair really well with cheese.
• CHICKEN BROTH: Use low-sodium chicken broth so that you can control the final saltiness of the soup.
• WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE: Adds umami flavor.
• CAYENNE PEPPER: This is optional but it adds a bit of heat.
• WHOLE MILK: Provides the creaminess to the soup.
• EXTRA SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE: Extra sharp cheddar cheese has more of a bite than medium cheddar. Its bold, savory flavor stands out in the soup. Make sure that you grate cheese fresh. It will melt better than pre-shredded cheese.
• GRUYERE: Gruyere cheese adds a rich and creamy flavor to the soup.
• HEAVY CREAM: I originally made this soup with whole milk but it wasn’t rich enough, adding just a touch of heavy cream made it much creamier.
• PAPRIKA: Adds a bit of smokiness and color.
• SALT AND PEPPER

Step by Step Photos and Instructions:

Making Beer Cheese Soup isn’t too involved and it comes together pretty quickly. Follow along with these step by step photos and instructions:

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STEP #1: Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until bacon has rendered its fat and is browned. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon of pan drippings.

STEP #2: Add butter to reserved drippings and cook over medium heat until it melts. Stir in celery, onions and garlic. Cook until softened. Add in flour and cook 2 minutes.

STEP #3: Slowly pour in beer, you don’t want it to foam too much. Add in chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, paprika and milk. Take a little bit of the hot broth and whisk it into the cream to temper it. Add tempered cream into the soup.

STEP #4: Add in shredded cheese 1 handful at a time. Stir until it melts. Simmer until soup thickens. Return bacon to the pot but reserve a bit for garnishing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

STEP #5: Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with bacon bits, parsley, shredded cheddar and serve.

I like to serve this with plenty of bread for dipping!

Storage and Leftovers:

Beer Cheese Soup will keep covered in the refrigerator for a few days. When it cools it will thicken significantly so as you warm it up you may need to add a bit more chicken broth.

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