Here’s a simple recipe for beer cheese soup in the slow cooker. This creamy soup has excellent flavor and plenty of cheese, beer, and bacon! You only need to add bread to make this a complete meal.
Beer is a great ingredient to flavor dishes in the slow cooker. Also, try my Beer Cheese Dip, Garlic Beer French Dips, Beer Brats, or even my Beer, Onion, and Ketchup Chuck Roast.
Why this crockpot beer cheese soup recipe works
Beer Cheese Soup, anyone? The first time I tried this soup was at a Halloween party about ten years ago. My friend brought this soup in a slow cooker, and I probably ate half of that pot of soup myself! I have been in love with this soup ever since. This Slow Cooker Beer Cheese soup has a rich flavor and delicious taste but is not completely overpowered by the beer.
To thicken this beer cheese soup for the slow cooker, I use flour and heavy cream. Also, you must use freshly shredded cheese in this recipe, for it melts smoothly and won’t be gritty. And I always serve this soup with sourdough bread and butter.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Broth: When you add chicken broth (or chicken stock) to a recipe as a soup base, you can add a blast of flavor that you obviously don’t get when you use water.
- Beer: Although you can use your favorite beer, I went with a Pilsner. I highly recommend using a light beer.
- Bacon: Cooked and sliced bacon adds two unique things to this beer cheese – flavor and texture.
- Heavy Cream, Flour, and Sharp Cheddar Cheese: These ingredients are added towards the end of cooking time to thicken the soup.
- Vegetables: Carrots, celery, and onion not only add heartiness to the beer cheese soup, but they each carry a flavor that marries well together during cooking time.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, and a bay leaf are used for seasoning.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Add the bacon, carrots, onion, celery, salt, pepper, and bay leaf to the crockpot. Pour over the chicken broth and beer—cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
Step Two – Whisk together the heavy cream and flour in a small bowl. Be sure it is mixed very well.
Step Three – Remove the bay leaf and pour the cream mixture into the soup. Mix until well combined.
Step Four – Recover and cook for 20 more minutes on HIGH.
Step Five – Shred the block of cheese and slowly stir in the shredded cheddar cheese, about a half cup at a time.
Step Six – Stir and allow the cheese to melt. Serve and enjoy!
What to serve with beer cheese soup
- Bread is one of the first things to grab when serving soup. For this particular blend, you can serve parmesan-crusted breadsticks, pretzel rolls, crusty bread, garlic toast, crackers, or even a dinner roll brushed with butter.
- For a light and fresh pair, go for a garden fresh side salad or fresh fruit.
- If you’re looking to wow your guests, serve a couple of scoops inside sourdough bread bowl.
- For toppings, you can never go wrong with saltine crackers or oyster crackers. A sprinkle of green onions and more cheese is also great too.
Recipe FAQs
To create a smoother soup, use an immersion blender, pulsing for a few seconds at a time until you get the consistency you want.
The idea behind using a light beer is so the taste doesn’t overpower the soup. However, depending on your pallet preference, you may want to try a pale ale.
Yes. You can add more broth, sour cream, or Worcestershire sauce.
This will depend on preference; however, the most commonly exchanged broth is vegetable broth.
It can easily be cooked on the stove top. Combine all ingredients (except the flour, cream and cheese) and cook for at least an hour to give flavors time to marinade together and the vegetables to soften. Add the remaining ingredients when the vegetables are tender.
Place any remaining soup into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to one week.
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Slow Cooker Beer Cheese Soup
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 8 slices bacon sliced, cooked and drained
- ½ cup minced carrots
- ½ cup minced sweet yellow onion
- ½ cup minced celery
- ¾ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup beer – I use pilsner (use a light beer)
WAIT TO ADD NEXT INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 8 oz. fresh finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese buy a block, not preshredded
Instructions:
- Add the bacon,carrots, onion, celery, salt, pepper and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Pour over the chicken broth and beer. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours. It will take that long to get the vegetables ultra-soft.
- After the cooking time is up. Whisk together the heavy cream and flour in a small bowl, very well. Remove the bay leaf. Pour the cream mixture into the soup and whisk until combined. Place the lid back on the slow cooker and let cook for 20 more minutes on high.
- Shred the cheese on the fine setting while the slow cooker warms the soup back up.
- Slowly stir in the cheese (about a half cup at a time). Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
- Freshly shredded cheese from a block is best when making soups. Prepackaged shredded cheese has anti-caking ingredients which keeps it from melting smoothly.
- Don’t be tempted to add more beer, it will make the soup far too bitter tasting.
- It can easily be cooked on the stove top. Combine all ingredients (except the flour, cream and cheese) and cook for at least an hour to give flavors time to marinade together and the vegetables to soften. Add the remaining ingredients when the vegetables are tender.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
has anyone used extra sharp white cheddar in this recipe?
So. Delicious! I used hubby’s homemade amber beer and sharp cheddar, added a packet of Velveeta cheese sauce in with the cream cheese, threw in some sliced smoked sausage at the end, and served in bread bowls. This isn’t supposed to be a super-thick soup. If it were, it’d be fondue, which I guess wouldn’t be a bad thing. Definitely a keeper!
I stumbled upon this recipe last year. I LOVE it! I have made it into my own and I often get requests for it. I love to change up the beer and cheese combo. Thank you for sharing!
How much will it make? Enough to feed 13 people? Thanks
It serves about 5
I used an immersion blender right before serving and the consistency was perfect! I have made this soup many times and try a different beer each time.
I actually used 16 oz of medium cheddar cheese and a few dashes of worchestershire sauce. It was perfect!
Made this for an Oktoberfest meeting/eating and tied for First Place!! I had a bowl of fresh bacon bits that people could sprinkle on top and it was so good! I used Sam Adams Oktoberfest brew and Cabot Seriously Sharp cheddar and it was off the chain delicious. Thank you!
Nom nom nom. I added some broccoli and diced potatoes, and pretzel bread for dipping.
How many does this serve?
About 5.
What kind of beer did you use? Light beer? Lager?
I used a light beer 🙂
Oh yum! I have been looking for a beer cheese soup recipe for so long! Can’t wait to try this – it looks and sounds divine!