• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
TikTok

Jo Cooks

Simple - Easy - Comfort

  • All Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast
      • Appetizers
      • Lunch
      • Dinner
      • Desserts
      • Side Dishes
      • Soups
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches
      • Drinks/Cocktails
      • Sauces & Dressings
    • Method
      • Crockpot
      • Instant Pot
      • One Pot
      • Air Fryer
      • Casseroles
    • Season
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • Cuisine
      • Asian
      • Italian
      • Mexican
      • European
      • Indian
      • Romanian
      • Mediterranean
      • Middle Eastern
      • American
    • Ingredient
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Beef
      • Seafood
      • Lamb
      • Vegetarian
      • Pasta
      • Spices
    • Holiday
      • Christmas
      • Easter
      • Thanksgiving
      • Game Day
      • Valentine's Day
      • St. Patrick's Day
      • Cinco de Mayo
      • Mother's Day
      • Memorial Day
      • Father's Day
      • 4th Of July
      • Labor Day
      • Halloween
    • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
    • The Big Book of Jo’s Quick and Easy Meals
    • 30-Minute One-Pot Meals
  • Shop
  • About Jo
FREE recipe eBook!
Display Search Bar Search...
All Recipes
Instant Pot
30 Minute
One Pot Meals
Soups
Dips & Dressings
Baking
Pasta
Sandwiches
Sides
Lunch One Pot Pork
4.8 from 25 votes

Bacon And Beer Cheese Soup

Jump to RecipeVideoPrintRate
By: Joanna Cismaru 15 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Bacon and Beer Cheese Soup is a rich, decadent soup loaded with cheese and bacon with a lager infused broth. Made in just one pot, this flavor enriched soup is ready to be devoured in under an hour.

bacon beer cheese soup in a white bowl with a slice of toast in it

Fabulously rich and ever so luscious, this yummy bacon and beer cheese soup is one of my favourite creations! Made in only one pot, this soup is loaded with cheese and thick pieces of bacon, all married together with a rich, pale-lager beer broth.

I am a huge fan of soup, I don’t know about you but I crave soup on a regular basis, especially when it’s cold and it’s -11F (-24C) now! This feel good, comfort soup is an awesome meal to prep in advance for future meals or to eat throughout the week. Busy or not, this soup is ready in under an hour and ideal to make on a cold and dreary day.

overhead shot of all ingredients needed to make beer cheese soup

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for a list of FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” card at the top of the page!

  • Bacon – Chopped. The more the better!
  • Onion – Large, chopped.
  • Garlic – Fresh is best! Minced.
  • Flour – I used all-purpose flour to thicken the soup a bit, you can use cornstarch as well.
  • Chicken Broth – Low sodium or no sodium added!
  • Milk – I used 2% milk.
  • Lager – I used a pale lager, Pilsner.
  • Cheese – Use a sharp or medium cheddar cheese.
  • Salt and Pepper – To taste.
  • Parsley – Fresh, chopped. For garnish.
process shots showing how to make beer cheese soup

How to make bacon and beer cheese soup

  1. Cook Bacon – Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
  2. Mix Ingredients – In the same Dutch oven add the onion and cook until softened and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and stir. Cook for about 3 minutes – add the broth, milk, beer and whisk. Bring to a boil and let simmer until thickened, for 20 minutes.
  3. Season and Finish – Stir in the cheese and continue simmering for another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Add most of the bacon and stir it in.
  4. Garnish and Serve – Serve soup ladled in bowls and garnish with remaining bacon and parsley.
cheese soup in a large beige dutch oven with a ladle in it

Tips on adding cheese to soup

A lot of the time when making soup, your cheese can end up clumping. Here are some tips on how to avoid that issue!

  1. Keep the soup at a low simmer – Too much heat can cause excess moisture to escape from the cheese, therefore it won’t melt nicely into the soup.
  2. Choose the right cheese – You want to use a cheese with a high moisture content and a low melting point like sharp cheddar, fontina, Gruyere and Swiss. The flavor of sharp cheddar works best in this soup.
  3. Add in only a little cheese at a time – When your soup is simmering, gently toss in small handfuls of cheese at a time to allow it to melt and incorporate fully.
  4. Constant stirring – Continue to whisk or stir the soup until each handful of cheese is thoroughly melted and incorporated before adding more.
  5. Beer in soup – Aside from upping the flavor factor, the tartaric acid in beer helps stop the cheese from clumping! The beer in this recipe aids in the luscious texture of this soup.
beer cheese soup in a white bowl garnished with cheese and bacon

How to serve

This soup is perfect for those chilly nights in! There’s nothing like some toasted warm, crusty bread to dunk into this bowl of comfort. Some other suitable options for dippin’ :

  • Garlic Cheese Bread
  • Crackers
  • Soft Pretzels
  • Baguette
  • Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks

You can also top your soup with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of green onions and some croutons to pull it all together!

overhead shot of beer cheese soup in a large beige dutch oven garnished with parsley

Can I make this in advance?

You can absolutely make this soup in advance! Do not add any toppings – cool the soup completely before transferring into airtight freezer containers. You can store your bacon, cheddar and beer soup for up to 3 months in the freezer!

Tip: Your cheese soup may or may not separate in the freezer, to avoid this completely – don’t add the cheese until you are ready to serve the soup.

How to store leftover soup

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

See above for freezing instructions.

overhead shot of 2 white bowls filled with bacon and beer cheese soup and lots of toast bread around it

Did you like this soup recipe? Try these!

  • Broccoli Cheese Soup
  • Easy Tortellini Soup
  • Taco Soup
  • Lasagna Soup
  • Baked Potato Soup
  • Italian Wedding Soup
  • Chicken Tortilla Soup
  • Egg Roll Soup
  • White Chicken Chili
  • Italian Meatball Soup
  • Stuffed Pepper Soup
  • French Onion Soup

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

overhead shot of bacon beer cheese soup in bowls surrounded by toasted baguette slices
Print
4.76 from 25 votes

Bacon And Beer Cheese Soup

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 45 minutes
Total 55 minutes
Rate Recipe
This Bacon and Beer Cheese Soup is a rich, decadent soup loaded with cheese and bacon with a lager infused broth. Made in just one pot, this flavor enriched soup is ready to be devoured in under an hour.
6

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon (chopped)
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
  • 1 cup milk (I used 2%)
  • 8 ounce lager
  • 12 ounce cheddar cheese (sharp or mild, shredded)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven until crisp, for about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper tower lined plate.
  • In the same Dutch oven add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the onion and stir. Cook for about 3 minutes then add the broth, milk, beer and whisk. Bring to a boil then le tit simmer until thickened, 20 minutes.
  • Stir in the cheese and continue simmering for another 5 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Add most of the bacon and stir it in.
  • Serve soup ladled in bowls and garnish with remaining bacon.

Equipment

  • 6 Quart Dutch Oven

Video

Notes

  1. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
  2. You can store this soup for up to 3 months in the freezer.
  3. Tip: Your cheese soup may or may not separate in the freezer, to avoid this completely – don’t add the cheese until you are ready to serve the soup.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 418kcal (21%)Carbohydrates: 13g (4%)Protein: 22g (44%)Fat: 30g (46%)Saturated Fat: 16g (100%)Cholesterol: 78mg (26%)Sodium: 759mg (33%)Potassium: 341mg (10%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 687IU (14%)Vitamin C: 3mg (4%)Calcium: 470mg (47%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

overhead shot of bacon beer cheese soup in bowls surrounded by toasted baguette slices

Did You Make This?

We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @jocooks or hashtag #jocooks so we can see your creations!

Rate Recipe
Add Your Photo!
  • 732
Home Recipes
Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More
iPad showing title of ebook 30 recipes from around the world
Subscribe

Get our FREE recipe eBook + weekly newsletter!

Loading

guest
Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.

guest
Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

15 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Debra
Debra
Posted: 1 month ago

5 stars
Love this recipe Jo… and every other recipe I’ve used of yours. This soup turns out perfect, no matter what cheese, no matter what beer, it’s always superb.

0
Reply
Maureen Medhurst
Maureen Medhurst
Posted: 2 years ago

Can you use any type of beer? My husband drinks coppers pale ale.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Maureen Medhurst
Posted: 2 years ago

Yep, it should be fine.

0
Reply
Esten Spears
Esten Spears
Posted: 2 years ago

I’m going to make this today and was thinking of adding some cauliflower or broccoli to it for the final simmer . What do You think?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Esten Spears
Posted: 2 years ago

That sounds great!

0
Reply
Esten Spears
Esten Spears
Reply to  Joanna Cismaru
Posted: 2 years ago

5 stars
I added broccoli to the recipe and it turned out to be my all time favorite soup!

0
Reply
Avis Prede
Avis Prede
Posted: 2 years ago

5 stars
Jo, I made this for the first time today, and WOW! Not only is the combination of flavors incredible, it was super easy to prepare and while I made it as written this time*, it’s one of those soups that could easily use up leftover vegetables in the crisper. Also I think one could play with different cheeses (Gruyere or Emmentaler would probably be good).

* Didn’t have lager on hand so used a cup of pale ale. Still delicious.

Thank you as always. I subscribe to dozens of food blogs and yours is far and away my favorite.

I hope you and your family are well and safe up there in the Great White North, greetings from New England.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Avis Prede
Posted: 2 years ago

So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, and thank you!!

0
Reply
Traci Kenworth
Traci Kenworth
Posted: 2 years ago

Mm, yum!

0
Reply
CindyH
CindyH
Posted: 2 years ago

Hi Jo,

I would love to make this for a family member. The problem is that this person is a vegetarian. Do you think this soup would still be decadent without the bacon? In my world, the bacon is a must! ;-D

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  CindyH
Posted: 2 years ago

I mean, like you, in my world the bacon is always a must, but yeah you can definitely make it without the bacon. 🙂 I know there’s vegan bacon, might be worth a try. 🙂

0
Reply
CindyH
CindyH
Reply to  Joanna Cismaru
Posted: 2 years ago

Thanks, I didn’t know about vegan bacon. I’ll definitely come back and let you know what they say after I make it.

0
Reply
Avis Prede
Avis Prede
Reply to  CindyH
Posted: 2 years ago

Not knowing much about vegan meat substitutes myself, if your family member is vegetarian and not full-on vegan, perhaps you could saute the vegetables in butter or a butter/oil combo and prepare the bacon separately to add to your own? Also there are smoked salts and cheeses out there that might make up the difference.

Good luck, this soup is so good and worth trying.

0
Reply
Michael Whistor
Michael Whistor
Posted: 2 years ago

Jo, Michael here from Toronto. I love your recipes and follow they religiously as they come in.

Keep up the good work. Oh, do you have a hard cover or paperback cookbook?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Michael Whistor
Posted: 2 years ago

Thank you, Michael. I do have a book, you can find more information on it here: https://www.jocooks.com/cookbook/

0
Reply

sidebar

Headshot of Joanna Cismaru

Hey there!

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More
Collage of recipe ebooks
Subscribe

Get our FREE recipe eBook + weekly newsletter!

Loading

Pasta Favorites

baked mac and cheese in a black cast iron skillet.
45 mins

Baked Mac And Cheese

freshly made crack chicken penne with a wooden spoon in a skillet.
40 mins

Crack Chicken Penne

chicken pot pie pasta in a white serving bowl with a wooden serving spoon.
50 mins

Chicken Pot Pie Pasta

freshly made one pot pasta in a dutch oven.
20 mins

One Pot Pasta

tomato spinach chicken pasta in a white bowl.
30 mins

Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta

homemade hamburger helper lasagna from scratch in a skillet.
30 mins

One Pot Hamburger Helper Lasagna

baked feta pasta in a white bowl garnished with fresh basil.
50 mins

Baked Feta Pasta (Tik Tok Pasta)

sideview shot of chicken fajita pasta in a white bowl with a fork inside
45 mins

Chicken Fajita Pasta

side close up shot of swedish meatball pasta in a beige braised garnished with parsley
30 mins

Swedish Meatball Pasta

overhead shot of a bowl of haluski
40 mins

Haluski (Cabbage and Noodles)

A stack of cookbooks
Grab a copy!

My Cookbooks

Order Now: Amazon | Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound | Books-A-Million

Dinner Favorites

smothered pork chops in a skillet garnished with parsley.
1 hr 15 mins

Smothered Pork Chops

a wooden spoon lifting a salisbury steak out of the skillet
30 mins

Salisbury Steak

beef lo mein in a black wok.
30 mins

Beef Lo Mein

side shot of beef and broccoli in a skillet
15 mins

Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

shepherd's pie in a skillet with a serving taken out of it.
1 hr 25 mins

Skillet Shepherd’s Pie

a serving spoon inside a skillet with chicken broccoli rice casserole.
30 mins

One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

side view shot of two italian stuffed peppers in a bowl
2 hrs 30 mins

Italian Stuffed Peppers

side view shot of a bowl with a scoop of spaghetti bolognese in it
40 mins

Spaghetti Bolognese

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
TikTok
Visit our Other Site: Craving Home Cooked

Explore

Recipes
Cookbooks
About Jo
Contact

Legal

Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Disclaimers
© 2023 Jo Cooks
Site Credits
Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
wpDiscuz