How to Make It
Start with a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven — this is not the time for a thin-bottomed pan, because you’re going to be making a roux and simmering dairy and you need even heat throughout. Cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until it’s lightly browned, about five minutes. Not crispy. Lightly browned. Pull back before you think you need to.
Add the onion, celery, garlic, and butter directly to the bacon and its fat. Cook everything together until the onion has softened and gone translucent, another five minutes or so. The kitchen will smell incredible at this point — bacon and butter and softening vegetables is one of the better combinations of aromas that exists in the world of cooking, and I say that with full confidence.
Stir in the flour and cook it, stirring constantly, for about four minutes. You’re making what’s called a blond roux — you want it to turn just barely golden and start to smell nutty, almost like popcorn. This is the step that gives the soup its body and a subtle depth of flavor that a plain roux wouldn’t have. Don’t rush it and don’t walk away from the pot.
Whisk in the Chicken stock. It’ll go lumpy for a second — keep whisking and it’ll smooth out. Bring it to a boil, let it go for one minute, then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the milk and simmer for another fifteen minutes. The original recipe doesn’t explain why the stock and milk go in separately, and I’m not entirely sure either — but that’s what Disney says to do, and I stopped questioning it after the third time it turned out perfectly. The one thing that matters here is do not boil once the milk is in. Keep it at a gentle simmer or the milk can split and the whole texture goes wrong.
Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the grated cheese, the Tabasco, the Worcestershire, and salt and pepper to taste. The cheese will melt into the hot soup beautifully — just stir slowly and let it incorporate. Then take your immersion blender and blend until the soup is mostly smooth. I say mostly because a little texture from the bacon and vegetables is a good thing, not a problem to be solved. Blend to wherever feels right to you — some people like it completely smooth, I like just a little body left in there.
Finally, stir in the beer. This is the last step and it’s a good one. The lager lightens the whole thing just slightly, adds a faint yeasty depth that you can’t quite identify but would definitely miss. Taste and adjust seasoning — it might want a little more salt at this point, or a touch more Tabasco if you’re someone who likes heat.
Serve immediately, topped with chopped green onion or chives. And if you happen to have a bread bowl situation available to you, this is the moment. This soup was made for a bread bowl. I believe that sincerely.
Variations and Serving Ideas
I’ve stirred in a little smoked paprika before — maybe half a teaspoon — and it adds a warmth that plays nicely with the bacon. Not traditional, but good. A pinch of dry mustard powder is another option if you want a little more sharpness to come through in the cheddar flavor.
If you want to make this without the beer, you can — add a splash more Chicken stock to compensate. It won’t taste quite like Le Cellier, but it’ll still be an excellent cheese soup. I’ve done this when cooking for people who don’t drink and nobody complained.
Serve it with crusty bread, a simple green salad, or honestly just on its own in a big bowl with nothing else. It’s substantial enough to be dinner without any help.
Storage
Leftovers keep in the fridge for three days in a sealed container. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently — you don’t want to boil it again once the dairy and cheese are in there. If it’s thickened up in the fridge, a small splash of Chicken stock or milk loosens it right back up. I wouldn’t freeze this one. Dairy-based soups don’t come back from the freezer the way you want them to.
I’ve made this soup probably a dozen times since I first worked out the recipe, and it still does the thing it did that first time at Le Cellier — stops conversation, makes people put down whatever they were doing, makes them ask what’s in it. There’s something almost embarrassingly satisfying about that. A bowl of soup that people remember. That’s not nothing.
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