Beer Cheese Soup
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Holy comfort food! This beer cheese soup is rich and creamy and perfect with a slice of crusty French bread.
Our beer cheese soup recipe is like being wrapped up in a warm, rich, cheese hug. My favorite kind of hug. Serve it with a side of roasted broccoli and some fresh baked sugar cookies for dessert.
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Beer Cheese Soup
Beer Cheese Soup
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Beer Cheese Soup Ingredients
- Vegetables – Celery, carrots, and onion, diced. Garlic, minced.
- Butter – We prefer salted butter.
- Flour – All-purpose flour. (Make sure you’re not using self-rising)
- Beer – Lager is preferable, but try different variations to see how it affects your soup. We prefer a light lager that will give some flavor but not overwhelm. You can also use non-alcoholic beer, ginger-ale, or a half and half mix of beef broth and apple juice if you want to skip the beer.
- Broth – Chicken stock or vegetable stock.
- Half and half – Whole milk will work in a pinch, but you will have a thinner result. Heavy cream can also be used.
- Cheese – Pictured is made with extra sharp cheddar cheese, but we make lots more suggestions later in the article!
- Seasonings – Worcestershire sauce, stone ground mustard (or dijon mustard), salt, ground black pepper.
- Garnish – crumbled bacon, green onion, parsley.
How do you make beer cheese soup? (step-by-step)
⭐ First, melt butter in a large pot. Add celery, carrots, onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and vegetables are tender. If you like a smooth soup, use an immersion blender now.
⭐ Next, add the flour and cook, stirring to get rid of lumps. Add the beer and cook until thickened.
⭐ Then, slowly pour in chicken broth and the half and half. Simmer until soup starts to thicken, stirring occasionally. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
⭐ Finally, add in the cheddar cheese a little bit at a time. Stir constantly until it has melted completely. Top with cooked bacon and green onion.
Crockpot Beer Cheese Soup
To make this in a slow cooker, you’ll add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, butter, beer, and broth to the crock pot. Give it a good stir, then cover and allow to cook on high for at least 3 hours, or low for at least 4 hours.
When the soup is simmering hot, slowly whisk in half and half, then cheese. To thicken, create a slurry of 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup water, then whisk that in as well.
Preparation
Can you make it ahead?
This soup is really best made and enjoyed right away, but if you absolutely must, you can fix it a day in advance. Whisk frequently over low to medium heat when reheating.
What type of cheese is best for a beer cheese soup recipe?
Extra sharp or sharp cheddar is best. White cheddar is nice as well. Regular or American will work, but it wouldn’t have as strong a flavor.
We’ve also made this with 4 cups of cheese, and while it was fine, 6 cups was better and does a great job balancing out the flavors from the vegetables.
What is the best beer for beer cheese soup?
You want to use a lager for this soup, or a light beer. The darker the beer, the stronger the flavor will be, and we’re really going for subtlety here. I do not suggest using an IPA in this recipe.
Leftovers and storage
How long does it last?
Leftover beer cheese soup will last 2 – 3 days in the refrigerator. Make sure to cover it tightly and don’t put in the refrigerator super hot (it will raise the temperature of your fridge!).
Can you freeze beer cheese soup?
Yes! The key to freezing this soup is to allow it to thaw completely before reheating and then to reheat slowly over low heat. Whisk regularly to keep it from clumping.
I still think it’s best served fresh, but given the choice between reheated or none at all, I’ll take leftovers any day!
Tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions
Why do they call it beer cheese soup?
It’s soup, made with beer and cheese! Pretty straight forward and 100% delicious.
Is there alcohol in beer cheese soup?
Yes, it contains beer, but you can also substitute with non-alcoholic beer, ginger ale, or 50/50 beef broth and apple juice.
Where does beer cheese soup originate?
Wisconsin of course! By way of Germany, that is. The state of Wisconsin was primarily settled by German immigrants who brought over what we now know and love as beer cheese soup.
Why is my soup clumping?
Make sure the soup is not too hot when you put in the cheese, or else it will break and become lumpy and gross. Try to keep the stove lower than medium high heat, and reduce the heat if it begins to boil rapidly.
It is also important to add the cheese a little bit at a time while whisking and allowing to melt. Patience is key.
Beer cheese soup variations
🥦 Try adding broccoli for a broccoli beer cheese soup recipe.
💃 Add a cup of salsa or some sliced jalapenos for a spicy version.
🧀 Use different types of cheese, or a combination of your favorites. (I’m partial to blue cheese!)
What to eat with beer cheese soup (serving suggestions)
It is absolutely criminal to serve this soup without bread! We suggest this easy beer bread recipe (look, a theme!), or our French bread recipe. I also love our homemade white bread toasted with butter.
More delicious soup recipes
- Lasagna soup recipe
- Easy stuffed pepper soup
- Creamy tortellini soup
- Mushroom and wild rice soup
- See all our easy soup recipes!
Tools we love
- Enameled cast iron – My 6 quart dutch oven is one of my most favorite kitchen items.
- Stainless steel ladle – Every soup needs a good ladle!
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How to Make Beer Cheese Soup
Beer Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced celery
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 bottle lager beer 12 ounces
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups half and half
- 6 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- toppings crumbled bacon, green onion, parsley, shredded cheese
Instructions
- In a 6-qt pot over medium heat, melt better. Add celery, carrots, onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- If desired, you can blend to smooth at this point with a stick blender.
- Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring to get rid of lumps, for about two minutes.
- Pour in the beer and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in chicken broth and the half and half. Allow to simmer until soup starts to thicken, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in the worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
- Add in the cheddar cheese a little bit at a time, stirring gently until it has melted completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Beer Cheese Soup
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This was originally a partnered post with Wunderman Thompson. All content and opinions belong to Mama Loves Food.
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We loved this Beer Cheese Soup!! It was incredibly delicious!
I once went to a restaurant in Wisconsin that served popcorn in their beer cheese soup! Popcorn! It was fun….but personally I prefer a nice piece of buttery toast. This soup reminds me of that delicious beer cheese soup I had in Wisconsin. Wonderful cheesy flavor, so creamy and savory! Thankfully, no popcorn.
Yum – my family just loved your recipe! Easy to make packed with flavor.