About
The air is crisp, your favorite team is playing (and hopefully winning), and the game-day food is unlimited! Ah, glorious football season is here! Football Soup is a great contender to add to that celebratory food roster. Prepare to warm up and fill up on this all-star list of a supper loaded with a trio of rich melted cheese, your favorite hoppy pilsner, and lots and lots of creamy, savory flavor with a slight kick (no pun intended). Ready in under an hour, Football Soup will be the MVP of your next game-day gathering!
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/4 cup flour
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups pilsner beer
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces medium cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded
- salt, to taste
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- chives, optional, to taste
- flat leaf parsley, optional, to taste
Directions
Step 1 -In a large saucepan or soup pot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy, about 7 minutes.
Step 2 -Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Step 3 -Drain all but about 1-2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan.
Step 4 -Add the onion, the bell pepper, the jalapeño, and the thyme to the bacon grease and cook until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 5 -Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the veggie mixture, stirring until completely melted.
Step 6 -Sprinkle the flour over the veggie mixture, stirring until the flour is fully incorporated.
Step 7 -Add the beer to the veggie mixture, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.
Step 8 -Slowly add the chicken stock and the cream to the thickened mixture and stir until all the ingredients are combined.
Step 9 -Bring the soup to a low simmer.
Step 10 -Add the sharp cheddar, the medium cheddar, and the pepper jack, handfuls at a time, to the soup, stirring after each addition.
Step 11 -Continue to allow the soup to simmer until the cheese is melted.
Step 12 -Season the soup with the salt and the pepper and add 1/2 of the cooked bacon.
Step 13 -Spoon the soup into bowls and garnish with the remaining bacon, the chives, and the parsley.
Step 14 -Serve.
