This Zucchini Beer Cheese Soup is silky smooth and delightfully cheesy with a subtle undertone of beer. It’s the best soup to feed your hoppy place. Since zucchini takes on the flavor of whatever you pair it with, the beer flavor is free to shine through making this soup taste a little like liquid pub cheese. So grab your favorite crackers, dip them in and revel in the joy that is Zucchini Beer Cheese Soup.
I love this soup so much that I haven’t wanted to be without it since I first made it last summer. Every time I run out, I have to make more … because it’s. just. so. freaking. good! I love it especially because not only does it taste like the classic beer cheese soup, behind the scenes it’s a bunch of veggies blended up to make you think it’s just a cheesy soup. So you’re getting your veggies in while enjoying the enticing taste of cheese with a hint of beer.
It looks and tastes like cheese soup, but there are pretty little flecks of green suggesting there’s something more there. My favorite way to enjoy it is to dip in a Triscuit, let it soak for a bit until it softens and then take a moment to bask in the flavor.
I have to admit: it feels a little weird to be posting a zucchini recipe in February. BUT it’s football season and what’s better than beer cheese soup for Soup-er Bowl? Tell me you’re with me on this. I’ll definitely be enjoying me some of this wonderful beer cheese soup for Superb Owl Day.
I am hoping some of you have zucchini you have frozen from harvest season or are able to purchase some imported zucchini from our friends down south who still have the warmth to grow zucchini. I know there are some shenanigans going on that might mess with that soon and that makes me sad. If you don’t have access to zucchini right now, please pin this recipe for next summer when the zucchini start. Hopefully you have a garden or a friend with a garden that needs to share their abundance.
I made this recipe specifically to take advantage of the high water content of zucchini. So our friend the zucchini literally becomes part of the broth. Did you know zucchini is 95% water? So many recipes tell you to squeeze out the liquid, but water is a resource so I wanted to make a recipe that takes advantage of the water (and nutrients) that are inherent in the squash.
Zucchini Beer Cheese Soup
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 – 8 cups of soup 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: German
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, peeled & chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 – 5 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 large carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 4 cups chopped zucchini (about 2 store-size zucchini)
- 12 oz. beer (lager, red or brown ale – avoid bitter IPAs, sour or fruity beers)
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 oz. Neufchatel (light cream cheese)
- 1 – 1 1/ 2 cups shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese
- Salt & freshly ground pepper, if needed, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter or oil, allow it to warm and coat the bottom of the pan. Then add the onion and saute until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, celery and carrots and saute a few minutes longer.
- Add the zucchini, beer, broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes or so, until all the veggies are very tender.
- Remove the bay leaf, then use an immersion blender to blend until silky smooth – or let the soup cool, then blend in a blender, adding in the Neufchatel and cheddar cheese. Taste and add more broth or cheese, salt & pepper if desired. If it’s too thick, you can stir in a bit of milk. If you’ve cooled the soup, heat it until it’s hot again and enjoy!
Notes
RECIPE SOURCE: Sumptuous Spoonfuls – https://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/ … © Copyright 2025, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.
Keywords: Soup, Vegetarian, Zucchini, Beer, Cheese
I’ve long been a fan of beer cheese soup (aka cheddar ale soup, et al.) and I’ve made several different variations on that theme, like my Cheddar Ale Soup with Bacon and Croutons, Bacon Mushroom Beer Cheese Soup and Smoky Broccoli Beer Cheese Soup.
