Smoky Bacon Cheddar Cheese Soup
Creamy and rich! My simple recipe for bacon cheddar soup is thick and comforting, made with sharp and smoked cheddar cheese along with thick cut bacon. Perfect on a cold day with a glass of beer.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 325kcal
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick cut bacon
- 4 cups chicken stock, low sodium or no sodium
- 1 medium shallot, finely diced
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 6 tbsp flour, divided - 4 tbsp for the pot and 2 tbsp for the cheese
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
- 4 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
- 4 oz smoked cheddar, shredded (I used maple smoked)
- 1 cup whole milk, or half and half
- fried croutons, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven: Set the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 400F.
- Cook the Bacon: Lay out the bacon on a baking tray. Cook for 8 minutes, then turn the tray around and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
- When the bacon is done, transfer it to a paper towel lined plate. Reserve the fat.
- Saute the vegetables: Add 4 tablespoons of the reserved fat to a dutch oven.
- Over medium heat, saute the shallot and carrots for 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more.
- While the vegetables are sauteing, heat up the chicken stock in a saucepan until it is steaming.
- Make a roux: Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of the flour to the pot, whisking it into the bacon fat. Let the flour bubble for 1 minute, whisking frequently. Stir in the chopped thyme.
- Slowly pour the hot chicken stock into the pot while whisking. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Melt the cheese: Toss the shredded cheeses with the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Pull the pot off the heat and start adding the cheese by the handful, whisking as you go.
- Once the cheese has all melted and the soup is smooth, put it back on the heat, add the half and half and bring back to a simmer.
- Finish the soup: Crumble up the bacon. Add half to the soup and reserve the rest for sprinkling over the top. Serve with the crumbled bacon, some thyme leaves if you wish, and croutons.
Notes
- Cheese: You can use all sharp cheddar if you wish. It won't be as smokey but it will still be quite good.
- Melting the Cheese: For melting with no clumping or curdling, follow my tips!
- First, coat the cheese with starch. By tossing the cheese with some of the flour, you will protect the cheese as it melts.
- Second, shred the cheese. This keeps it small so it can melt quickly before it separates.
- And, third, watch the temperature. Your soup needs to be above 140F or the cheese won't melt properly, but it also needs to be below about 160F or it might still curdle. If you wish, check the soup with a thermometer to be certain of the temperature.
- Bacon: This is standard pork bacon and I use the thickest I can find in the store. If you use a leaner bacon, you may need to add some butter to the pot to make up the 4 tbsps for the roux.
- Small Servings: The soup is very rich so plan to serve it in small bowls. A glass of beer makes a good accompaniment to the soup and cuts through the richness.
Nutrition
Calories: 325kcal