Bacon Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Beer is filled with veggies, cheese, and bacon in a delicious creamy beer based soup.
Beer Broccoli Cheddar Potato Soup
What more could a person want in a soup? Bacon-check. Beer-check. Tons of veggies-check. Cheese-check.
I'm not a beer drinker, but I like the flavor beer gives to this cheesy soup.
Truthfully, I had a bunch of straggler ingredients in my fridge when I developed this recipe for you, and the result was certainly worth sharing with you.
I love soups and enjoy them year-round. This one will certainly be one I make when I have all that extra broccoli from the garden this Spring.
Top each bowl of soup with crumbled bacon, sliced green onions, and shredded cheddar cheese.
But don't throw out that bacon grease. Save it for making Bacon Infused Banana Bread, Bacon Grease Chocolate Chip Cookies or Cornbread Sticks.
Ingredients for Bacon Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Beer
- Bacon, chopped -- brings smokey, richness to the soup and a chewy garnish. I even use the bacon drippings to make the rue.
- Potatoes, diced -- brings body to the soup.
- Carrots, diced -- bring color and sweetness.
- Celery, thinly sliced -- adds a layer of flavor. I like using the leaf tops for more texture in soups.
- Onion and garlic, diced -- brings flavor to the soup.
- Chicken breast, diced -- protein in the soup helps make it a filling main course.
- Chicken bouillon -- amps up the chicken flavor.
- Beer -- use a bottle or can of your favorite beer or even one you don't like for a light hint of beer in the finished soup.
- Tony Chachere's Seasoning -- lots of flavors in one little shaker.
- Salt & black pepper -- elevates and highlights the soup flavors. Be careful adding too much salt as the chicken bouillon is salty.
- Broccoli -- adding it at the end keeps it from getting over cooked.
- Heavy Whipping Cream -- adds a creamy richness to the soup. You can use milk or half and half.
- Butter, room temperature -- the base for the thickener.
- Flour -- to create a thickener.
- Cheddar cheese -- I used white but yellow works fine, too.
- Cream cheese -- brings an extra layer of richness.
- Toppings -- bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onion make the soup even better.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- In a dutch oven or other large pot, cook chopped bacon until grease has rendered and bacon is cooked through. Drain bacon and set aside for garnish. Save bacon grease for another use.
- Add potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, chicken, and chicken bouillon to the Dutch oven.
- Pour in beer, if more liquid is need add a little water -- just enough to barely cover.
- Season with Tony Chachere's and pepper. Cook until vegetables are nearly tender and chicken is cooked through. About 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add broccoli and cook just until tender.
- In a small bowl make a paste of the flour and butter. Add to the soup and bring to a gentle simmer to thicken the soup.
- Add heavy whipping cream. If more liquid is needed to cover, add water.
- Add the cream cheese and shredded cheese. Reserve some for garnishing each bowl.
- Adjust the seasonings.
- Top each bowl with chopped bacon, shredded cheese, and chopped green onion.
Hint: Stir gently so you don't smash up your cooked veggies.
Substitutions & Variations
- Lower fat and calories - instead of heavy whipping cream, you can use half and half or milk
- Leave out the beer - add more chicken bouillon and water in place of the beer
- Vegetarian Cheddar Beer Soup - leave out the chicken for a vegetarian soup
Storing Bacon Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Beer
Allow leftover soup to cool slightly, then transfer it into a shallow container and refrigerate it for 3 to 5 days.
Top tip
Cook this soup on low to medium-low after you have added the dairy to prevent curdling.
FAQ
After adding any dairy products (cream cheese, cheese and cream) keep the heat on medium-low or low. Too much heat curdles soups and sauces with milk products. It is still safe to eat.
Beer flavors the soup. If you like a strong beer flavor, use a slightly darker, stronger beer. Just know it will make your finished soup a darker color.
Typically speaking, a mild lager or pilsner beer works for most recipes. Try an easily found American beer like Budweiser.
Simple add a splash of additional water until you are happy with the consistency.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Bacon Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Beer:
Bacon Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Beer
Ingredients
- 3-4 slices Bacon chopped
- 3 medium Potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 cup Carrots diced
- 1 stalk Celery thinly sliced
- ½ onion Onion diced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Chicken breast diced
- 2 teaspoons Chicken bouillon or to taste
- 1 bottle Beer
- 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Seasoning
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- 1 head Broccoli
- 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 4 Tablespoons Butter room temperature
- 4 Tablespoons Flour
- 8 ounces Cheddar cheese shredded
- 3 ounces Cream cheese
- 1 Green onion sliced for topping
Instructions
- In a dutch oven or other large pot, cook chopped bacon until grease has rendered and bacon is cooked through. Drain bacon and set aside for garnish. Save bacon grease for another use.3-4 slices Bacon
- Add potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, chicken, and chicken bouillon to the Dutch oven.3 medium Potatoes, 1 cup Carrots, 1 stalk Celery, ½ onion Onion, 2 cloves Garlic, 1 Chicken breast, 2 teaspoons Chicken bouillon
- Pour in beer, if more liquid is need add a little water -- just enough to cover barely.1 bottle Beer
- Season with Tony Chachere's and pepper. Cook until vegetables are nearly tender and chicken is cooked through. About 10 to 15 minutes.1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Seasoning, Salt & black pepper
- Add broccoli and cook just until tender.1 head Broccoli
- In a small bowl make a paste of the flour and butter. Add to the soup and bring to a gentle simmer to thicken the soup.4 Tablespoons Butter, 4 Tablespoons Flour
- Add heavy whipping cream. If more liquid is needed to cover, add water.1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- Add the cream cheese and shredded cheese. Reserve some for garnishing each bowl.3 ounces Cream cheese, 8 ounces Cheddar cheese
- Adjust the seasonings.
- Top each bowl with chopped bacon, shredded cheese, and chopped green onion.1 Green onion
Nutrition
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Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Lisa says
Great twist on Broccoli cheese soup.
Chuckie says
Thanks! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂