This Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup is a great one-pot recipe when you’re looking for a cozy meal that’s ready in about 1 hour. The combination of sharp cheddar, veggies, and beer gives it that classic flavor everyone loves, especially when using a good Wisconsin lager.
You’ll love this recipe if you like this Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup and this Creamy Italian Sausage Soup.
This recipe is perfect for game days or when you need a comforting meal to warm up after a chilly day.
It comes together in these simple steps — you’ll sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until soft, stir in the flour, then slowly add the broth and beer. Let it simmer until it thickens, then stir in the sharp cheddar for a creamy, comforting finish.
After you make this one, try my Beer Cheese Dip recipe!
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Simple, straightforward ingredients.
- Made in one pot and ready in 1 hour.
- Great for weeknight dinners or game-day parties.
- Leftovers store well for easy meals later in the week.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this Wisconsin beer cheese soup recipe
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Melt Butter: In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Cook Vegetables: Add finely chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until it’s fragrant.
- Make Roux: Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the vegetables and stir well to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the flour is lightly browned.
- Add Liquids, Boil, Then Simmer: Gradually pour in the chicken broth and then the beer, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring that mixture to a boil, then reduce the stovetop heat to reach a gentle simmer, usually medium-low or low. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens.
- Add Half-and-Half: Stir in the half-and-half and cook for another 5 minutes.
Recipe Tip: If the soup seems thin after adding the liquids, don’t worry — it thickens as it simmers and when the cheese is added. If needed, simmer longer or mix 1 tablespoon of flour with a bit of broth and stir it into the soup to thicken.
- Melt Cheese: Gradually add the shredded cheese, stirring constantly until the cheese is completely melted and the soup is smooth.
- Season Soup: Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to let flavors meld.
- Serve Soup: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped chives or green onions and croutons if desired.
👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions
- Beer: Most lagers or ales will work. Try Miller Lite, Leinenkugel’s Original, or PBR. I would avoid anything that’s really hoppy, like IPAs; they are likely too bitter and may affect the soup’s flavor. For non-alcoholic options, choose something like Heineken 0.0 (while some alcohol cooks off during simmering, it doesn’t fully evaporate).
- Half-and-Half: You can use whole milk for a lighter version, or, for a creamier soup, use heavy cream.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Swap in mild cheddar or a mix of cheeses.
- Dijon Mustard: Use yellow mustard, whole-grain mustard, or stone-ground mustard.
- Chicken Broth: Use vegetable broth instead.
✨ Variations
- Add Protein: Stir in some crumbled bacon or diced ham.
- Extra Veggies: Toss in some chopped broccoli or cubed potatoes.
- Spicy: Add a pinch of ground cayenne pepper or a drizzle of hot sauce.
〰️ How to serve
- Toppings — Croutons, chopped chives, or extra shredded cheese.
- Side Dishes — Soft pretzels, baked sliced zucchini, or a pear salad.
- Bread — Cheesy garlic pull apart bread for dipping.
💬 FAQs
How should I store leftovers?
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Be sure to warm it slowly to avoid separating the cheese. If the soup thickens too much in the fridge, add a bit of extra broth or half-and-half when reheating.
📚 More soup recipes
- Crock Pot Taco Soup
- Chicken Corn Soup
- Hungarian Mushroom Soup
- Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup
- Chicken Tortellini Soup
🍽 Recipe
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Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
- 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup beer, preferably a Wisconsin lager or ale; I use Spotted Cow or non-alcoholic beer
- 1 cup half-and-half, see Note below regarding temperature
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional Garnishes:
- Chopped chives or finely chopped green onions
- Croutons
Instructions
- Melt Butter: In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat.
- Cook Vegetables: Add finely chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Make Roux: Sprinkle all-purpose flour over vegetables and stir well to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until flour is lightly browned.
- Add Liquids, Boil, Then Simmer: Gradually pour in chicken broth then beer, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce stovetop heat to reach a gentle simmer, usually medium-low or low. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens.
- Add Half-and-Half: Stir in half-and-half and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Melt Cheese: Gradually add shredded cheese, stirring constantly until cheese is completely melted and soup is smooth.
- Season Soup: Stir in Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to let flavors meld.
- Serve Soup: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped chives or green onions and croutons if desired.
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