Ale, Cheddar and Cauliflower Soup Recipe (2024)

Very good, easy. NOTES: 1) Some say too bitter. Can mitigate in two ways. a) choose lower IBU (International Bitterness Unit) beer. Belgian style dark abbey as called for is pretty low; maybe 25 IBU. Get above 40 IBU & bitterness will come out. b) Use 1 bottle + 8 oz water instead of 2 bottles. Worked for me. 2) Remember cheddar will add lots of salt at end. 3) Cornstarch does NOT make this gummy. It helps cheese melt evenly & creates smooth mouth feel.

I thought this was a terrible waste of a $8 bottle of beer so the second time I made this I just used veg broth and drank the beer instead. Better soup, fabulous beer, happy campers.

Made with IPA and diced pancetta, as that is what I had on hand. Skipped the cornstarch, because I'm not a fan of the gummy texture it creates. Instead, I used less liquid (only 1 bottle of IPA) and reduced the soup slowly to a nice consistency. Prepped all veg in the processor...just easier. Great result. The IPA produced a nice bitterness while the pancetta gave a softer "bacon" flavor. Thank you, Mark Bittman for a great soup to hit the spot on a cold day!

Since so many reviews said this dish was too bitter, I used one can of a mildly hoppy pale ale, and replaced the rest with Amontillado sherry, and I think the slight sweetness really balanced it out. I otherwise followed the recipe, and really liked how it turned out.

Does anyone have any suggestions for what kind of bread to serve with this recipe?

Really disappointing. I used Westmalle Dubbel and high quality cheddar, following the recipe exactly, and what resulted was a very expensive, flat-tasting soup. Adding extra seasoning helped a bit, but I think this needs some acid, among other things. Also, when referencing "mustard" in a recipe might help to specify what kind. Yellow? Dijon? German? English? Powder?

Great depth and complexity, but with these ales, extremely expensive. I've got to wonder if a cheaper beer would deliver near to this taste

I made the soup again, and forgot about the mustard (deliberately) and I loved it, seriously. I didn't use as much cheese (1/2 as much) but it was amazing still. Some times our taste buds need to do a little tweaking.

Made using 2 bottle of amber ale and let simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Result was not very bitter, but there was a strong ale taste, which didn’t bother met. Added lemon afterwards to bring everything together. Next time I’ll try using 1/2 the beer.

This was delicious. Used Leffe beer. Pick an ale that has a low IBU rating.

Loved this soup! I used about 20 ounces of Duvel, roasted the cauliflower in the oven before adding to the pot, and bought shredded cheddar which is already tossed in cornstarch. Saved some bacon to top had some nice warm bread for dipping!

I made a double batch, used only 2 bottles of brown ale, it was meh. not worth trying to tweak. my quest for a great cheddar, ale cauliflower soup continues

We thought this recipe was a keeper. I added half the beer and replaced with chicken broth , used 1 tsp. dry mustard and otherwise followed the recipe. it was very delicious.

Top with Bacon. Ray really likes this

Used a Peroni and water instead of 2 bottles of ale, came out pretty good but nothing to write home about.

Since this was the first time I made this soup, I made it as written. It was a little bitter but not overly so. For commenters who are worried that cornstarch will make it "gummy," fear not, the cornstarch is there to help the cheese melt evenly without splitting and there is not enough to do more than slightly thicken this amount of liquid. I used dijon mustard (powder didn't even occur to me!) and was great. Using Belgian beer is too pricey; next time I will sub a less expensive beer.

This sounds like an Irish pub lunch but somehow it falls a bit short on flavor. Easy to make.

A big hit with my family. Used a can of hard cider and four cups of chicken stock. Cut the cauliflower up fairly small and did not purée or mash.

husband liked it as is...I was not keen on the bitter flavor myself- but nice and creamy, just would skip the ale next time

Excellent using Shiner Bock beer.

For me and my family, this was a fail. Flavors were a bit too complex to taste any one flavor profile, and the texture didn’t come together. Made this recipe as written, just not for us.

And didn’t use the bacon or cornstarch

Made to (mostly) spec.Closest I could get on beer was delirium nocturium…. Used a nice sharp Irish cheddar.While I do think this soup is meant to be a lil bitter, it just wasn’t a hit for me. Weirdly I thought it could be cheesier. Added a splash o sherry vinegar and a handful of shredded Gouda. Topped with sourdough croutons. More than edible but prob won’t make again.

Even after halving the beer, eliminating the mustard, and adding cream and a little sugar, this was too bitter to eat. Down the drain it went.

With mixed reviews, I was skeptical. But I’m a Bittman fan and so read every comment, so glad I pulled the trigger. It was fantastic! Used bacon, Coleman’s dry mustard, a mix of sharp yellow cheddar and aged English white (Costco’s Kirkland Coastal) and a golden ale for low IBU. Took the Cook’s Illustrated tip and used 12 oz. to simmer and about 4 oz. added after cheese melted. The cornstarch is key, but be sure to toss it by hand thoroughly with the shredded cheese. Definitely a keeper!