Beer Cheese Soup Recipe
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This Beer Cheese Soup is a bowl full of flavor and the perfect comfort food. You’ll find this version lightened up a bit too!
It’s chilly. No, not chilly. Down right freezing. It’s times like these that call for a warm bowl of deliciousness. This Beer Cheese Soup will do just fine!
During my junior year in college I remember a roommate making Beer Cheese Soup one evening for a special beau. I caught glimpses of her prepping (and stressing) for the meal in between running to from classes. From what I observed it seemed like a big deal just for soup. Ever since, I’ve had it in my mind that Beer Cheese Soup was a challenge, so I never bothered with it. That was, until last week when I was craving comfort food, and ran across a recipe for a lightened up version of Beer Cheese Soup in The New Way to Cook Light from Cooking Light, one of my newest favorite cookbooks.
Seriously? I’d avoided making Beer Cheese Soup all these years? What a fuss over nothing. It really is simple. And it really is scrumptious. Simple and scrumptious, y’all. What better combo is there?
The soup came together in no time and disappeared just as fast. Although this lighter version uses a reduced-fat milk instead of heavy cream, it was still mighty rich and creamy. Serve alongside a salad, and/or a baked potato for the perfect lunch, or low-key weeknight meal. I can’t see how you’d be disappointed with this one. It’s one totally satisfying soup.
A few more soup recipes that will warm you up:
- Minestrone Soup Recipe
- White Bean and Roasted Mushroom Soup
- Verde Chicken Soup Recipe
- Perfect Potato Soup Recipe
Beer Cheese Soup Recipe
Beer Cheese Soup Recipe
A lighter version, but still a mighty rich and creamy. Serve alongside a salad, and/or a baked potato for the perfect lunch, or low-key weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or enough to coat bottom of pan)
- 2 cups chopped onion (about 2 medium)
- 2-3 pinches salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (I'd recommend a light beer or pilsner to avoid bitterness.)
- 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces)
- 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
optional garnishes:
- fried bacon, crumbled
- finely chopped fresh chives
- sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes and toasted in oven
Instructions
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy stock pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, along with a few pinches of salt and pepper, and sauté for about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Stir in beer and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until onion is tender.
- Carefully pour beer mixture and half of chicken broth (1 1/2 cups) into a blender. To avoid a mess, allow steam to escape by removing center piece of blender lid. Make sure blender lid is secure and place a clean towel over opening in blender lid. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Whisk together flour and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Add to stock pot and heat to bubbling over medium-high stirring continually for about 1-2 minutes.
- Return blended beer mixture to pan. Whisk to combine with flour/broth mixture. Stir in remaining 1 cup of broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Whisk in milk, and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Remove pan from heat. Gradually stir in cheese until smooth.
- Optional: serve with bacon crumbles, chives, and/or bread cubes.
Notes
Lightly adapted from The New Way to Cook Light.
Oh wow, this looks delicious. Especially with the bacon on top!
Abby and I had lunch (soup) in Ashland yesterday after violin lesson. I thought of you ladies staying down the street … 🙂 This is a perfect holiday soup, Amy. Warm and comforting. 🙂
Yum. Nothing like a warm bowl of soup to sooth the soul.
I’ve made this a few times. I checked out several recipes online and sort of cherry-picked the things I liked, but this was definitely the closest. I DID choose a much bolder beer. I like to use Laguanitas Imperial Stout, and I really like it. That beer really makes it BEER cheese soup. I also use not just extra sharp cheddar, but also gruyere, and swiss. I cook for fun and this is absolutely one of my top five things to make. I like to serve it with a side of popcorn to throw on each bite.
This looks perfect for the cold weather!
Talk about a comfort food. Love this soup, Amy!
My husband loves this stuff!
OOOOOOOOh my goodness I’m completely dying for this.
Oh, this looks absolutely comforting. What a treat to snuggle up with a bowl of this on the couch for dinner. With lots of bread. Yep – total comfort.
IN LOVE…I made this from that same cookbook and it’s phenomenal. Although your pictures make it even more mouth-watering 😉
That is a cup of comfort right there.
Stunning! I love the combination of flavors you put here. So wonderful 🙂
Is it wrong to want this for breakfast?
I’m so glad you are sharing this with the world. Beer Cheese soup was one of my most favorite things when I lived in Wisconsin.
Oh, man, this sounds so good right now! My hubby will be thanking you later.
Gorgeous soup!! And the perfect time for it!
When it turns chilly, soup is always on my mind. Beautiful beer cheese!
Thanks for this recipe! I have been looking for a recipe for Beer Cheese Soup and this one sounds delicious. It will be perfect for a cold snowy midwest day!
Absolutely gorgeous! Love the “lighter” take on this classic!
While I adore you and your website, I was not a huge fan of this recipe. I love beer cheese soup and saw your recipe and was excited because it was so much easier than previous recipes I have seen,. I followed it to the T, but it tastes so floury, I just can’t eat it. I may try again using much less flour and more cheese. I love your site, and can’t wait to see what else you have to add!!
Hey Stefanie,
I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve slightly adjusted the recipe to allow the flour to cook a bit more.
And of course, if you make other revisions that are successful, please do share!
Amy
Amy,
In the ingredients, it states 2 cups milk divided , but in the directions it does not direct us to add 1 cup milk with the flour and chicken broth. Could this be the problem Stefanie encountered. I feel medium high heat could be just a tad too high. I made these corrections in the recipe.
Thank you for catching that. I just deleted the “divided” so the milk is added at the same time at the end. So the flour it whisked together with the broth then added and cooked at medium-high, stirring continually for 1-2 minutes. Thank you again, for catching my typo.
Made this tonight! We all loved it. So delicious. I did throw in a little extra cheese!