German Beer Cheese Soup

Name: German Beer Cheese Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 4 bacon slices diced; 1 large yellow onion diced; 1 carrot finely chopped or grated; 2 cloves garlic minced; ¼ cup all-purpose flour; 2 cup whole milk or half-and-half; 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth; 1 can or bottle beer (about 10-12 oz.); 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon ground mustard; Salt & pepper to taste; 3 cups sharp cheddar shredded; French fried onions for garnish

by All that's Jas

6 servings

25 min

This Beer Cheese Soup recipe hits that sweet spot with a creamy, sharp flavor from the cheddar and a deep, earthy flavor from the beer.

It's the perfect dish to celebrate the beer holiday, Oktoberfest!

The most widely consumed alcoholic drink and the most beloved dairy product in the world merged in one rich and hearty soup!

If you love cheese and beer, then this is the perfect dish for you!

Not surprising considering how Europeans love their beer, this soup was actually served as breakfast during the middle ages. There are several written accounts of modern rulers enjoying this as part of their morning meal as a restorative broth.

Beer soup was brought in the US's mid-western region, mainly in Wisconsin's state by groups of German settlers during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Wisconsin is known to be "America's Dairyland" and is famous for producing masses of fine tasting cheese. So it was almost inevitable that this dairy product was added to the original beer soup recipe! The result - luscious soup!

Bring the Oktoberfest party into your own home with this home-cooked beer and cheese soup and copious amounts of German beer!

What beer to use?

Beer is the third most popular drink- after water and tea. So it is not so surprising that enterprising people have found a way to incorporate beer in dishes.

Beers have so many flavors, nuances, and elements that elevate the taste and texture of certain types of food like meats, stews, soups, and even desserts.

With the wide selection of ales and lagers to choose from, selecting a beer to use for your soup can be tricky. A thought to keep in mind: If you don't like drinking it, you won't like eating it!

Bring the Oktoberfest party into your own home with this home-cooked beer and cheese soup and copious amounts of German beer!

German Beer Cheese Soup

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Recipe details

Yield 6 servings
Time spent: Prep time: 5 Minutes Cook time: 20 Minutes Total time: 25 min

Show Nutrition Info

Per serving

% Daily value

Ingredients

4 bacon slices diced
1 large yellow onion diced
1 carrot finely chopped or grated
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cup whole milk or half-and-half
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can or bottle beer (about 10-12 oz.)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground mustard
Salt & pepper to taste
3 cups sharp cheddar shredded
French fried onions for garnish

Instructions

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then crumble; set aside.
To the bacon fat, add the onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook over moderate heat, occasionally stirring until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and mix well. Cook, frequently stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until the flour turns golden brown.
Add milk, broth, and beer in a stream, whisking, then simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes or until foam subsides. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper.
Add cheese by handfuls, stirring constantly, but gently, and cook until cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes (do not boil). Stir in half of the crumbled bacon.
Ladle soup into bowls and top with remaining bacon. Garnish with French fried onions and sliced green onion, if desired. Serve with your favorite beer!

Tips

Add beer gradually, mixing after each addition.
Do not add the cheese cold; it should be at room temperature. Sudden change in temperature causes coagulation and fat separation that forms into clumps and creates grease.
This soup can easily adapt to a vegetarian alternative by merely leaving out the bacon and replacing the chicken with vegetable broth.

Comments

Jinxx on Jan 14, 2021

I love the taste of beer but can’t drink alcohol anymore due to a medication conflict. Do you think this would be any good at all made with a non-alcoholic beer? Many thanks!

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- Frances M. Guthrie on Jan 14, 2021
  
  Wouldn't the alcohol dissipate in cooking?
  
  8
Kat49375495 on Feb 11, 2021

Squash

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