Beer and Gouda and Soup

A delicious rich, creamy soup with beer, Gouda, Cheddar, bacon and chives. Perfect for those chilly days. This is my copycat recipe of a dish I had at a popular chain restaurant, where it is served with warm pretzel sticks. I also like to serve it with a warm pretzel roll.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 322 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• 1 teaspoon butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle light beer
• ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
• 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
• ½ cup shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Gouda cheese
• 1 sweet onion (such as Vidalia), minced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; add sweet onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir garlic into the onion; cook and stir together until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour light beer into the saucepan, bring to a simmer, and cook until onion is completely tender, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Stir chicken broth into the beer mixture; bring to a boil. Stream milk into the saucepan while stirring to form the base of the soup.

Step 3

Heat 1/4 cup butter in a microwave-safe bowl in microwave oven until melted and hot, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir flour into the melted butter until the mixture binds into a roux; pour into the soup. Cook and stir soup until it begins to simmer and thicken, 7 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

Remove soup from heat. Melt Gouda cheese and Cheddar cheese into the soup a handful at a time, stirring each addition into the liquid until smooth; season with black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with bacon and chives to serve.