Creamy Beer Cheese Soup

If you’re into creamy, chowder-like soups, then allow me to introduce you to your new favorite… beer cheese soup. Guys, beer. cheese. soup.

Have you ever had a beer cheese sauce so good that you wished it was drink-able? This is that!

So thick and creamy, and loaded with cheesy flavor, it’s perfect for a comfort food meal. Or you could thicken it more and use it as a large batch of beer cheese dip… you do you!

Obviously it’s fantastic with my baked soft pretzel bites, but some nice crusty bread is another great option.

How to make beer cheese soup?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Cook bacon. You can also cook your bacon in the oven, but then you won’t have all that amazing bacon grease that adds a ton of flavor.
2. Cook onions. You want to cook them longer than you would just to soften them.
3. Add flour. Adding the flour here creates a roux, which will thicken your soup beautifully.
4. Add beer. Whisk as you pour, so the flour gets fully incorporated and thickens.
5. Add liquids and seasonings.
6. Simmer. Cook until the soup is thick enough to at least coat the back of a spoon.
7. Add cheese. When adding the cheeses, add them a handful at a time, stirring well in between each addition.
8. Add bacon and serve.

Variations of this recipe

• Potatoes – if you’d like a heartier soup, feel free to add some diced potatoes (Yukon gold’s are our favorite, with russets being a close second). Add them with the chicken broth and half and half, and vigorously simmer until fork tender.
• Protein – if you’d like more protein than the bacon and cheeses, feel free to add some chicken or sausage. Shredded rotisserie chicken is fantastic for this.
• Dairy – because you want a rich mouthfeel, I wouldn’t opt for a super low-fat milk with this recipe. It’s been tested with whole milk and evaporated milk, as well as the half and half and heavy cream, and all were delicious.
• Spicy – to add some heat, try adding some cayenne pepper, or dicing up some jalapeno/poblano/serrano peppers and sautéing them with the onions.
• Cheeses – feel free to use any combination of cheeses you like best, cheddar, monterey jack, colby, colby jack, etc.

Making beer cheese soup ahead of time

Not only can the whole soup be made ahead of time, you can also prep most of the ingredients, which means this meal will come together very quickly.

• Bacon – the bacon slices can be cut ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
• Onion and garlic – veggies can be diced/minced, then stored in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
• Flour – the flour can be pre-measured and stored at room temperature until ready to cook.
• Seasoning – all the seasonings can be pre-measured and stored at room temperature until ready to cook.
• Cheese – the cheeses can be shredded and stored in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

Storage

Leftover beer cheese soup should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoyed within 3-4 days.

Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water (or chicken broth) to loosen it up, whisking as the soup reheats.

Soup can also be microwaved, but we prefer to use the stovetop to make sure the soup doesn’t separate during the reheating process.

Freezing

Due to the dairy in the recipe, I don’t recommend freezing this soup. Dairy can separate during the freezing and thawing process, and the texture isn’t all that pleasant.

However, this recipe is easily halved (just use half of all the ingredients), if you’d like a smaller batch.