Cheddar Beer Soup Recipe: Easy American Soup from Wisconsin

One of the most famous dishes from Wisconsin is cheddar beer soup. It is a go-to meal for many of the state’s families, and you will find it on many Wisconsin menus.

Wisconsin cheddar beer soup is both hearty and flavourful. It is made with sharp cheddar cheese, beer, and other ingredients. Sautéing onions and garlic in butter, adding flour to make a roux, and then whisking in chicken broth, beer, and cream are typical processes to create the dish. People then simmer the soup until it’s thick and creamy before adding cheddar cheese until it’s melted and fully incorporated. The soup often has garnishes of croutons, bacon, and chives.

Many variations of the dish include other ingredients to give a twist to the traditional dish. Although the dish is traditional in Wisconsin, many other areas across the United States enjoy this popular American soup. If you fancy trying this dish, here is a traditional cheddar beer soup recipe. (Image credit: Photo by Daria Klimova on Pexels.com)

Wisconsin Cheddar Beer Soup Recipe: An Easy American Soup

Recipe by Liz FlynnCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Vegan

NO

Vegetarian

NO

Dairy-free

NO

Gluten-free

NO

An easy recipe for cheddar beer soup, a traditional dish in Wisconsin and other American states.

Ingredients for the Wisconsin Cheddar Beer Soup

• 0.5-pound smoked bacon lardons or smoked bacon chops diced into 1 cm cubes (approx.)

• 2 sticks of celery, finely sliced

• 1 small onion, finely diced

• 600 ml chicken stock, plus more if needed

• 1 bottle of beer

• 1 large jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tablespoon chopped thyme

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 2 oz. plain flour

• 250 ml double cream

• 12 oz. mature cheddar cheese

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions: How to Make the Cheddar Beer Soup Recipe

• Put a large pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and bacon. Cook the bacon for about seven minutes, or until the fat is rendered and crispy, then transfer it to a bowl.
• Add the onion, celery, garlic, jalapeno, and thyme to the saucepan and cook for six minutes or until softened.
• Next, add half the beer and cook for five minutes until the beer has reduced by half.
• Then, add the chicken stock and bring the soup to a simmer.
• Melt the butter in a separate pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour to create a roux and cook for two minutes until the mixture begins to slightly brown.
• Transfer the roux into the soup, then whisk until all the roux is incorporated with the other ingredients.
• Bring the ingredients to a simmer and cook for approximately eight minutes to thicken the soup.
• Add the cream, cheddar cheese, and remaining beer to the pan, then cook for a further five minutes until all the ingredients are cooked through
• Transfer the bacon to the pan with the soup, then season with salt and pepper.
• Cook for another few minutes to ensure the soup is piping hot, then serve.

Notes

• Traditionally, people eat cheddar beer soup with toasted garlic bread, but you can serve it with any bread you choose. Croutons are also a fantastic addition to the soup.
• You can make the soup vegetarian by omitting the bacon and using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
• Try adding some parsley or chives to give your soup some extra flavour.
• If you can’t get hold of smoked bacon chops or lardons, then use smoked streaky bacon. Similarly, you can use unsalted smoky bacon if you prefer.
• Add a little extra stock or water if the soup is too thick.
• Try using half the mature cheddar cheese and replacing the other half with smoked cheese for a different flavour.

If you enjoyed this soup recipe, then why not try some more of our popular American soups? These include:

• Avocado Soup
• Great Northern Bean Soup
• Pumpkin Soup
• Bacon and Bean Soup
• Potato and Bacon Soup, and
• Strawberry Soup

Each of these American soups is a traditional dish in the United States. While many are popular nationwide, others are traditional in a particular state. Do you like soups with cheese? Try some of the following soup recipes:

• Cauliflower cheese soup
• Broccoli and Stilton Soup

Did you enjoy our recipe for Wisconsin cheddar beer soup? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.