Wisconsin Native's Beer Cheese Soup
A rich and creamy beer cheese soup made fast using the pressure cooker, loaded with sharp cheddar, beer, and tender sautéed veggies—finished with smoky bacon and a popcorn surprise.
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon chopped
- 1 ½ cups carrots diced
- 1 ½ cups yellow onion diced
- 1 ½ cups celery diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic about 6 cloves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 12 ounce pilsner-style beer
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk or half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 12 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese shredded (about 3 cups)
- popped plain or salted popcorn for garnish
Instructions
Instructions
- Crisp the bacon in the pressure cooker pot on medium heat. Remove and leave 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pot.
- Sauté carrots, onions, and celery in the drippings for 5–7 minutes until tender.
- Add garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne and cook for 1–2 minutes until aromatic.
- Melt in butter and stir in flour. Cook 2–3 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
- Whisk in chicken broth and beer together. Bring to boil, then simmer for 10 minutes to thicken.
- Turn off heat. Gradually mix in shredded cheese until melted fully.
- Add milk or half-and-half and simmer on low for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve hot topped with reserved crispy bacon and a sprinkle of popcorn.
Notes
Top each bowl with popped popcorn and crispy bacon for a delicious twist. Store in airtight containers and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat on low to avoid separation.