Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup

This is beer cheese soup loaded with roasted rutabagas and parsnips, which gives you just enough vegetables to feel virtuous while eating a pot of melted cheese. The root vegetables get caramelized in the oven first, adding sweetness and depth to balance the sharpness of the cheese and the bitterness of the beer. Chipotle-adobo sauce brings a subtle heat that builds as you eat.

The soup is thick, rich, and best served with crusty bread or sliced bratwurst on top. It’s the kind of thing that makes you understand why people in Wisconsin take their cheese (and their beer. And their soup!) seriously.

Here’s What You Need:

1 large rutabaga, peeled and diced into ¼-inch pieces
4-5 small-medium parsnips, peeled and diced into ¼-inch pieces
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large Vidalia onions, diced small
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 (12 oz) bottles beer (preferably a full-flavored lager or ale)
6 cups vegetable stock (use quality carton stock, not canned)
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
¾ cup flour
8 cups whole milk
2 large bay leaves
3.5 lbs cheese, shredded (mix of Monterey Jack, white cheddar, and extra sharp cheddar)
3-4 tablespoons chipotle-adobo sauce
2-3 teaspoons salt, to taste
1-2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Few handfuls fresh Italian parsley, minced
Optional: grilled bratwurst, sliced, for serving

How to Make Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup

Roast the Vegetables

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the diced rutabagas and parsnips with olive oil to coat and season well with salt and pepper. Spread evenly on a lined baking sheet and roast until browned and cooked through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Cook the Aromatics

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons of butter (½ stick) over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves and cook until the onions are very soft and translucent, about 20-30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions to a bowl and set aside, leaving the cooking liquid in the pot.

Make the Roux

In a small saucepan, gently heat the milk over medium-low heat until hot but not boiling. Add the remaining butter to your stockpot and melt over low heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add the flour and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and continue cooking until completely combined and slightly thickened, just a minute or two.

Add the Cheese

Add the cheese to the milk mixture in several additions, stirring over low heat until the cheese has completely melted.

Build the Soup

Add the beer, vegetable stock, and adobo sauce to the cheese mixture. Bring to a very gentle simmer, being careful not to scorch the cheese. Add the reserved onions and roasted vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and cook over low heat for 30-40 minutes until the soup is thick.

Adjust Seasoning and Serve

Taste the soup several times while simmering. Add more salt, pepper, or adobo sauce as needed. You want a little heat at the end without overwhelming chipotle flavor. If the beer tastes too bitter (especially if using an IPA), add a few spoonfuls of sugar to balance it out.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread. For next-level presentation, top with sliced grilled bratwurst.

Recipe Notes

Choose your beer carefully. A full-flavored lager or ale works best. Avoid overly bitter IPAs unless you’re prepared to balance them with sugar.

Roasting the rutabagas and parsnips is essential. It concentrates their sweetness and adds caramelized flavor to the soup.

The roux needs constant whisking to prevent lumps. Take your time and don’t rush this step.

Use quality vegetable stock from cartons, not canned. The flavor difference is significant.

This soup makes a huge batch and freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently, adding milk if it’s too thick.

The soup thickens as it sits. Add more milk or stock when reheating if needed.

Don’t skip the chipotle-adobo sauce. It adds complexity and warmth that balances the richness of the cheese.

This is not a light soup. Serve it with something acidic like pickles or a sharp salad to cut through the richness.

Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Bria Helgerson
• Total Time: 135 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6-8 1x
• Diet: Omnivore

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Description

Buttery roasted root vegetables and a rich, cheesy beer soup. Comfort food at its finest!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 large rutabaga (1 large rutabaga) rutabaga
• 4-5 small-medium parsnips (4-5 small-medium parsnips) parsnips
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil (1-2 tbsp) olive oil
• 2 large vidalia onions (2 large vidalia onions) vidalia onions
• 6 cloves garlic (6 cloves) garlic
• 24 oz (680 g) beer (2 - 12 oz bottles) beer
• 6 cups (1420 ml) vegetable stock (6 cups) vegetable stock
• 2 cups (473 ml) unsalted butter (2 sticks ( 1 cup)) unsalted butter
• 0.75 cups (177 ml) flour (3/4 cup) flour
• 8 cups (1900 ml) whole milk (8 cups) whole milk
• 2 large bay leaves (2 large) bay leaves
• 3.5 lbs (1588 g) cheese (3.5 lbs) cheese
• 3-4 tbsp chipotle-adobo sauce (3-4 tbsp) chipotle-adobo sauce
• 2-3 tsp salt (2-3 tsp) salt
• 1-2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (1-2 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• few handfuls italian parsely (few handfuls) italian parsely

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (204°C).
2. Toss diced rutabagas and parsnips with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a lined baking sheet and roast until browned and cooked through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. For the Soup:
4. Melt 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.
5. Add onions, garlic, and bay leaves; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 20-30 minutes.
6. Remove onions with a slotted spoon and set aside.
7. Gently heat milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
8. Add remaining butter to the stockpot and melt over low heat.
9. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until light golden brown, about 5 minutes.
10. Slowly whisk in hot milk until thickened.
11. Add cheese and stir until melted.
12. Add beer, vegetable stock, and adobo sauce; simmer gently.
13. Add onions and roasted vegetables; season with salt and pepper.
14. Cook over low heat for 30-40 minutes until thick.
15. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
16. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Notes

• For a smoother soup, blend a portion of the soup before adding the roasted vegetables.
• Substitute other hearty root vegetables like carrots or sweet potatoes for the parsnips or rutabaga.
• Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 105 minutes
• Category: Soup
• Method: Braising
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1.5 cups
• Calories: 450
• Sugar: 5
• Sodium: 700
• Fat: 25
• Saturated Fat: 15
• Unsaturated Fat: 8
• Carbohydrates: 40
• Fiber: 5
• Protein: 15
• Cholesterol: 80

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