Spicy White Cheddar Beer Cheese Soup

Does beer cheese soup really need any sort of explanation?
beer cheese
It doesn’t get any more Wisconsin than this.

In honor of National Soup Month, I’ve decided to experiment with my favorite soup.

It led to this.

A smoky & spicy white cheddar beer cheese soup, served up with a homemade garlic pretzel. What better way to cut through the cold spell we’ve been having?

Beer cheese is my favorite soup for two reasons. My love of beer and my love of cheese. It’s my manna in the desert and I’ve been to just about every Madison bar and restaurant that serves the stuff. (Obviously the Old Fashioned is on my shortlist, but Dexter’s Pub and the Side Door deserve recognition too).

For this particular recipe, here’s what you’ll need. To start, if you want your own homemade pretzels, click here.

Time: 20 minutes prep, 1 hour cooking

What you’ll need:

  • 1/2 cup of shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup of chopped celery
  • 1 cup of diced yellow onion
  • 3 cups of sharp white cheddar cheese (shredded)
  • 1 cup of smoked cheddar (shredded)
  • 1/4 cup of flour
  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • Red pepper flakes
  • 1 bell pepper
  • Black pepper
  • 1 jalapeno (seeded and chopped)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp Franks Red Hots
  • 1 1/2 tbsp of butter
  • 1 tsp of worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp ground mustard powder
  • 3 cups of chicken stock
  • 12 oz beer of choice (I went with Sierra Nevada’s Nooner Pilsner)

What you’ll do:

  • Veggie prep. I know it sucks, but start dicing and chopping your carrots, peppers, garlic, celery, onion and all that.
  • Once you’re done, in a large skillet over medium heat add the butter and olive oil. Once it starts to sizzle, add the chopped veggies and garlic and cook them down for about 8 minutes until soft.
The best way to eat your vegetables. Cooked in olive oil and butter.
  • In another large pot, add the 3 cups of chicken stock and beer and bring to a slow simmer over low heat while the veggies cook.
  • In the skillet, add the 1/4 cup of flour to the veggies and create a faux roux of sorts. Cook that until the flour turns a nice golden brown. (If it gets too thick, add more beer or chicken stock to the mixture)
  • Add the veggie mash into the pot of stock & beer. Turn up the heat to medium and let it get to the start of a boil before turning it back down to low. Add all your seasonings (The mustard powder, the hot sauce, chili powder, Worcestershire, pepper flakes, pepper, a pinch of salt, and anything else that sounds appetizing.)
  • Just before it starts to boil, turn the heat down to low and start adding your cheese. Whisk it in at small increments and only add more cheese once the first round is fully whisked and melted. Continue until all the cheese is in. Whisk for a good minute or two, then let it simmer for about 10 minutes covered.
  • Serve and enjoy with more beer.

 

The simple life necessities.

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