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Smoky Broccoli Cheddar Ale Soup

It’s soup season and I can’t wait to share some more of my favorite recipes with you. I love both broccoli cheddar soup AND cheddar ale soup…so why not combine them?! I also love to use smoked cheddar and smoked paprika to give this soup a comforting taste that makes you feel like you’re enjoying it alongside your BFFs at a fall bonfire, but you can just use regular, too. Using fresh broccoli helps you avoid the veggie-mush you get when buying store bought broccoli cheddar soup, and selecting your favorite beer to add allows you some personal flare when making this meal. It only takes 15 minutes to prep everything and 10 minutes to cook, meaning it’s perfect for a quick, homemade weekend lunch or family weeknight meal. Cheers!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Level: Easy

Ingredients - serves 4

  • 2-3ish cups of broccoli cut into florets

  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 1/2 onion, diced small

  • 3 tbsp. butter

  • 3 tbsp. all purpose flour

  • 16 oz. beer (lager, pilsner, blonde ale all work well)

  • 1 1/2 cup stock of choice

  • 1 1/2 cup whole milk (or cream - NOT anything lighter)

  • 2 cups shredded smoked cheddar cheese (regular is ok, too)

  • 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika (regular is ok, too)

  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

  • Salt and pepper

 

  1. In a large pot, like a Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, diced onion, and broccoli. Sprinkle in a few pinches of salt, some black pepper, and 1/2 tsp of paprika and sauté for about 2 minutes to get it all a little soft.

  2. Sprinkle in the flour and stir immediately to coat everything in the pot.

  3. Add the beer and stir right away to keep the flour from clumping on accident. Bring to a simmer (you might need to slightly increase the heat) and let the beer cook down and the mixture thicken up.

  4. Add the stock and the whole milk and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, you can add the cheese. Stir immediately and keep stirring until it’s fully melted in. Once nice and creamy, turn off the heat and serve right away.

    Plating: Top with fresh parsley and possibly some extra cheddar if you love cheese like I do!