What is Cheese Soup?

Cheese soup is a creamy, rich soup that has cheese as its primary ingredient. Various types of cheeses like cheddar, Gruyère, Parmesan, Gouda, and Monterey Jack can be used to make cheese soups.

Along with cheese, cheese soups are made using ingredients such as milk, broth, vegetables, herbs, and spices. Some popular additions are potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, bacon, beer etc. Cheese soups can be served as a starter, snack, or even a main course. They pair wonderfully with breads, croutons, and crackers.

Cheese soups are found in various global cuisines including American, Swiss, Mexican, Colombian, French and Tibetan. They can be prepared fresh at home, or mass-produced versions are also available. With so many possibilities, there is a cheese soup to satisfy just about every palate!

Cheeses Used in Cheese Soups

The base of any cheese soup obviously begins with cheese. Both hard and soft cheeses can be used to prepare cheese soups. Some commonly used ones are:

Hard Cheeses:

• Cheddar
• Parmesan
• Gruyère
• Swiss
• Manchego

Soft Cheeses:

• Cream cheese
• Brie
• Mozzarella
• Monterey Jack
• Gouda
• Farmer's cheese

For best results, it's advisable to grate the cheeses at home instead of using pre-grated cheese. The anti-caking agents in packaged shredded cheese can prevent proper melting. Grating it fresh allows the cheese to melt smoothly for a creamy texture.

Key Takeaway: Both hard and soft cheeses can be used to make cheese soups. Grating them fresh makes for optimum smooth melting.

Creating the Base

The base of cheese soups begins with making a roux - cooked mixture of butter and flour. Onions, carrots and celery are sautéed in butter first. Then flour is stirred in to make a roux. Chicken or vegetable broth and milk/cream are whisked in to form the soup base.

Milk, half and half, heavy/light cream etc lend creaminess. Broths like chicken, vegetable or beef build savory flavor. Sometimes even beer, wine or cream based liqueurs are used.

The roux-broth mixture then simply needs to be brought to a simmer before incorporating the cheese. This base lends body, texture and an incredible backdrop for the cheese to shine.

Adding Cheese and Final Touches

The cheese is added after the soup base has simmered for some time. The heat gently melts the cheese, which dissolves into silkiness. Pouring the hot soup over room temperature cheese allows it to melt gradually.

For convenience, most cheese soup recipes call for adding all the cheese at once. But in restaurants, it's often added a little at a time. This allows maximum control over texture and prevents clumping.

An immersion blender blitzes the soup beautifully smooth. Alternatively, working in small batches, an upright blender can be used to puree the soup.

Final seasoning with salt, pepper and spices like cayenne, paprika or nutmeg polish off the flavors. Garnishes like fresh herbs, crispy bacon bits, pumpkin seeds, croutons or oyster crackers provide texture and pop.

Different Types of Cheese Soups

There is a wonderful variety when it comes to cheese soups! Different types of cheeses and mix-ins result in an array of tempting cheese soups such as:

With many of cheese and vegetable options, the cheese soup possibilities are endless! Feel free to experiment with cheese and ingredient combinations to create your own signature soup.

Key Takeaway: There are many popular varieties of cheese soup using diverse cheese and mix-ins - from Broccoli Cheese to Blue Cheese to Tibetan Churu Soup.

Serving Cheese Soup

A piping hot bowl of rich, gooey cheese soup, studded with crispy, salty croutons makes for ultimate comfort food. Here are some tasty ways to serve this soup:

• Breads: Fresh breads, dinner rolls, breadsticks and soft pretzels are perfect for dunking into the silky soup. A crispy baguette pairs delightfully. For ultimate indulgence, bake the soup in a hollowed bread bowl!
• Garnishes: Crisp bacon bits, oyster crackers, pumpkin seeds, roasted nuts provide texture. Croutons toasted in garlic butter or cheese take it over the top.
• Add-Ons: Stir in cooked veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, roasted bell peppers. Or noodles, pasta shells or tortellini to make it a heartier meal.
• Dips: Provolone, Swiss or cheddar cheese melted atop serve as a scrumptious finishing touch alongside hot sauce or ranch for dunking.

With a side salad or sandwich, cheese soup makes for a meal on its own. Or it can precede lighter main courses without weighing you down!

Tips for the Best Cheese Soup

Here are handy tips to ensure creamy, smooth cheese soup every time:

• Shred cheese before adding as larger pieces may not melt completely.
• Add 1 cup cheese at a time, stirring constantly before adding more. This prevents clumping.
• Grate cheese at room temperature as cold cheese clumps when grated.
• Use a double boiler to prevent scorching when reheating leftovers.
• Add cornstarch/ Arrowroot to avoid separation upon standing.
• Use anti-stick cookware as cheese can stick and burn easily.
• Add cheese once soup has simmered so residual heat doesn't toughen it.

Following these tips will help you achieve the perfect, velvety texture. Adjust salt, spices and cream to taste for your ideal cheese soup!

Storing and Freezing Cheese Soup

• Storage: Cool cheese soup completely before transferring to airtight containers. Properly stored cheese soup keeps fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Reheating: Reheat gently over low heat, stirring often. Add a little milk/cream if the soup is too thick. Bring just to a simmer, do not boil.
• Freezing: Cheese soup is difficult to freeze well due to high dairy content. Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating. Stir in extra liquid if the texture seems off upon thawing.

For best flavor and texture, enjoy your cheese soup freshly made. Portioning into meal-sized servings allows enjoying it again without reinventing!

FAQs

Does cheese soup need a roux?

A roux helps achieve the characteristic creamy silkiness in cheese soups. Skipping it can result in a thin, clumpy texture.

What kind of cheese is used for cheese soup?

Popular options are cheddar, Gruyère, Parmesan and Monterey Jack. Combination of hard and soft cheeses balances texture beautifully.

Is Velveeta good for cheese soup?

Velveeta works perfectly in cheese soup. It delivers that quintessential diner-style creaminess. However, some prefer less processed cheeses.

What can I add to cheese soup?

Broccoli, cauliflower, scallions, bacon, olive oil, extra cheese, croutons, oyster crackers, pumpkin seeds all add magic!

Which crackers go well with cheese soup?

Buttery crackers, water crackers, Goldfish crackers, oyster crackers pair nicely with cheese soup to lend crunch.

Is cheese soup healthy?

Full-fat cheese & cream do ratchet up calories. Lighten the soup by using reduced fat cheese and milk/cream. Increase veggies to boost nutrition.

Conclusion

To put it simply - cheese soup is pure comfort in a bowl! Combining savory broth with creamy cheese creates a magical synergy like no other soup.

It is versatile, adaptable and can take on countless avatars while retaining its soul-warming nature. Topping options galore and serving possibilities abound. A steaming bowl with a crisp, buttery baguette for dunking spells simple bliss.

While there are many convenient canned and dehydrated options available, nothing quite compares to homemade. Taking the extra effort to prepare cheese soup from scratch rewards you with unbeatable depth of flavor.