When I came across a recipe for an ale and cheddar soup recently on From and Away I immediately pinned it thinking that it would be perfect to make some time around St. Patrick’s Day. In addition to the ale and cheddar this soup contains plenty of bacon and spicy jalapenos peppers so there was really no way that I could resist making it! This recipe starts out by cooking the bacon, and I used a double smoked bacon to add a smokiness, and then uses the bacon grease to saute the onions, celery and jalapeno peppers so that you do not loose any of that bacon-y goodness. Next up is some garlic and thyme for flavour followed by some flour to thicken the soup before adding the ale and broth. With the soup containing both ale and cheese I added some mustard and Worcestershire sauce which always makes for a great flavour combo. The soup is of course finished off with plenty of cheddar cheese and some heavy cream.
Lets not even try to fool ourselves here, there is nothing at all healthy about this soup, but it is so so good! Can you just imagine drinking a warm liquid cheese ale with a mellow spicy heat and the hint of smoky bacon? I am already craving another bowl!
Ale and Cheddar Soup
A heavenly ale and melted cheddar cheese soup seasoned with smoky bacon and spicy jalapenos that’s pure comfort in a bowl!
ingredients
- 1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1 inch slices
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 jalapeno peppers, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup flour (rice flour for gluten-free)
- 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 2 cups ale (gluten-free for gluten-free) (or more broth)
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (or milk)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- cayenne, salt and pepper to taste
directions
- Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat and set aside on paper towels to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the grease in the pan.
- Add the onion, celery and jalapeno and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the butter, let it melt and start bubbling, before sprinkling on the flour and letting it cook until it starts to turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the broth, and ale, and deglaze the pan before adding the bacon and then let cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cream, and cheese and cook, until the cheese has melted, without bringing it back to a boil.
- Season with cayenne, salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.
Option: Omit the bacon and use 2 tablespoons of butter or oil instead.
this sounds almost too good to be true, and looks so good!! anne
That's totally indecent but totally yummy!
Wowza! This is a great sounding recipe and I vow to make it myself. Jalapenos…yum!
You know, many of us eat the same foods over and over again, so you are right in searching out new recipes. I like to watch Chef Gordon Ramsay's 'Kitchen Nightmares' when I can as the differing restaurants give me ideas on new things to eat.
I am getting this recipe now. Thanks!
Hey Kevin, visiting you after a long time today! The soup looks incredibly delicious!
This looks so delicious! I've been searching for the perfect St. Patty's Day recipe and I think I've just found it. 🙂
I can't wait to try this one!
This sounds and looks totally delicious.
April marks my new blogger event called The Soup Kitchen. You would be most welcome to join in at http://thespanishwok.blogspot.com/2012/03/soup-kitchen-bloggers-event.html
Mmmm this soup represents everything I want right now! Love the spicy touch.
Absolutely unhealthy but absolutely good!!!
So soothing! A perfect combo. I love the addition of chili.
Cheers,
Rosa
Oh yes, we're definitely making this one!
You can't eat healthy all the time!
Yum! This looks so good
Mal @ The Chic Geek
This soup is amazing! It is definitely comfort in a bowl.
I am always looking for a new cheddar cheese soup recipe. It's my favorite guilty pleasure
Thanks for trying out our recipe, Kevin! We're big fans, and it was a treat to see one of our dishes on your site. 🙂 Keep up the great work!
MMM great idea for St. Patty's day and the Jalapenos make it looks just that much better!
I've never been a big fan of "cheese soup," but this looks so much more complex and flavorful. I'm so thrilled whenever I see you have a new blog post as your recipes are different and exciting.
This looks amazing and has all of my husband's favorite ingredients. I'd love to make it for St. Patrick's Day. I feel dumb asking but do you think I could feed this to my kids? Is 10 minutes long enough to cook out the alcohol? Thanks!
Beer cheese soup is one of my favorite soups ever. I have a base recipe that I use but I'll give this one a try too.
Kevin– not a closet sized kitchen, but as my brother says, a step-saver kitchen! 😉
Thanks for the recipe share.
That's my all time favorite type of soup. Totally making this one Kevin – it looks amazing!
Carrie: You can cook it a bit longer and it should be fine.
I made it this weekend for dinner guests. They LITERALLY licked the bowl.
How many ounces is a bottle of ale?
I can't wait to try this!!! I am going to make it for a big group…do you think I can just double the recipe without changing anything?
Lerdal Family: Yes, you can just double everything. Enjoy!
Katie Frank: A standard beer bottle at 12 ounces will do, though you could use more if you like. 🙂
This soups looks like a keeper, all the flavors we like! I will definitely be trying this recipe. But I am curious as to what ale you used?
Tam: Most recently I used a local one, Mill Street TankHouse Ale.
Mmmmm! Made it with veggie broth and without the bacon for a nice Lenten meal. YUMMY.
But next time will TOTALLY add back bacon!
Unfortunately, this did not turn out good for me. I think I bought the wrong kind of ale. Malcolm mentions using Bass or another type and I used a Sierra Pale Ale. Rather than tasting all those wonderful diverse flavors, I tasted sour/bitter/beer..or my garlic may have been bad. 🙁 I'm going to try the recipe again and try a smoother ale.
Made it tonight with Brooklyn Ale…DELICIOUS!
I am making this tonight but I am not too sure what kind of beer to use.. We have a lot of local brews around here (Florida) but I have zero idea of what to use. Do I need a darker/hoppy beer or a pale ale?
Thanks!!
Jessica: I generally like to go with a pale ale but a lot of ales will work well and one that you enjoy drinking is a good way to go.
This turned out really good! Perfect for a football game day! I used Coors Light…why I hav Coors Light in my house I'll never know, but I was able to use it up in this recipe. It was great!
I made this tonight for dinner…we really liked it, but all the cheese kind of went to the bottom and got stuck. It melted and I made sure I cooked it awhile longer…any tips or tricks to get the cheese more incorporated INTO the soup instead of at the bottom of my bowl? Can I use velveeta cheese next time- I think it may melt better…
Did you dice the cheese first? And you need to use a low heat and melt it slowly, stirring constantly. Oh PLEASE do not use Velveeta. It’s not even real cheese and it would compromise the flavor!
Made this today with a porter soup and topped mine off with some crushed mustard pretzels. yummy!
Thrifty Crafter: Cheddar cheese will do that when it is brought to a boil. After adding the cream and cheese, let the cheese melt without brining it back to a boil.
Anything that is home cooked and includes some jalapenos I deem healthy. SURE its loaded with calories and fat, etc. But it was made with love and not full of who knows what from fast food kitchen, or even restaurant kitchen. I can't wait to make this!
Just made this with Fat Tire Ale I also added diced potatoes to make the soup last longer. It turned out amazing. I also added a bit more garlic, but I just like garlic.
This looks wonderful!
Did you take the seeds out of the Jalapenos? I know that can make a HUGE difference in the amount of "heat"
JO-D: I left the seed in because I like the heat but you can remove them to reduce the heat.
So excited to make this- my absolute fav! I have a group of friends that are waiting on me to make this for the next Bears game! 🙂
I have to watch the jalapeno I like family doesn't
How spicy is it heat wise? I love your blog.
Sharon: If your family really does not like the heat you can omit the jalapeno peppers altogether and this soup will still be awesome. Otherwise I recommend that you cut back on the jalapenos and add them a little at a time, testing as you go to get the soup up to the level of heat that you like.
Just went through your favorites. Many of them sound wonderful, but all those mushrooms! I personally think of mushrooms as little morsels of poison, since I am allergic to them. In some cases I can just leave them out, but other recipes I won't be trying.
So maybe dumb question but does it end up with a beer flavor? Not a fan of beer but sometimes you can actually taste it in recipes, sometimes you can't…
Anonymous: The ale definitely influences the flavour of the soup but it does not taste like you are drinking a beer.
This soup is amazing!Thank you so much for sharing.
Can you define heavy cream?
Has anyone tried adding potatoes to this recipe?
My wife and I really like it…and we added some shrimp at the end. The whole thing to us tasted like a bacon wrapped shrimp diablo…so we did and it was very good.
Suzanne McDonald Aziz: Heavy cream is also called whipping cream with about 35-40% MF. You could also substitute something lighter if you prefer.
Anonymous: Potatoes would definitely work in this soup!
Anonymous: I like the sound of the shrimp version!
Awesome! Absolutely perfect!
This is delish! I used my emulsifier to make it smoother. It was sooooo good
Mine turned out pretty good. But had an odd flavor.. I'm thinking next time I might use less thyme?
I don't drink or buy beer. Is there a suggestion you have for replacing the ale in the soup?
Lindsay: You could replace the ale with more broth.
Kevin, I made this last night for a crowd and everyone loved! Thanks for a great recipe!
Kevin: You said you use pale ale but what brand do use use? I drink coors light im thinking of using, but would like to try it your way first. Any ant suggestion on a brand
Just the right amount of heat combined with bacon, beer and cheese. It was very good!
Oh wow! You're killing me!!!!
This is the perfect soup for a crisp fall night. Perfect amount of heat! We loved this!
Anonymous: I like Keiths IPA but you cannot go wrong with your favourite brand. Enjoy!
This had a great taste, but stayed very, very watery. Wouldn't even thicken up with the cornstarch method. Not sure what I did wrong, but I'll definitely try again!
Delicious. I used an immersion blender right before adding cheese. I use New Castle and it is awesome! I also only used one pepper because only my husband can handle the heat. It's delicious!
We just made this tonight and it was amazing! We used New Castle Brown Ale and it was wonderful!! Thanks for the recipe!
If I use just a regular beer (bud light, etc) and not a pale ale will it affect the Tate of the soup?
Anonymous: It will affect the taste of the soup but if you enjoy Bud Light then it will only make it better for you.
Anonymous: Strange, the flour should have thickened it and the additional cornstarch should have as well.
I used a dark Ale and about half a pint lol but the boyfriend loved it and the recp. calls for 2-4 I used 4 and am thinking I will most def only use two jalapenos next go round 🙂
Anonymous: Glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed it! I like is spicy so went with 4 jalapenos but you can go for less and remove the seeds if you prefer it milder.
I made this the other night and it came out amazing!!! I added cooked potatos and then blended the whole thing before adding the beer. Everyone that tasted it said it was to die for! Thanks for the great recipe!!!!
How many cooked potatoes would you recommend adding?
Anonymous: One large or two medium potatoes should be about right. Enjoy!
I made this recipe & it was delicious! Everyone loved it.
I featured your Ale & Cheddar Soup on my blog today. Love it, by the way! Thanks for sharing!
Would non-alcoholic beer be fine to substitute? I like the flavor in cooking but don't drink as well.
I made this for dinner tinight and we loved it. I used Newcstle and loved tbe flavor even though I am not a beer drinker. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
Beth: Yes, you could use a non-alcoholic beer though most of the alcohol cooks out of the beer.
Kevin, I am loving your site. Made this soup for my cafe's Flavor Fest last night — amazing reviews. Thanks for the inspiration and a new take on an old favorite.
Also, your photos are fabulous! Great work.
made this the other night…delicious! i added spicy sausage to the soup;)
Can I use half and half or milk instead of the cream? I realize it may not be as creamy. Thanks so much!
Anonymous: Half and half or milk would also work. Enjoy!
Thanks so much for this great recipe! I made it for an office luncheon and 4x the recipe. Unfortunately I didn't add enough butter and flour so it's not thick. It's actually almost separated. It tastes awesome and I can't wait to try it again but is there anything I can do to thicken the leftovers? Thanks so much!
Unknown: You could cook some more butter and flour and add it to the soup to thicken it up a bit more.
I pinned this recipe on Pinterest forever ago but don't get to make soup often as my hubby doesn't like soup nor does he like beer and wine used in food (yeah, i know, he's picky) plus i live in TX so soup weather is few and far between. Any who, it was cool and drizzley here all day so i decided soup was in order and made thus recipe with a few minor alterations for what i had on hand and it was fabulous and even my hubby couldn't stop singing its praises! Thank you so much for sharing it!
I made this last winter and it was an instant hit in our household! I'm still dreaming about fixing it again this winter!
I made this and it was very very good but really really spicy i would say to put a little less jalapenos!
This is SO good, eating it right now!! So glad I found you and your recipes!! Thank you!
That's totally indecent but totally yummy!
I made this tonight, and it's very good! I think its probably best with sharp cheddar. I only had mild, but it was still delicious 🙂
Just made this recipe, and it was delicious, but I'd make a few changes: as written, the soup came out too strong and too thick, so adding quite a bit more broth, cream, and cheese would help–there are a lot of ingredients with bitter notes (the jalepenos, the ale, the sharp cheddar), and it can be a little overwhelming.
It was great but I used sharp cheddar and added an extra cup of cheese(will add even more next time) I think it needed double the bacon and double the Jalapenos(I like spicy). Thanks for the recipe!!!
This was very good but WAY too much thyme. I would probably omit completely next time around. Also, added extra cup of sharp cheddar. TY!
Nice ~ would love to see this submitted at FoodFotoGallery.com so I can share with all my foodie friends 🙂
If I omit the flour and replace with Xanthan gum, it's a healthy, low-carb treat. I'm a supertaster (autistic) so I'd replace the jalapeno with leek for a more rarebitty taste.
Added some roasted poblano peppers to the mix and roasted my jalapeños as well. Amazing!
This is the most amazing ale cheddar soup I have ever had. This recipe has ruined restaurant beer cheese soup for me. Nothing will ever compare.
I made this soup last night, and it was so totally amazing. I am having a luncheon next week, and since this was so very good, I am going to serve this with some crunchy bread, followed by a taco salad with guacamole and sour cream. I know this wonderful soup will be a hit. I left some of the seeds in the jalapenos so there would be just a slight amount of heat. Everyone raved about it when I made it last night and said the heat was perfect.
Kevin, or anyone else out there, how about turning this into a beer cheese dip? Would I omit the broth or add it last little by littl until desired thickness is reached?
Loved this recipe as soup. Delicious! Thanks!
This would make an amazing dip! I would start adding the broth a little at a time to get to the desired level of thickness.
Dream for every cheese lover!