Cheddar and Bratwurst Soup with Pumpkin Ale ~ a classic fall soup with a light boozy broth, cheddar cheese, plenty of chunky veggies, and perfectly grilled brats!
Comforting and cozy doesn’t begin to describe this soup. It’s warm, cheesy, malty, smokey, grassy, thick, earthy and yummy.
I’m loving cooking with beer lately. I’m so impressed with how the flavor lingers in dishes like stews and soups, even after long cooking. And how many times have you passed by Pumpkin Ale and wondered about it? Ale brewed with pumpkins isn’t a trendy the new idea— it goes back to colonial times, and those guys knocked back quite a bit of it, along with lots of hard cider. Nowadays brewers sometimes add a hint of fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and clove to these seasonal beers. (Don’t worry, it doesn’t actually taste like pumpkin.) I chose to use Blue Moon, which happens to be the winner of last week’s ABC News Pumpkin Ale taste test.
The ale, caraway seeds, bratwurst, sharp cheddar and dill make for lots of layers of flavor in this soup.
This soup is adapted from The Maine Food and Lifestyle blog.
Cheddar and Bratwurst Soup with Pumpkin Ale
Ingredients
- 4 uncooked bratwurst sausages
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- I medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 tsp caraway seeds
- 3 Tbsp flour
- 1 12 oz bottle pumpkin ale, I used Blue Moon
- 32 oz box of chicken stock
- 1 cup water
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup half and half
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 cups about 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- big handful chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy bottomed soup pot. Brown the bratwurst on all sides. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan, cover, and steam the sausages for about 15 minutes, until cooked through. Remove the cover and let any excess moisture boil away. Remove the sausages and set aside.
- Add the other tablespoon of oil to the pan and saute the onion, carrots and caraway seeds for about 10 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
- Sprinkle in the four and cook for a minute, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the beer, chicken stock, and water, whisking to combine the flour and liquid. Add in the potatoes and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
- Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes and carrots are cooked but not mushy.
- Remove the bay leaves and add the Worcestershire sauce, half and half, mustard, salt and pepper.
- At this point I took my immersion blender and blended the soup briefly, so it was thickened but there were still whole veggies left. If you don't have a stick blender you can take part of the soup out and blend it in a blender or food processor. You can just leave it chunky if you want to as well.
- Slice the sausages on a slant and add them to the pot. Bring the soup back to a simmer, then take it off the heat to slowly add in the cheese, stirring until the cheese has completely melted and the soup is smooth. Sprinkle in the dill just before serving.
I made this soup four years ago and it’s been a staple of the family Oktoberfest every year since. I’m about to make it again! Thank you for sharing this wonderful treat.
Looks great. Any substitution suggestions for the bratwurst? Not overly fond of sausage in general. Thanks.
You can leave it out, Gayle, or substitute ham or sausage.
This soup is so tasty! I made it once this winter, but now that the holidays have passed I’m not sure I’ll be able to find pumpkin ale. I am going to try a honey ale instead and see how it turns out….fingers crossed
I think any ale would be fine, Jessica, that flavor will come through no matter what – so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Yours is he only blog I follow..all your things look great. I made this soup last night but would only change one thing: used cream instead of 1/2 & 1/2..and no extra water.
so good!
Estupenda receta me gusta combinación prefecta,abrazos y abrazos
Love the look of that cheese, love the look of those sausages, but what is pumpkin ale?
The soup is gorgeous! The beer, the cheese! and I love that big hunk ‘o cheddar in your pics! I bet the flavors in this are just so good!
Now THIS will help keep you warm in the winter…it sounds so good!
WHERE did you get the amazing looking cheese? I’m excited to try this, because my boys LOVE brats!
ooooo, i might make this for next week. I’ve been making a soup on the weekends and we eat it all during the week for lunches. I might take out the potatoes and add big chunks of fish…I know a little weird but we’re not supposed to be eating potatoes. I have a hard time sticking fish into dishes and this way I could get all of that pumpkin-y goodness too!!
I never thought to add beer to fish soup, but now that you mention it…
What’s not to LOVE about this soup! Your description makes me want to run by the store on my way home and get everything I need. My son and his new bride are in Maine on their honeymoon – hope they have something that tastes as delicious as this looks.
Congratulations Tricia—what excitement in your house! My husband and I honeymooned—all too briefly—on Cape Cod. I want a second honeymoon in Maine!