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Instant Pot Beer Cheese Soup Recipe
Many years ago, on a trip to Wisconsin, I fell in love with beer cheese soup. I had stopped for lunch on my way to visit my brother in Minnesota.
Instant Pot Beer Cheese Soup topped with cheese and green onions
It was September, but the cold wind was howling so much that you could feel the car sway as you drove down the pine tree-lined highway.
I had enough of the white knuckled driving so I stopped at what seemed like a sketchy roadside restaurant just off the exit in the middle of nowhere.
I felt safe once I noticed that the parking lot was overflowing with patrons who had stopped to enjoy lunch.
Once the soup has cooked, slowly release the pressure and stir in the cheese.
Once seated, the waiter brought me a drink and I asked him what was the most popular dish. Without hesitation, he informed me that bacon beer cheese soup would sell out every day. “Of course,” I thought, “It’s Wisconsin!”
I didn’t feel like sorting through the menu so I ordered the soup and salad.
After that first bite into the warm, cheesy soup, I was hooked! The bacon and green onions were sprinkled lightly on top, adding great flavor and texture. If that wasn’t good enough, I had a small loaf of bread to mop up the extras!
After adding the cheese, use an Immersion Blender to puree your soup.
Fast forward a few years and I began to crave that delicious soup. One look in my pantry and I knew I had to make Instant Pot Beer Cheese Soup! Why not, I make every other soup in the Instant Pot now?
I did a little research and experimenting and found that in just a few short minutes, I could have my favorite beer cheese soup on my own table!
Everything is made directly in the Instant Pot so that there is only one dish to clean. Plus, no more watching over the stove waiting for the cheese to get stuck to the bottom.
Add a little Irish to the recipe by using Irish cheddar cheese and Guinness beer.
I have even made this Instant Pot Beer Cheese Soup for St. Patrick’s Day! I use Irish Cheddar Cheese and Guinness beer and the flavors blend perfectly together.
Bonus — add in a little extra cheese and use it as a dip for your next tailgate or party!
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Ingredients
- 5 slices of bacon
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 1/2 cup diced carrots
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 12 ounce bottle beer, Guinness
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cups grated, freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Push sauté button on your Instant Pot.
- While you are waiting for it to display the word HOT, dice up your bacon into small bits. Add the bacon bits to the Instant Pot and cook until crispy.
- Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain, leaving the bacon grease in the bottom of the pot.
- Add butter and when melted, add the onions and carrots. Stir and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the flour and stir constantly until the vegetables are coated.
- Add the chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pot to make sure to remove any bits that stuck to the bottom of the pot. *This is a key step to make sure the bottom of the pot is clear so that it is able to come to pressure. Turn Instant Pot off.
- Add salt, pepper, mustard powder, and cayenne. Stir to thoroughly combine. Add beer and stir.
- Apply the lid and place the knob in the sealing position. Pressure cook/manual on high for 5 minutes.
- When cooking time is expired, perform a controlled quick release, making sure the steam comes out slowly. Once the pressure is released and the pin has dropped, remove the lid.
- Gradually add the cheese in small batches and allow to melt before adding more.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
- Stir in the milk, and add additional seasonings per taste.
- To each bowl add bacon bits for a topping.
Notes
Great served with bread, soft pretzel bites, crackers, etc.. Recipe provided by Make Your Meals.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1 grams
Amount Per Serving:Unsaturated Fat: 0g
FAQs
Can you overcook soup in the Instant Pot? When it comes to overcooking the soup, that's not likely to happen during the pressure cooking process (before the noodles are added in). You can, however, overcook the noodles, so be sure to taste test them for doneness after they've simmered for about 5 minutes.
Why do you avoid simmering your soup after adding the cheese? ›
Boiling it after you add dairy can cause grittiness or clumping. How do you prevent cheese from clumping in soups? MDP: The key is to add cheese at the very end, with just residual heat -- either after turning off the heat or at the very end.
What makes cheese curdle in soup? ›
Cheese can curdle when added to soup due to the high temperatures and acidity in the soup. The proteins in cheese are sensitive to heat and acid, causing them to separate and form curds. What types of cheese are less likely to curdle in soup? Cheeses that are aged or have a higher fat content are less likely to curdle.
How to thicken broccoli cheese soup? ›
The common solution is to use a flour-based roux. Flour can thicken up the water phase of the soup, which in turn makes it difficult for fat globules to coalesce.
How long can I leave soup in an Instant Pot? ›
Unlike nonstick cooking surfaces, the stainless steel pot presents no threat of harmful chemicals. Instant Pot also switches to a “warm” setting when it's done cooking, keeping food at a safe temperature for up to 10 hours.
What is the best setting for soup in Instant Pot? ›
Normal mode - 30 minutes at High pressure - recommended for soups with meat. Less mode - 20 minutes at High pressure - recommended for soups without meat. More mode - 4 hours at High pressure - recommended for soups that require longer cook times such as rich bone broths. Release the pressure naturally.
What not to put in soup? ›
The Worst Things to Put in Your Soup
- By Sara Butler. If there's one good thing about fall and winter, it's soup. ...
- Heavy Cream. Heavy cream creates an inviting texture for soups but that's where its positive contributions end. ...
- Juice. ...
- Turkey Bacon. ...
- Cheese. ...
- Croutons.
Mild cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack, mozzarella, Swiss and queso blanco can all work well. “The best cheeses to melt into soups are cheeses that are higher in moisture and have a lower melting point,” says Bauer. In addition to cheddar and Monterey jack, he recommends Fontina and Gruyère.
What vegetables can you not put in soup? ›
Some vegetables that don't do well in stock are:
- Leafy green parts of carrots and celery.
- Brassicas, including cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, rutabagas, collard greens, kohlrabi, and kale.
- Artichokes.
- Beets.
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes.
- Squash flesh, including winter squash and zucchini.
Reduce Heat: If the cheese sauce is currently on the stove, remove it from heat immediately. High temperatures can cause the cheese to break and become grainy. Add More Liquid: Gradually whisk in a small amount of the liquid the sauce was made with (e.g., milk, cream, or broth).
What is the best cheese to melt in soup? I like to use mild or sharp cheddar, but you can use monterey jack, pepper jack, or a mix of several. If you really want to make it luscious, you could even stir in some goat cheese or gruyere.
Why did my beer cheese soup curdle? ›
Why did my beer cheese soup curdle? This happens when the proteins separate and bind together. Your soup is no longer smooth and creamy; it's grainy and unpleasant. If your soup has reached this state, take your soup off the heat and stir in 1 cup of shredded Velveeta cheese.
How can I make my soup thicker and creamy? ›
6 ways to thicken soup:
- Blend all or part of it. If you've made a broth with chunks of vegetable in it, such as minestrone soup, then pour the soup through a sieve. ...
- Add cream or yogurt. ...
- Add flour or cornflour. ...
- Use a butter and flour paste. ...
- Blend in bread. ...
- Add lentils or rice. ...
- 5 of the best soup recipes to try next:
Not all cheeses melt well, so it's important to choose a cheese that has good melting properties. Additionally, if the heat is too low or if the soup is not hot enough, the cheese may not melt properly. Lastly, if the cheese is added too early in the cooking process, it may become stringy instead of fully melting.
How do you fix too much cheese in soup? ›
- Dilution with Pasta: Add More Pasta: Increase the pasta quantity to dilute the cheese overload, balancing flavors.
- Acidic Zing: Lemon or Vinegar: A splash of lemon juice or a touch of vinegar can cut through excessive richness.
- Spices and Herbs: ...
- Creamy Consistency:
Vegetables, pasta, and beans can turn to mush if you cook them for too long- Because high-pressure cooking is such a fast process, it is essential to understand how it can overcook food. Vegetables, pasta, and canned beans can become overcooked quickly.
Can you over cook soup in a pressure cooker? ›
Can you overcook in a pressure cooker? Absolutely YES! Most foods will be completely cooked in a certain amount of time at a certain temperature, whether a pressure cooker is used or not. If you exceed that time, the food will be overcooked.
Can you overcook soup in a pressure cooker? ›
Absolutely! While the Instant Pot is a fabulous kitchen gadget that's reshaped the way we approach cooking, especially for dishes that traditionally take a long time like soups and stews, it doesn't grant immunity to the pitfalls of overcooking.
Can you cook something too long in Instant Pot? ›
Unfortunately, once you overcook a piece of meat in the pressure cooker, there's no going back. You'll be left with a pile of dry, crunchy, tasteless fibers and no amount of additional pressure cooking is going to put that moisture back into the meat.
