Ale, Cheddar and Cauliflower Soup
Updated Nov. 15, 2022
- Total Time
- 30 to 40 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2tablespoons butter
- 4ounces bacon, chopped, optional
- 1medium onion, chopped
- 1medium carrot, chopped
- 1medium celery rib, chopped
- 1tablespoon minced garlic
- Salt
- black pepper
- 1small cauliflower, cored and chopped
- 212-ounce bottles Brooklyn Local 2, Westmalle Dubbel or another beer in the Belgian dark-abbey-ale style
- 3cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1bay leaf
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1tablespoon mustard
- 8ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 2tablespoons cornstarch
- Chopped fresh cilantro or chives for garnish
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
394 calories; 25 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 16 grams protein; 897 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Put the butter in a large pot over medium heat. When it melts, add the bacon (if you’re using it) and cook until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and some salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Step 2
Add the cauliflower, beer, stock, bay leaf and cayenne. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles steadily; cover and cook until the cauliflower is very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the mustard, and purée the soup with an immersion blender or semi-purée it with a potato masher.
- Step 3
Toss together the cheddar and cornstarch. Add the cheese mixture to the soup a handful at a time, stirring all the while, until it’s well incorporated and the soup is smooth. Serve hot, garnished with the herb.
Private Notes
Comments
Very good, easy. NOTES: 1) Some say too bitter. Can mitigate in two ways. a) choose lower IBU (International Bitterness Unit) beer. Belgian style dark abbey as called for is pretty low; maybe 25 IBU. Get above 40 IBU & bitterness will come out. b) Use 1 bottle + 8 oz water instead of 2 bottles. Worked for me. 2) Remember cheddar will add lots of salt at end. 3) Cornstarch does NOT make this gummy. It helps cheese melt evenly & creates smooth mouth feel.
I thought this was a terrible waste of a $8 bottle of beer so the second time I made this I just used veg broth and drank the beer instead. Better soup, fabulous beer, happy campers.
Made with IPA and diced pancetta, as that is what I had on hand. Skipped the cornstarch, because I'm not a fan of the gummy texture it creates. Instead, I used less liquid (only 1 bottle of IPA) and reduced the soup slowly to a nice consistency. Prepped all veg in the processor...just easier. Great result. The IPA produced a nice bitterness while the pancetta gave a softer "bacon" flavor. Thank you, Mark Bittman for a great soup to hit the spot on a cold day!
I appreciate the addition of vegetables to make the soup healthier, but alas, I agree with others that it tastes too bitter, too much of beer, even when I used a light IPA ale (it’s what I had on hand). I probably should have used only one bottle of beer, but I wanted to stay as close as I could to Bittman’s original recipe to start. Chopping the vegetables in a food processor is a timesaver, as one reviewer noted. I think I will be looking for an alternative recipe, though.
I’ve made this many times with various ales and cheeses. This time I used wine because it was a blizzard and I didn’t feel like bundling up. Highly recommended.
I love this recipe, it tastes like sitting in a pub. I had no issues with consistency. I didn't think it needed the butter up top, otherwise only issue was thought flavor was missing something and I found out it was 2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce added in with the Dijon.