listen, I was just thinking about this Canadian cheese soup I had at a little restaurant in Toronto like five years ago and I’ve been trying to recreate it ever since.
my husband and I went there during this random weekend trip where we got lost trying to find the CN Tower (yes really, GPS took us in circles for like 40 minutes) and we were freezing and starving. we ducked into this cozy place that smelled amazing and I ordered their cheese soup without really thinking about it.
first spoonful and I was like “okay this is it, this is what I’ve been missing my whole life.” thick, creamy, so much cheese you could practically stand a spoon in it. came home and tried making it probably six times before I got something close.
the secret is using actual Canadian cheddar—not that mild American stuff, but the real sharp aged cheddar that tastes like it has a personality. also beer. definitely beer.
Contents
Why this soup is perfect
it’s ridiculously filling so you don’t need much else for dinner besides maybe some bread
uses basic ingredients you probably already have except for the good cheese which you need to buy special
tastes way fancier than the effort you put in so people think you’re some kind of soup genius
the beer adds this depth of flavor that you can’t really pin down but it makes everything better
leftovers actually get better the next day when all the flavors have had time to hang out together
What you need
here’s roughly what I use but I definitely eyeball most of it:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Butter | half a stick | that’s like 4 tablespoons I think |
| Onion | 1 medium | yellow or white, whatever |
| Carrots | 2 medium | diced small |
| Celery | 2 stalks | also diced small |
| Garlic | 3-4 cloves | minced or that jarred stuff |
| Flour | maybe 1/3 cup | for thickening |
| Chicken broth | 3 cups or so | could use vegetable broth |
| Beer | 1 bottle/can | Canadian lager if you can find it |
| Heavy cream | about 1 cup | don’t use milk, trust me |
| Sharp cheddar | a ridiculous amount | like 3-4 cups shredded |
| Dijon mustard | a tablespoon | sounds weird but it works |
| Worcestershire sauce | few dashes | optional but recommended |
| Salt & pepper | to taste | you know the drill |
| Paprika | half a teaspoon | smoked is even better |
How to make it
Melt your butter in a big pot over medium heat. I use my Dutch oven for this because it’s heavy and distributes heat well but any big pot works.
Add your diced onion, carrots, and celery. this is called mirepoix if you want to sound fancy but whatever, it’s just vegetables. cook them for maybe 8-10 minutes until they’re soft and the onion is see-through.
Throw in the garlic and stir it around for like 30 seconds until it smells amazing. seriously don’t walk away during this part because I’ve burned garlic so many times by getting distracted scrolling Instagram.
okay here’s where it gets a little tricky—sprinkle the flour over everything and stir it constantly for about 2 minutes. it’ll look like a weird paste situation and that’s normal. you’re making a roux which is a fancy French thing but don’t stress about it.
Pour in your chicken broth slowly while whisking or stirring really well so you don’t get lumps. I always get a few lumps anyway but they usually dissolve eventually.
Add the beer and stir everything together. I used Molson Canadian the first time because I was trying to be authentic lol but honestly any lager works. don’t use IPA or anything too hoppy because it’ll taste weird.
Bring everything to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer. let it cook for about 15-20 minutes so the vegetables get really tender and the soup thickens up a bit.
Stir in your heavy cream, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt and pepper. taste it and adjust the seasonings because every batch is a little different.
here comes the best part—add your shredded cheddar a handful at a time, stirring after each addition until it melts. do NOT just dump all the cheese in at once because it’ll clump up and you’ll be sad. I learned this the hard way on attempt number three when I was impatient.
Keep the heat on low while you’re adding cheese because if it gets too hot the cheese can get grainy. mine still turns out a little grainy sometimes but it tastes good so I don’t worry about it.
Taste again and add more salt or pepper if it needs it. the cheese is salty so you might not need much.
Serve it hot with some crusty bread or those oyster crackers if you’re feeling nostalgic for childhood. I also like it with bacon crumbled on top but my vegetarian sister just uses chives.
Tips and variations
- Use a mix of cheeses if you want—I’ve done half sharp cheddar and half gruyere and it was incredible. more expensive but worth it for special occasions.
- Add bacon. like a lot of bacon. cook it first until it’s crispy, set it aside, and use the bacon fat instead of butter for cooking your vegetables. then crumble the bacon on top when serving.
- Make it vegetarian by using vegetable broth and skipping the Worcestershire sauce or finding a vegetarian version. still tastes great.
- Throw in some broccoli florets in the last 10 minutes of cooking if you want to feel healthier about eating a soup that’s basically just cheese and cream. I do this sometimes and it’s actually really good.
Storage and leftover situation
keeps in the fridge for maybe 4 days in a container with a lid, but the soup gets thicker as it sits so you’ll need to thin it out when reheating.
I usually add a splash of milk or broth when I’m reheating it on the stove over low heat. microwave works too but stir it a bunch so it heats evenly.
you can freeze it for like 2 months but cream-based soups get a little weird when frozen. the texture separates sometimes and you have to whisk it really well when reheating. I’ve done it when I made too much and it was fine, just not quite as smooth as fresh.
last month I found three containers of soup in my freezer and had no idea which one was which because I never label anything. played freezer roulette and ended up with this cheese soup which was a win, but the week before I got some mystery bean situation that nobody would eat.
nutrition facts per serving
this is for about 6 servings which is how much the recipe makes:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | probably 450-500 |
| Protein | 18g |
| Carbs | 15g |
| Fat | 35g |
| Fiber | 2g |
| Sugar | 4g |
ugh these numbers are rough estimates because I found them on some calculator website and honestly it depends how much cheese you actually use. I always use more than I think I do so my version is probably higher in calories but we’re not counting here.
Questions I always get
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
I’ve never tried it but my friend says she does it all the time. she cooks the vegetables in butter in a pan first, then dumps everything except the cheese and cream into the slow cooker for like 4 hours on low. then she adds the cream and cheese at the end and stirs until melted. sounds legit to me.
What kind of beer should I use?
any light lager works fine. I’ve used Coors, Budweiser, Molson, whatever is in the fridge. don’t use dark beer or stouts because the flavor is too strong and will overpower the cheese. also don’t use anything hoppy or bitter.
Why did my soup turn out grainy?
either the heat was too high when you added the cheese, or you added it all at once, or you used pre-shredded cheese that has that anti-caking powder on it. buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself for the smoothest results. I know it’s more work but it really does make a difference.
Can I use different vegetables?
yeah totally, this is pretty flexible. I’ve done potatoes diced small, cauliflower, even mushrooms once which was interesting. just make sure everything is cut small so it cooks evenly and you can eat it on a spoon without it being awkward.
