Easy Beer Cheese Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
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This Beer Cheese Soup recipe is exactly as it sounds: indulgent and delicious. Full of smoky bacon, melty cheese, and a good beer, you would be hard-pressed to find a more comforting soup!

Beer cheese soup with crispy bacon bits.

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Creamy Beer Cheese Soup

Look, I know that when it comes to comfort soup, no recipe is going to take chicken noodle soup’s crown. It’s a classic for a reason, and I respect that.

That said, this Creamy Beer Cheese Soup is one of my new favorite comfort food dinner recipes. It’s filling, it’s flavorful, and it’s downright fabulous. It’s not exactly the healthiest food you’ll ever eat, but sometimes you just have to treat yourself a little.

Beer cheese soup is made with crispy bacon, THREE kinds of cheese (regular cheddar cheese, smoked cheddar cheese, and pepper jack cheese), and a medium-bodied beer. I also like to throw in some jalapeño to give this soup a little kick! This savory and spicy meal is not to be missed, especially once the weather gets cold!

One more thing before we begin… Pro Tip: While you’re in the kitchen already, making a quick batch of Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread, or my favorite Beer Bread, to go with this soup isn’t a bad idea at all!

Beer cheese soup with crispy bacon and bread.

What is Cheese Soup?

Cheese soup is exactly what you would imagine. It starts with a chicken broth base (and beer, in this case), and then heavy cream and shredded/grated cheese are added in to thicken up the soup and provide cheesy flavor. Technically you could stop there, but adding in the bacon, veggies, and whatever other toppings you like, makes cheese soup even better!

Ingredients for beer cheese soup.

Recipe Ingredients

Let’s go over beer cheese soup essential ingredients. You can find the full list of ingredients, including all of the spices you’ll need, in the recipe card at the bottom!

  • Bacon – Thick and smoky bacon is best for this recipe.
  • Cheddar Cheese – You can use any cheese you want, but this soup is generally made with at least one cheddar.
  • Smoked Cheddar – If you can’t find smoked cheddar, try to find smoked gouda and shred it yourself. You can also use regular sharp cheddar cheese in it’s place. However, the smoked cheese really adds an amazing depth of flavor!
  • Red Bell Pepper and Onion – These two veggies add a ton of flavor and ad depth to your soup!
  • Heavy Cream – For the creaminess, but you can also use half and half in its place.
  • Jalapeño – This is optional, but I like it to have a little bit of spice. If you want your soup to be spicy (as it is now, the heat is mild), you can double the jalapeños! And if you want it extra HOT, leave the seeds/membranes in your jalapeños while you dice them up.
  • Chicken Broth – You can use vegetable broth instead if needed.
  • Beer – A good German beer or a light to medium-bodied beer work best. Or, you can even use a non-alcoholic beer.
  • Thyme – If you can get a fresh sprig it’s even better, but dried is fine.

How to Make Beer Cheese Soup

We’ve covered the flavor-packed nature of this soup, but I haven’t mentioned how much time this soup will save you in the kitchen! It only takes 40 minutes to make, 15 of which are prep work. It also makes 6 servings, so you’ll likely have leftovers that make for a fabulous lunch later in the week!

  • Cook the Bacon: In a large heavy bottomed pot, like a dutch oven, cook the bacon over
    medium-high heat until crispy. Remove and chop, then set aside. Remove any extra bacon
    grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind.
  • Cook the Celery and Jalapeño: Add the celery, jalapeño, onion, red bell pepper and garlic and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened.
  • Mix in the Flour: Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, till slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
  • Season: Add the paprika and thyme and stir to combine.
  • Add Chicken Broth & Cook: Add the chicken broth and beer and stir with a whisk until there are no clumps. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the heavy cream, butter and the cheeses and stir until melted. Cook for 5 minutes more, then stir in half of the bacon right before serving.

Tips for Success

The hardest part is cooking the bacon and not eating it, so that you have enough to sprinkle over the soup. Here are some tips that will help you get the best results with your beer cheese soup:

  • How to Add the Bacon: Save some of the bacon to sprinkle on top of the soup, and don’t add the bacon until the end so it stays crispy.
  • What Cheese to Use: Any variety of cheeses makes this a great soup. I don’t like to use stringy cheeses like mozzarella, though.
  • Keep the Heat on Medium: If the soup gets too hot, the protein in the dairy can stick to the bottom of the pot (scorching). The cheese could also separate due to the high heat.
  • For a Spicier Soup: If you like a spicy soup, add more jalapeños.
  • Add the Cheese in Small Portions: This ensures that the cheese will melt completely into the soup, and you won’t be left with clumps here and there.
Pot of cheese soup with bacon and chives.

Serving Suggestions

The best way to eat cheese soup is nice and hot on the day it’s made. If you’re looking for suggestions on what to enjoy it with, I’ve got some:

  • Garnishes: Add some more crispy bacon and some chopped chives to the top of your soup!
  • Bread: Like I mentioned earlier, I love making cornbread with beer cheese soup. This Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread is my go-to recipe.
  • Croutons: Basically anything that you can crumble on top of this soup will work. Crackers, chips, pretzels, etc. I also love using these Garlic and Herb Homemade Croutons, though!
Pot of beer cheese soup with garnishes.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Store this cheese soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. When you want to reheat, pour it back into a pot and heat it on low on the stovetop until warmed through. You can also just use the microwave if you need a super quick meal.

Ladle full of beer cheese soup.

More Must Make Soup Recipes

Beer cheese soup with crispy bacon bits.
4.7 from 11 votes
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Yield: 6 servings

Easy Beer Cheese Soup

This Beer Cheese Soup recipe is exactly as it sounds: indulgent and delicious. Full of smoky bacon, melty cheese, and a good beer, you would be hard-pressed to find a more comforting soup!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 bacon slices
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • ½ teaspoon garlic minced
  • ¼ cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 12- oz can beer
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • ¼ cup smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
  • ¼ cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, cubed
  • 1 Tablespoon chives

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Instructions 

  • In a large heavy bottomed pot, like a dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove and chop, then set aside. Remove any extra bacon grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind.
  • Add the celery, jalapeño, onion, red bell pepper and garlic and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened.
  • Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, till slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the paprika and thyme and stir to combine.
  • Add the chicken broth and beer and stir with a whisk until there are no clumps. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Add the heavy cream, butter and the cheeses and stir until melted.
  • Cook for 5 minutes more, then stir in half of the bacon right before serving.
  • Serve with some bacon pieces and chives sprinkled on top.

Video

Notes

Storage: Store this cheese soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. When you want to reheat, pour it back into a pot and heat it on low on the stovetop until warmed through. You can also just use the microwave if you need a super quick meal.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 338kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 83mg, Sodium: 610mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g

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I drink a beer on occasion, but I don’t know beer so I have no idea what beers are light to medium bodied. How can I find out whether, say, Budweiser or Michelob is a good beer to use?

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Jessica
For the past 15 years, Jorge & Jessica have loved getting to share their families' favorite recipes with all of you. They live in Florida with their 3 kids.