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My perfect fall soup is Beer Cheese Soup! It’s got beer, bacon, and a touch of vegetables. It’s got great flavor and creaminess. It’s a must-make this time of year.
If you love a good creamy soup, the crockpot can do it. You’ll also want to try my newest recipes for steakhouse potato soup or Mama Leone’s chicken soup.
Table of Contents
- Why This Recipe is A Keeper
- The Ingredients
- How to Make Slow Cooker Beer Cheese Soup
- Tips & Variations
- What to serve with beer cheese soup
- Does Beer Cheese Soup Taste like Beer?
- How to Store and Reheat Beer Cheese Soup
- How Can I Make This Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup?
- More Crockpot Soup Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Beer Cheese Soup Recipe
Featured Comment
Made it for the second time this past week, as per instructions except I used about a cup of finely shredded left over Easter ham instead of bacon and a Bock beer.. It was excellent. Thanks Sara, glad I found your site.
- Mark
Why This Recipe is A Keeper
I first tried Beer Cheese Soup at a Halloween party about 15 years ago. My friend brought this soup in a slow cooker, and I probably ate half the pot myself! I have been in love with this soup ever since.
I've been perfecting her recipe and now think a good beer cheese soup needs three things: good beer, bacon, and tiny bits of vegetables. Of course, it needs to be thick and creamy, and this soup delivers.
It's a great way to have a restaurant-quality meal at home while saving money, and I actually think this soup is better than what I've had at restaurants.
The Ingredients
Chicken Broth: When you add chicken broth (or chicken stock) as a soup base, you get much more flavor than with water or vegetable broth.
Beer: You can use your favorite beer, but my favorite is always a Pilsner. I highly recommend using a light beer. Beer is a great ingredient to flavor dishes in the slow cooker. Also, try my Slow Cooker Beer Cheese Dip or my Beer and Ketchup Roast.
Bacon: Cooked and sliced bacon adds both flavor and texture to the beer cheese soup.
Heavy Cream, Flour, and Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Add these ingredients toward the end of cooking 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.
How to Make Slow Cooker Beer Cheese Soup
- Cook up the bacon in a skillet and add it to the slow cooker along with the veggies, broth, seasonings and beer.
- Cook up the soup until the vegetables are tender. Make a thickening mixture of flour and heavy cream.
- Add the thickener to the slow cooker and let thicken for a few minutes.
- Stir in the freshly shredded cheese.
Tips & Variations
Smoother Soup: Simply use an immersion blender to blend up the vegetables into the broth - do this before adding the cream mixture and cheese.
Spicy: Add a diced jalapeno or habanero at the beginning of the cooking time for heat.
Beer Choice: The stronger the beer, the more you'll taste it in the soup, so choose one you enjoy.
Too strong? If your finished soup tastes too strongly of beer, add a touch of sour cream or more cheese.
Broth Swap: Chicken broth has the most neutral flavor, if you choose to use beef or vegetable broth, the flavor of the soup will change.
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 with pretzel rolls, crusty bread, garlic toast, crackers, or even a dinner roll brushed with butter.
- For a light, fresh pairing, go with a garden-fresh side salad or fresh fruit.
- If you're looking to wow your guests, serve a couple of scoops inside a 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.
Does Beer Cheese Soup Taste like Beer?
Yes, but it's a background flavor. The slow cooker will cook out the pungent flavor of beer, and the mix of the other ingredeints really mellows out the strong beer flavor.
How to Store and Reheat Beer Cheese Soup
Store beer cheese soup in the fridge after making (up to three days). I don't recommend freezing this; it will separate when thawed.
How Can I Make This Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup?
Cheese Choice: Swap the sharp cheddar for a good Wisconsin sharp cheddar cheese. Freshly shred it from a block so it melts smoothly into the soup. (Look for this cheese in the specialty cheese section.)
Toppings: Give it a Wisconsin style finish with freshly popped popcorn (yes, popcorn!), extra shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, or sliced green onions.
More Crockpot Soup Recipes:
Brighten a chilly evening with Lemon Chicken Rice Soup or a hearty bowl of Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana.
If you’re after bold flavors, try the tangy Dill Pickle Soup or the earthy Sausage White Bean Soup.
On budget-friendly nights, Nacho Soup or Poor Man’s Stew keeps everyone satisfied without stretching the wallet.
If you tried this Beer Cheese Soup recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Happy Slow Cooking!
How to Video
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 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup beer – I use pilsner, (use a light beer)
WAIT TO ADD
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 8 oz. fresh finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese, buy a block, not preshredded
Instructions
- Note that this is a smaller batch of soup (serves about four). Double it if you need to serve more.
- 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!
Stove Top Instructions
- You can easily cook this soup on the stovetop. Combine all ingredients (except the flour, cream, and cheese) and cook for at least an hour to let the flavors meld and the vegetables soften. Add the remaining ingredients when the vegetables are tender.
Sarah's Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Hi! If I’m cooking this on my stovetop, do I add the cooked bacon at the beginning with the onions, etc? Also, do you chop the bacon into pieces prior to cooking it? If so, about how big? Thank you! My daughter made this in her crockpot and loved it!
I would cut the bacon into 1/4 inch pieces and cook with the onions and carrots.
I’m planning on making this great looking soup later this week. Since I’m gone longer than 4 hours can I cook this on low for 6-8 hours?
I have not tested for that long. On low it should do fine.
I am looking forward to trying this in my crockpot.
Does this soup freeze well?
Thank you
Sharon
Just made this today for a wintery day (though soon to be milder) and it is amazing. I left out the veggies (my sis doesn’t like most veggies….I’m ashamed to be related to her sometimes LOL j/k :-P) but instead added in a package of Wardynski’s Polish sausage links all sliced up along with the bacon pieces 🙂
I do not have a slow cooker, can I just let it simmer instead?
Yes, that will work great for this recipe.
How do you increase the number of servings?
I would double the recipe, that would be the easiest.
Can I make this a day ahead and reheat? I have to drive 4 hours to Milw and don’t need a lot of work when I get there. I don’t drink beer so can I add the beer, cheese & flour the next day? I’m going to stop at a tavern to get the beer in a container. What should I use if not a pilsner? My daughter doesn’t want potatoes in it – that makes me sad. How many will this serve? She wants enough for 20 people… Please send answer to my email below by Thursday AM if at all possible!
Thanks a bunch, Linda K.
I would prepare the entire recipe ahead of time and slowly reheat on the stovetop. Any type of light beer will work great.
Thanks Sarah!
Linda K.
Where is the other 4 hours of cook time?
Tasted very good. Was pretty thick so I will probably add another cup of chicken broth next time.
has anyone used extra sharp white cheddar in this recipe?
I used extra sharp cheddar (not white though) and it was pretty good though while I liked it my mom didn’t seem to care much for my addition of Polish sausage…too overpowering of a flavor for her maybe? My sister hasn’t tried it yet.