Do you like cheese? How about beer? This cheddar beer soup is velvety smooth yet rich and decadent and will leave you going back for more!
Trying to pin down the history of cheddar beer soup is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Apparently a beer soup made with a roux was served in medieval times for breakfast. Beer for breakfast, who knew!
Cheese soups have been part of many cultures for centuries. So who thought of combining the two? I don’t know, but they were a genius!
Cheddar beer soup is made with fine ingredients giving it an exceptional depth of flavor. A very sharp cheddar is ideal. The beer on the other hand, is another story. I have seen debates about what is the best beer to use. Opinions vary from very hoppy IPA’s to lagers to English Ale’s. I personally think you should cook with that which you like to drink.
How To Make Cheddar Beer Soup
First cook a peeled and diced potato in stock until tender. Blend until velvety smooth with an immersion blender.
Saute onion, celery and carrot in olive oil until softened. Season with ground mustard, garlic powder, white pepper and kosher salt.
Add butter. Once melted sprinkle in flour to create a roux. Cook until the flour is toasted.
Next add in stock, milk, heavy cream and whisk. Then stir in potato mixture. This will help thicken the soup.
Toss the cheese with cornstarch and add it to the pot a little bit at a time whisking continually to melt the cheese. Add a half teaspoon of Worcestershire, your beer of choice and a dash of cayenne.
Cook’s Notes
I find cheddar beer soup to be reminiscent of a cheese fondue so I like to serve it in a bread boule sprinkled with crumbled hot sausage on top! After removing the insides of the boule, I pull it apart into dipping size pieces.
I use chicken stock in my soup, but you can totally change it out to a vegetable stock for a vegetarian soup!
Buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself. It will melt easier than packaged cheeses and taste a lot better.
Looking for another soup? Try my Bistro French Onion Soup or Black Bean Enchilada Soup!
If you make this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars!
Essentials
When you try this soup, please let me know how you liked it and give me a rating!
Cheddar Beer Soup
This soup is rich, velvety and decadent. Individual sized bread boules lend a rustic feel to this hearty dish.
- 1 medium Yukon gold potato (peeled and diced)
- 5 cups stock divided (2 cups and 3 cups)
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion (finely diced)
- 1/2 cup celery (finely diced)
- 1/2 cup carrot (finely diced)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk (2 % or whole)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 12 ounces beer
- dash of cayenne pepper
- For serving: individual bread boules (hot Italian sausage crumbled)
- Cook potato in 2 cups of stock until tender, about 20 minutes. Blend until velvety smooth. At the same time cook your sausage crumbles, and prep the rest of your ingredients.
- Add oil to heavy duty soup pot. When heated add onion, celery and carrot. Season with spices. Cook about 10 minutes until tender.
- Add butter and melt. Then sprinkle in the flour to create a roux. Cook for 3 minutes until flour gets golden and toasty.
- Next add 3 cups stock, milk and heavy cream. Whisk until bubbling. Stir in the potato mixture.
- Sprinkle the cornstarch on the cheddar cheese and toss to combine. Gradually add in the cheese whisking to melt and combine cheese.
- Once incorporated, add the Worcestershire, beer and cayenne. Simmer. You can serve immediately or wait and re-heat before serving. It will thicken upon standing.
Hollow out individual sized bread boules and ladle soup inside. Top with hot sausage crumbles.
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