The Best Beer Cheese Soup
I don’t know about you, but the long, dark days of January just seem to call for soup. And this beer cheese soup really is the best!
It hasn’t even been all that cold here. Other than an arctic blast at Christmas, when the highs were below zero, it’s been pretty temperate. At least for January.
But we haven’t seen the sun in well over a month. So I like to hunker down during this season and let a big pot of soup simmer all day. If you too like the comfort of warm pot of homemade soup, you need to try this beer cheese soup.
Why You’ll love It:
Thick. Rich. Warm. Creamy. This beer cheese soup is everything that a soup should be. It’s super filling and oh-so-comforting, and perfect for sipping out of mug in front of a roaring fire.
But, a few little recipe secrets keep it from being overly-indulgent. The potato base of this soup makes it thick and creamy without resorting to copious amounts of cream. In fact, I sub evaporated milk for cream. You get that same thick, mouth feel without all of the fat. This is one of my favorite recipe swaps.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my heavy cream, but I’d rather use it where it matters rather than hide it inside a sop that is otherwise delicious.
The creaminess is balanced by the tang of the beer and the sharpness of the cheese. You can use whatever beer you have on hand, but I will say this is place where laity counts. I prefer a lager. And I usually use Sam Adam’s Boston Lager. But a good ale works, too. Or, seriously, whatever you have available.
This is an easy meal to throw together. Beer cheese soup takes less than an hour from start to finish. So it is perfect for busy weeknights.
Beer cheese soup is delicious topped with croutons, bacon, chives or parsley, or even more cheese. And, imho, this beer cheese soup is special enough for company. So don’t be afraid to triple the recipe and invite all your friends.
How to Make Beer Cheese Soup:
Start the beer cheese soup by putting 2 pounds of peeled and cut potatoes in a medium pot. Add 4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth to cover the potatoes. I usually use veggie broth to make this dish vegetarian. But chicken will give you a slightly richer flavor.
Bring the potatoes to a boil. Then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Transfer both the potatoes and liquid to the blender (you may have to work in batches). Cover the top of the blender with a kitchen towel and blend on low to puree the potatoes. Do not cover the blender tightly or the hot liquid will explode making a mess and potentially burning you. Some blenders have a vent. If that’s the case, remove the vent and cover with the lid. But I’d still place a towel over the top. You don’t want soup everywhere.
You can also use an immersion blender and puree the potatoes in the pot. I love my immersion blender, but I do think the real blender yields creamer results in this recipe. However, if that feels like too much work, I get it. Just use your immersion blender. You may have some small chunks of potato left. No biggie.
However you do it, set the pureed potatoes aside.
In a large soup pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 small onion, chopped, and cook for about 5-8 minutes until it is soft and translucent. Then add garlic and cook for another minute until garlic is lightly browned. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the pureed potatoes to the big pot with a can of evaporated milk, 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and the remaining 4 cups of broth. Bring the beer cheese soup to a boil.
When the soup is boiling, it’s time to add the beer and the cheese. Reduce the heat to medium and add the beer. Let the beer cheese soup cook for five minutes.
Then reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheese until melted. Your beer cheese soup is ready to enjoy.
Serve the sop with croutons, crumbled bacon, minced chives, parsley, black pepper, or additional cheese.
Enjoy!
Beer cheese soup gets better with time. I swear this soup is even better the second day.
Leftovers will store nicely in the fridge in a covered container for up to 4 days. I love it for lunch the next day. And I often send it to school in a thermos.
How fun would it be to have a big snowball party and serve beer cheese soup to your friends? Of, if like us you don’t have any snow (I am not complaining), maybe get some space heaters and gather outside for football playoffs. Holding a warm bowl of beer cheese will help keep you toast warm even on a chilly day.
Looking for more soup ideas to make this winter? Check here for additional soup recipes.
Happy Eating!
The Best Beer Cheese Soup
Equipment
- blender
- soup pot
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon-gold potatoes about 6 medium, peeled and cubed
- 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth divided
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 15 oz. can evaporated milk
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 12 ounces beer (ale or lager)
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (plus additional for topping)
- Topping: Salad croutons, crumbled cooked bacon, minced chives, parsley, and coarsely ground pepper, optional
Instructions
- Place 2 pounds of peeled and cut potatoes in a medium pot and cover with 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Transfer potatoes and broth to the blender (you may have to work in batches). Cover the top of the blender with a kitchen towel and blend on low to puree the potatoes. Set aside.
- In a large soup pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 small onion, chopped, and cook for about 5-8 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute until garlic is lightly browned. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add pureed potatoes, a can of evaporated milk, 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and additional 4 cups of broth to the pot. Bring to a boil.
- When soup is boiling, reduce heat and add the beer. Let cook for five minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in cheese until melted.
- Serve with croutons, crumbled bacon, minced chives, parsley, black pepper or additional cheese.
