By Becky Hardin
Published Oct 11, 2024
This bacon beer cheese soup recipe is filled with white cheddar cheese, beer, and of course lots of bacon. A hearty helping of this creamy soup warms me right up on cold nights, and my whole family has fallen in love with this recipe. This comforting soup comes together quickly on the stovetop, which I love for busy nights. Its thick texture is perfect for dipping soft pretzel bites or crusty bread while layers of cheese add so much flavor!
I love classic beer cheese soup , but I also love a bit of spice and, of course, bacon. This is my elevated take on a beer hall classic, made spicy with a kiss of jalapeño pepper and even more savory with chunks of crispy bacon!
What’s in This Bacon Beer Cheese Soup Recipe?
- Bacon: I like thick-cut bacon for its punchy bacon flavor.
- Onion + Garlic: Create a sweet and earthy base of flavor.
- Jalapeño: Adds a bit of spice. To mute the spiciness, remove the seeds or leave them out entirely.
- Butter: Unsalted butter adds richness.
- Flour: Helps thicken the soup.
- Beer: I like a wheat beer or lager for a mild flavor. Avoid any overly dark, hoppy, or fruity beers. For a neutral flavor, the best beer to use is a lager, pilsner, or pale ale.
- Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth or stock creates a rich, flavorful base.
- Cheese: I’m using white cheddar in this beer cheese soup, but there are so many types of cheese out there so you really can’t go wrong! Mixing Irish cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, or Monterey jack cheese with white cheddar is a great option for extra depth of flavor.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the soup.
- Cream: Heavy cream adds richness and creaminess to the soup.
Tips for Success
- Make sure to cook the butter/flour roux until it no longer smells like raw flour.
- I recommend using freshly shredded cheese for the best results. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starch to prevent sticking, and that starch can mess with the consistency of your soup and cause the cheese to melt more slowly.
- Make sure the soup base isn’t too hot when adding the cheese; a soup that’s too hot could cause the cheese to separate and become grainy.
- Use this beer cheese sauce as the base for a delicious spin on broccoli cheese soup !
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover white cheddar beer cheese soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat over low heat in a saucepan until warmed through. I do not recommend freezing this soup, as the cheese will turn grainy once thawed.
Serving Suggestions
Turn soup night into a smorgasbord. The thick texture stands up well to toppings! Try adding diced red bell pepper, homemade bacon croutons , or anything else that tickles your fancy. For dipping options, I recommend these Garlic Parmesan Pretzels or these classic soft pretzel bites . No brewery night is complete without Chicken Wings , Burgers , and shoestring fries . And don’t forget to save a little beer for yourself, you deserve a treat.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 4 ounces thick cut bacon
- ▢ 1 yellow onion diced
- ▢ 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- ▢ 1 jalapeño pepper minced
- ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (¼ stick)
- ▢ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ▢ 12 ounces wheat beer or lager (1 bottle)
- ▢ 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
- ▢ 16 ounces freshly grated white cheddar cheese
- ▢ 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
- ▢ Green onion optional, for garnish
Video
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 7-10 minutes, or until it is crisp and browned. Flip as needed. Remove the crisp bacon to a paper towel to drain any additional grease. 4 ounces thick cut bacon
- Remove all but one tablespoon of grease from the pot. No need to wash it!
- Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is tender and golden brown, about 5 minutes. 1 yellow onion
- Add the garlic and jalapeño. Stir and cook for an additional minute. 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic, 1 jalapeño pepper
- Add the butter and allow it to melt– once melted, add the flour and stir until the flour coats the onion mixture evenly. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Add the beer and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. 12 ounces wheat beer, 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- In a large bowl, toss together the cheese and cornstarch. 16 ounces freshly grated white cheddar cheese, 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Add the heavy cream to the soup and then add the cheese slowly, about ½ cup at a time. 1 cup heavy cream
- Stir constantly until the cheese has melted. Then remove from the heat and serve garnished with chopped bacon and green onions. Green onion
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Becky’s Tips
- This soup can easily be made vegetarian-friendly ! Skip the bacon, and instead of sauteing your onions and garlic in the bacon drippings, use olive oil. Then swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
- Note: Although beer is pretty low in alcohol to begin with, only about 75-85% of the alcohol gets cooked off in the process. The alcohol level should be low enough to be safe for all to enjoy, but you can also use a non-alcoholic beer to be safe.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Beer Cheese Soup Step by Step
Cook the Bacon: Heat a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add 4 ounces of thick-cut bacon and cook for 7-10 minutes, or until it is crisp and browned. Flip as needed. Remove the crisp bacon to a paper towel to drain any additional grease. Remove all but one tablespoon of grease from the pot. No need to wash it!
Sauté the Onion and Pepper: Add 1 diced yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is tender and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of minced fresh garlic and 1 minced jalapeño pepper. Stir and cook for an additional minute.
Add the Beer and Stock: Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and allow it to melt– once melted, add 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and stir until the flour coats the onion mixture evenly. Add 12 ounces of wheat beer and 2 cups of low-sodium chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Add the Cheese: In a large bowl, toss together 16 ounces of freshly grated white cheddar cheese and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Add 1 cup of heavy cream to the soup and then add the cheese slowly, about ½ cup at a time. Stir constantly until the cheese has melted. Then remove from the heat and serve garnished with chopped bacon and green onions.
More Beer Cheese Recipes to Try
Beer Cheese Soup (Made in 15 Minutes!)
Beer Cheese Dip (Only 4 Ingredients)
Easy Beer Cheese Dip Recipe (Beer Cheese Spread)
Hot Corn and Bacon Beer Cheese Dip
Beer Cheese Buffalo Chicken Dip
Bacon Beer Cheese Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 4 ounces thick cut bacon
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 jalapeño pepper minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (¼ stick)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 12 ounces wheat beer or lager (1 bottle)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
- 16 ounces freshly grated white cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Green onion optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 7-10 minutes, or until it is crisp and browned. Flip as needed. Remove the crisp bacon to a paper towel to drain any additional grease. 4 ounces thick cut bacon
- Remove all but one tablespoon of grease from the pot. No need to wash it!
- Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is tender and golden brown, about 5 minutes. 1 yellow onion
- Add the garlic and jalapeño. Stir and cook for an additional minute. 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic, 1 jalapeño pepper
- Add the butter and allow it to melt– once melted, add the flour and stir until the flour coats the onion mixture evenly. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Add the beer and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. 12 ounces wheat beer, 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- In a large bowl, toss together the cheese and cornstarch. 16 ounces freshly grated white cheddar cheese, 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Add the heavy cream to the soup and then add the cheese slowly, about ½ cup at a time. 1 cup heavy cream
- Stir constantly until the cheese has melted. Then remove from the heat and serve garnished with chopped bacon and green onions. Green onion
Video
Notes
- This soup can easily be made vegetarian-friendly ! Skip the bacon, and instead of sauteing your onions and garlic in the bacon drippings, use olive oil. Then swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
- Note: Although beer is pretty low in alcohol to begin with, only about 75-85% of the alcohol gets cooked off in the process. The alcohol level should be low enough to be safe for all to enjoy, but you can also use a non-alcoholic beer to be safe.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
