Adding Beer to Broccoli Cheese Soup is the Ultimate Wisconsin-Style Twist! 🍻🧀
As a proud Midwesterner, there’s nothing I love more than a warm bowl of soup on a cold day. This Beer Cheese Broccoli Cheddar Soup combines two iconic Wisconsin favorites—beer cheese and broccoli cheddar—into one ultra-cozy, flavor-packed bowl.
What’s the secret to taking it over the top? Beer! A dark, malty beer adds a rich, earthy depth that takes classic broccoli cheese soup to the next level. You won’t necessarily taste the beer itself, but trust me—you’ll know it’s there. The flavor it brings is pure magic, which is why I love using beer in so many of my favorite recipes, like Beer Brats and Beer-Braised Carnitas.
This recipe has been a staple in my kitchen since I first whipped it up in 2018. Over time, I’ve fine-tuned it to perfection, adding creamy potatoes, a splash of Worcestershire for boldness, and a hint of freshly grated nutmeg for that cozy, unexpected warmth that always hits just right.
And the best part? This soup is a true one-pot wonder! Everything comes together in a single pot, so you can enjoy all the comfort without worrying about a pile of dishes later.
Shop This Post
Buy Now →			
Buy Now →			
Buy Now →			
Buy Now →			
Buy Now →			
Buy Now →			
All the Recipes You Need for Soup Season!
14 warm and cozy recipes for soup lovers (plus bonus soup sides!)

How to Make Broccoli Cheese Soup with Beer
This one-pot dinner comes together quickly and simmers on the stovetop in under 1 hour. It’s one of my favorite easy soup recipes to make on a chilly winter day!
To set yourself up for success, start by prepping all your ingredients: dice the broccoli, onion, carrot, and potatoes, grate the cheddar cheese (always go for a block—trust me, it’s worth it), and measure out the liquids. This mise en place strategy makes cooking a total breeze!
Soften the broccoli. This recipe makes the most of both broccoli florets and stems—no waste, all flavor! 🥦 Start by softening the onion in melted butter, then toss in the broccoli. Once it turns vibrant green, stir in the garlic for a quick sauté.

Build a roux. Melt more butter in the same pot and turn up the heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly until it’s golden brown. This roux acts as the base for thickening the soup, giving it that dreamy, creamy texture we’re going for.
Add the beer. Slowly pour the beer into the pot, whisking to dissolve any lumps. Let it simmer to reduce slightly.
I recommend choosing a dark, malty beer for beer cheese broccoli soup. Think a brown ale, dark lager, or porter – these will have a more earthy and complex flavor than, say, an amber, IPA, or pale ale.
Build and simmer the soup. Add vegetable stock, grated carrots, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, smoked paprika, and ⅔ of the broccoli mixture to the pot. Simmer for 15 minutes.


Blending the Beer Cheese Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Once the veggies are perfectly tender, it’s time to blend everything together for that signature smooth and creamy texture. This is where the magic happens—broccoli cheddar and beer cheese soups unite in one ultra-cozy, flavor-packed bowl.
You’ve got two easy options for blending—choose whichever works best for you!
- Use an immersion blender. True to its name, an immersion blender lets you blend directly in the pot—so convenient! Before blending, take the soup off the heat, then work slowly and carefully to achieve a smooth texture. Tip! ⇢ To avoid splatters, always make sure the immersion blender is fully submerged before turning it on.
 - Transfer to a stand blender. No immersion blender? No problem! A stand blender works beautifully. Just be sure to blend in batches to prevent overfilling. Tip! ⇢ Remove the center cap from the lid and cover it with a thick kitchen towel to let steam escape safely while you blend.
 

Finishing Touches and Serving Suggestions
As a Wisconsinite, cheese is basically my love language—especially in this creamy, two-in-one soup! The more cheese, the better, so don’t hold back. It’s the ultimate cozy dinner for a chilly night.

Add the cream and broccoli. Stir in the heavy cream and the remaining cooked broccoli over medium-low heat. Leaving the broccoli in slightly larger pieces adds a nice bit of texture to the soup.
Melt in the cheese. Add freshly shredded cheese, one handful at a time, stirring after each addition. Tip! ⇢ Turn off the burner as you add the cheese to ensure it melts gently and doesn’t separate.
Add a dash of nutmeg. Finish with a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg for a surprising hint of spice and warmth. (It’s the secret ingredient that makes broccoli cheddar soup so classic!)
Tip! ⇢ I highly recommend buying a block of high-quality cheddar and grating it yourself for this recipe. Pre-shredded cheese often has an anti-caking agent that makes it difficult for the cheese to melt. Fresh cheese gets super gooey and melty, just the way we like it.


Storage and Reheating
Making a big pot of soup and eating it throughout the week is one of my all-time fave cozy season meal prep moves. Leftover broccoli cheese soup lasts in the fridge up to 5 days.
Check the Recipe Notes, below, for more guidance!

I can’t wait for you to try this Beer Cheese Broccoli Cheddar Soup! It’s insanely rich and comforting – just the type of meal to warm you up on a cold day. I think you’ll love it just as much as we do!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about and seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
		Beer Cheese Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
 - Cook Time: 45 minutes
 - Total Time: 1 hour
 - Yield: serves 4-6 1x
 - Category: Soups, Stews, & Chili Recipes
 - Method: Stovetop
 - Cuisine: American
 - Diet: Vegetarian
 
Description
We take soup season pretty seriously here at PWWB, and this particular Beer Cheese Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe remixes 2 beloved Midwest soups into 1 seriously epic meal!
It’s essentially a pretty classic broccoli cheese soup recipe – loaded with broccoli, carrots, and a little potato to help build creamy texture – but we’ve enhanced its flavor with the best Wisconsin-style flavor booster…beer!
As a born and raised Wisconsinite, beer is one of my favorite secret ingredients for added flavor. It layers this soup with beautiful rich and earthy complexity. You can’t necessarily tell it’s there, but you’ll definitely notice the difference it makes in the overall flavor of the soup! For best results, use a dark and malty beer, which tends to have more complex flavors that lend well to cooking. See the Recipe Notes, below, for more guidance.
Aside from picking the right beer, the other ingredient you’ll want to be a little more selective about is the cheese. As you might imagine, the quality of cheese you use has a pretty big effect on the overall flavor of the broccoli cheddar beer cheese soup. Be sure to grab a block of nice sharp cheddar – yellow or white, whatever you prefer – and shred it yourself. See the Recipe Notes, below, for more guidance.
Happy Soup Season! ♡
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
 - 1 medium head fresh broccoli, florets cut into bite-sized pieces and stems peeled and diced (approx. 4 heaping cups or 1 pound)
 - 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
 - ¼ cup all-purpose flour
 - 12 ounces dark, malty beer (see Recipe Notes)
 - 3 cups vegetable stock or broth
 - 2 medium carrots, peeled as desired and grated
 - 1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced
 - 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
 - 1 teaspoon mustard powder (can sub 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard)
 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
 - ½ cup heavy cream
 - 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (approx. 3 cups shredded, see Recipe Notes)
 - ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
 - kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
 
Instructions
- Prep: Gather and prep all ingredients according to Ingredients List, above – once you begin cooking, this beer cheese broccoli cheddar soup comes together pretty quickly so it’s helpful to get any chopping and measuring done ahead of time. Dice 1 yellow onion, break down 1 head of broccoli, peel and dice 1 potato, shred 12 ounces cheese, measure liquid ingredients, etc. Place everything within arm’s reach of the stove.
 - Soften the broccoli: Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the onion, seasoning with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add in the broccoli, seasoning with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vibrantly green and slightly softened, 5-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Carefully transfer the broccoli mixture to a plate and set aside.
 - Build the roux: Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the same pot, increasing heat to medium-high. Once melted, sprinkle the flour over top, whisking vigorously to eliminate any lumps. Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Slowly pour the beer into the pot, whisking constantly to eliminate any lumps in the roux. Simmer 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beer is fragrant and reduced slightly.
 - Build and simmer the soup: Stir in the vegetable stock, grated carrots, diced potato, Worcestershire, mustard powder, smoked paprika, and about ⅔ of the reserved broccoli mixture from Step 2. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the veggies are very tender and the soup is thickened some.
 - Blend the soup: Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth and creamy, or to your desired consistency. Alternatively, you can also carefully transfer the soup into a stand blender. If so, remember to blend with caution. Work in batches to ensure the blender jar is never more than ⅔ full and be sure to remove the cap from the center of the lid. Place a thick kitchen towel over the hole and securely hold it in place as you blend the soup. Return the soup to the pot and heat to a gentle simmer.
 - Finishing touches: Remove soup from heat and add the remaining broccoli mixture from Step 2 back into the pot, along with the heavy cream. Working 1 handful at a time, slowly stir the cheese into the soup, allowing it to melt completely before adding the next handful. Stir in the grated nutmeg. Taste and season with additional salt and ground black pepper as desired.
 - Serve immediately, ladling the soup into individual bowls. Garnish with extra shredded cheese and serve alongside some buttered crusty bread as desired. Enjoy!
 
Notes
Jess’ Tips and Tricks:
- Beer: For best results, choose a dark, malty beer for this beer cheese broccoli cheddar soup (e.g. brown ale, dark ale, strong ale, dark lager, bock, porter, etc.), which tend to have earthier and more complex flavor than hoppy beers (e.g. amber, ESB, IPA, pale ale, etc.). This is especially important for cooking – once the beer’s alcohol is cooked off, we really want its flavor to come through. I developed this recipe using Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen, though any other dark, malty beer will work well.
 - Cheese: The quality of cheese you use to make this beer cheese broccoli cheddar soup has a pretty big effect in the overall flavor of the soup. Be sure to grab a block of nice sharp cheddar – yellow or white, whatever you prefer. The cheese doesn’t have to be extremely premium and high-end, but opt for something on the slightly nicer end of the spectrum. It’s also important to buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself instead of buying a bag of pre-shredded cheese. Store-bought shredded cheeses are often coated in anti-caking agents to prevent them from clumping in the bag – unfortunately, it also prevents them from melting down into a silky-smooth soup.
 - Worcestershire sauce: If keeping this broccoli cheddar soup vegan is important to you, be sure to use vegan-friendly Worcestershire sauce. My favorite vegan Worcestershire is Annie’s. If you have a hard time finding vegan-friendly Worcestershire, feel free to substitute with an equal amount of soy sauce (or tamari, or coconut aminos).
 - Bacon: If you’ve enjoyed our original recipe, you might notice an absence of bacon in this updated version. When I retested the recipe, I noticed the bacon got a little lost in all the other rich flavors happening in the soup, so I’ve opted to eliminate it for more streamlined cooking. If you want to add bacon, feel free! Render thinly sliced bacon in the soup pot before softening the veggies in Step 2. Once it’s crispy, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, then add a little butter to the pot as needed and continue to cook the recipe as directed. To serve, garnish each bowl with crispy bacon bits.
 - 15-Minute Meal Prep: Once you’ve got all of the components prepared and ready to go, this beer cheese broccoli cheddar soup comes together with very little hands-on time required. To make this an even faster weeknight dinner, eliminate active prep time by prepping a few things in advance:
- Prepare the vegetables: Dice 1 yellow onion, break down 1 head of broccoli, and grate 2 medium carrots. Store in individual airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (10 minutes active).
 - Shred 12 ounces cheese. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (<5 minutes active prep).
 
 
Storage and Freezing:
- Storage and Reheating: Transfer the cooled soup to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through, adding in an extra splash of vegetable stock or water as needed to help achieve your desired consistency.
 - Freezing: Given the amount of dairy and cheese in this beer cheese broccoli cheddar soup, I do not recommend freezing any leftovers. The soup may break as it freezes, making the consistency of the thawed soup less than ideal. If you don’t think you’ll get to all of your leftovers, simply prepare a half batch.
 
Follow along with Plays Well With Butter on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest for more unfussy recipes that pack a big punch of flavor!
 			



















Everyone loved it! I added crushed bacon bits and red pepper to the top and used an Ayinger October Fest-Marzen bottle for the beer. I followed the recipe exactly, except for using some frozen ingredients. It turned out perfectly.
Crushed bacon bits are the PERFECT garnish for this soup! So glad to hear that everyone loved it!
I don’t know what some of these other views are cooking becuz I don’t think they are following directions. This recipe is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! I used Shiner Bock for the beer and added just a little dab of Better-Than-Bouillon Chicken seasoning becuz I was afraid of the reviews saying this lacked flavor. But other than that, I didn’t change anything and my family loved it so much. Thank you so much for this recipe, I really appreciate sharing this <3
Thank you so much, Morgan!! We’re so happy to hear you loved this soup as much as we do.
Um why are you telling people this is a vegetarian recipe? Worcestershire sauce is made of anchovies 🤦🏼♀️
Hi Chris – Thanks for calling this out. You’re correct; I failed to specify that I use a vegan-friendly Worcestershire sauce, hence the confusion. This is now clarified in the blog post and recipe card above.
Jess
I also am a born and raised Wisconsin-ite. Plus I’m always looking for the perfect broccoli soup so can’t wait to add this to my list. I think soups are my favorite thing to make – they’re so forgiving ! We now live in northern IL but still have family in WI. so manage to get there as often as time allows.
Made this tonight exactly as recipe showed. It was delicious!
Thank you Tracey! So glad you loved it as much as we do! 🙂
Loved the flavor of the soup. I made zero change.
Thank you Mary!! We’re so glad you enjoyed & hope you’ll check out some of our other soup recipes soon!
My husband and I both thought this was very bland and didn’t even try to eat it. Very disappointed and felt like I waisted a lot of food after throwing it out.
Hi Cheryl, sorry to hear that the recipe didn’t work out! Both the type of beer & the type of cheese used can have a fairly big impact on flavor – we hope to provide more guidance by updating the recipe in the future with our picks for the types of beer & cheese that yield the very best result. If you have any other specific feedback please let us know. Thank you & again so sorry it wasn’t what you expected!
No flavor
Do you have a nutritional specs or calorie count?
It’s a ok soup. It was not as good as I had imagined for all the steps it takes. Just felt like something was missing. I probably won’t make it again.
Hi Danna! Thanks for the feedback – sorry to hear it wasn’t your favorite! If you think there’s anything that would’ve made it better for you let us know!
Very tasty! I tweaked it a bit to suit our taste (ie: added more salt and cheese). Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Isabel! We’re so glad you loved it & thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. It means so much!
This was exactly what I hoped it would be! Super flavorful and creamy, and using the immersion blender gave it a great texture. Will definitely be making again!
Hi Jenn! So glad you loved it, it’s such a good comfort food meal! 💜
Hi, this looks so delicious! I’m wondering how well it stores; does the cheese glop or anything? Or is this better eaten the evening it’s made? Thanks!
Hi Megan! Thank you, we love this soup! As far as storage, the soup will store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. When reheating you should heat it gently on the stovetop or if you microwave be sure to stir & heat in shorter increments. If needed you can also add a little bit of water or milk to loosen until soup is creamy throughout!
Dynamite! So so so so good! Thank you for dreaming this up. This will be a great soup to help the soul transition into the colder months ( who am I kidding? I’m from CA- it’s just good for the soul, period!). Made it to exactly as written- with a porter- I’m in love!
We couldn’t agree more, Laura! Soup is always good for the soul, so glad to hear that you enjoyed this cozy soup!
Really excited to make this! I’ve never used beer in soup though and am not familiar with any dark beers! Is there a specific kind (brand) that you life and would recommend? Not sure what it will taste like with the beer so would prefer a tried and true recommendation! Thank you!
Hi Bella, we’ve tested this recipe with both lighter & darker beers – so you really can’t go wrong! Using a darker beer, like an amber or porter, will definitely cause the beer flavor to shine through in this soup. The flavor of lighter beers, such as your standard lager or an IPA, really mellow out once you add cheese & milk to the mix in this soup. Here are a few of our tried & true recommendations for this soup:
If you want something funky, pungent, with a stronger beer flavor: Try a New Castle!
If you want something Light & a little funky: try an IPA like a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or a New Belgium Vodoo Ranger (a little will go a long way!)
& lastly, if you want to want to use something lighter go with a mild porter or light domestic beer. Our pick would be a Miller High Life.
Hope that helps!!
I followed the recipe exactly, and I lived in Wisconsin for four years so I have made beer cheese soup before as well as had many versions. This was very watery and the cheese all sank to the bottom. I put in 5 cups of cheese and extra flour and it just didn’t work for me. Two stars only because the flavors were nice. This is not a beer cheese soup.
Hi Laura! This soup was developed to be a cross between a Beer Cheese & Broccoli Cheddar soup, as mentioned in the recipe description! As far as the texture, if you have one, an immersion blender can help achieve the consistency you are after & could help combine the cheese (we list this as an optional but helpful step in the directions). Overall, if you are looking for a classic beer cheese soup only – maybe this recipe just isn’t for you!
Delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Teresa! Thanks for leaving a rating for this recipe!!
I have a bag of frozen broccoli and cauliflower mix. Can I use that?
Hi there! We have never tested using frozen broccoli or cauliflower but it should work just fine. Simply swap the fresh for frozen & let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Just tried it with frozen broccoli and it tastes fine! I just let it simmer a few minutes longer to make sure they were thawed through. I went heavy on the cheese (8 cups, which may be a tad too rich) and love it! My husband always drinks PBR, so that is the beer I used.
Thanks for the comment! So glad to hear it worked well with frozen broccoli & that you enjoyed! Nothing wrong with a little extra cheese & using PBR for the beer (one of Jess’ dogs names is PBR!) – definitely team PWWB approved!
Is it heavy cream or half-and-half? The ingredient list says half-and-half the directions say heavy cream.
Oh, good catch, Lynn! Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I suggest using either whole milk or half & half, though heavy cream would make it extra creamy & delicious too. You really can’t go wrong – just adjust salt levels to taste, as heavy cream would require more seasoning than whole milk. I’ve updated the recipe card – hope this helps! Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions.
one of my favorite comfort foods is broccoli cheddar soup. This is an amazing one that added beer for the husband,plan on making it again soon.
Thank you ! I actually tried it in a crock pot and it turned out great 🙂 I cooked it for four hours and added the milk and cheese at the end of the cooking period . Such a delicious soup !
Looks delicious =) Do you think its possible to make this using a crock pot?!
hey elizabeth! i’ve never tried to make this soup in a crock pot or instant pot. normally i’d say absolutely, but i’m not sure if the veggies would get too soggy or mushy with the slow cook. if you wanted to try, i’d just omit the cheese til the end & stir it in – cheese can get kinda funky in a slow cooker! please let me know if you try! xo
Yum! Going on my list of soups to make for maternity leave 🙂