It’s official November and we have snow on the ground here in Michigan. It’s a little depressing however I have the coziest soup to keep me warm.

Hello, soup of my dreams. I cannot and will not get over how satisfying this soup is. But then again, A regular here any and all beer cheese soups. Remember this Irish version? I can confidently say, that if there’s hot bowl of any beer with any cheese in any soup and I will happily devour it.

This time, I decided to put a fall spin on it by adding in pumpkin. Pumpkin adds a touch of squash-y sweetness which pairs perfectly with the beer and the cheese. The crispy bacon pieces adds that expected smoky flavor and sends this already satisfying soup, over the top.

To cook this Pumpkin Beer Cheese Soup Gather:

bacon
yellow onion
red bell pepper
celery
kosher salt
garlic
thyme
unbleached all-purpose flour
lager or pilsner beer
pumpkin puree (kitchen-made or store-bought)
low-sodium chicken broth
heavy cream
black pepper
minced parsley, for serving
pretzel bites, for serving (optional, but flavor-packed)

Start by spraying the bottom a 4 quart pot with olive oil spray. Slice 6 strips of thick-cut bacon and add it into the pot, heat on medium and cook until crispy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, dice up 1 medium yellow onion, 1 medium red bell pepper and 2 short stalks of celery. Mince up 2 cloves of garlic and 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme.

Once the bacon is crispy, use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate, leaving the bacon fat in the pot.

To the bacon fat, add in the diced onion, peppers and celery with a small pinch of kosher salt. Give it a stir and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Next, add in two minced garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon chopped thyme, stirring to incorporate.

Cook for a minute.

Sprinkle in 1/3 cup of flour, stir until absorbed and then cook for 2 minutes.

While stirring, pour in 1 (12 ounce) bottle of beer, either lager or pilsner will work perfectly.

Lastly, add in 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 quart (or 4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth and 1 cup heavy whipping cream.

Stir, cover and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low and uncover. Simmer until thickened, about 2o to 25 minutes.

Remove the soup off of the heat and stir in 12 ounces of extra sharp cheddar cheese that has been shredded on the largest holes of your box grater.

The soup should smell notable!

Taste and season with salt and pepper to your preference, for me it was 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the crispy bacon, minced parsley and ground black pepper.

A regular here to serve this soup with pretzel bite. Because beer, cheese and pretzels makes absolute sense.

The creaminess of the soup is perfection. And the pumpkin adds a touch of sweetness while the beer rounds it out and the cheese gives the soup a signature sharp cheddar-y flavor.