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Week of 10/4/21

Slow Cooker (or not) Oktoberfest Soup
with pretzels / beer cheese

Active: 50 Total: 530
Original GF Paleo Vegetarian
Slow Cooker (or not) Oktoberfest Soup

If you can't make it to Germany this year, we'll bring Oktoberfest to you with this savory, tart soup and soft pretzels on the side.
Smarts #1: Be sure to grate the cheese for the beer cheese yourself. Pre-grated cheese can turn grainy. Also, the beer cheese will retain the flavor of the beer. If you're not a fan of the flavor of beer, use milk or stock instead.
Smarts #2: Check on your slow cooker towards the end of the cook time on the soup and be sure it is simmering. You'll need the soup to reach a simmer in order to cook the alcohol out.
Cooking methods: This recipe includes instructions for using the slow cooker or stovetop. Select your preferred method.

Tags
Make Ahead, Slow Cooker
Proteins
Plant-based "meats"
Cuisines
European - Northern
Save recipe
69

Ingredients

Metric
Servings:
4
Oktoberfest Soup:
  • Onions, medium - 1/2 , diced
  • Carrots - 8 oz , peeled and chopped
  • Garlic - 2 cloves , chopped
  • Sauerkraut - 1 1/2 cups , drained and chopped
  • Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
  • Vegan sausage, any type - 12 oz
  • Potatoes, Yukon gold - 10 oz , cubed
  • Salt - 1/2 tsp
  • Coleslaw mix - 5 oz (sub shredded cabbage)
  • Stock, any type - 3 1/2 cups
  • Beer, German-style Lager (12 oz / 355 mL) - 1/2 bottle (sub stock)
  • Vinegar, apple cider - 1 Tbsp
  • Bay leaf - 1
Pretzels and Beer Cheese:
  • Cheese, cheddar - 3 cups , grated (sub any type of cheese)
  • Butter - 2 Tbsp
  • Flour, all-purpose - 2 Tbsp
  • Milk - 1/2 cup
  • Beer, German-style Lager (12 oz / 355 mL) - 1/2 bottle (sub milk or stock)
  • Garlic powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Red pepper flakes (opt) - 1/4 tsp
  • Mustard, Dijon - 2 tsp
  • Soft pretzels or pretzel rolls - 4

Choose Cooking Method

Prep

  1. Cheese / Onions / Carrots / Garlic / Sauerkraut - Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  2. Brown vegan sausage - Heat oil in a skillet. Add vegan sausage and saute until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  3. Potatoes - Peel and cube potatoes.

  4. Slow cook soup - Combine onions, carrots, garlic, salt, sauerkraut, vegan sausage, potatoes, coleslaw mix, stock, beer (portion for soup), vinegar, and bay leaf in the bowl of a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours (or high for 5 to 6 hours).

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Make

  1. When soup is nearly finished cooking, heat a sauce pan with butter over medium heat. When butter melts, sprinkle flour over top and stir well until no dry spots remain and the flour turns lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

  2. Slowly pour milk and then beer over the flour mixture while whisking. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes to cook the alcohol out of the beer and let it thicken a bit. Remove pan from heat and let it cool slightly (this is the first key to a smooth, creamy cheese sauce), 2 to 3 minutes.

  3. When mixture has cooled off a bit, whisk in garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and mustard. Finally, add in cheese in 3 additions, whisking well after each addition (this is the second key to a great cheese sauce - let each addition of cheese have time to melt into the sauce before adding more).

  4. Toast pretzels / pretzel rolls if you’d like them warm.

  5. Return to soup and give it a good stir. Remove and discard bay leaf. Taste and season with some salt and pepper. You can stir in some extra apple cider vinegar if you’d like the soup to have a bit more tart flavor.

  6. Serve soup with beer cheese and pretzels on the side. Enjoy!

Prep

  1. Cheese / Onions / Carrots / Garlic / Sauerkraut - Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  2. Potatoes - Peel and cube potatoes.

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Learn More

Make

  1. Heat a Dutch oven with oil over medium-high heat. Add vegan sausage and saute until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add in onions, carrots, garlic, and salt and saute until onions are starting to soften, 5 to 6 minutes more.

  2. To Dutch oven add potatoes, sauerkraut, coleslaw mix, stock, beer (portion for soup), vinegar, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.

  3. Cover pan with a lid and reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Simmer until potatoes are tender, ~20 minutes.

  4. Once soup is simmering, heat a sauce pan with butter over medium heat. When butter melts, sprinkle flour over top and stir well until no dry spots remain and the flour turns lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

  5. Slowly pour milk and then beer over the flour mixture while whisking. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes to cook the alcohol out of the beer and let it thicken a bit. Remove pan from heat and let it cool slightly (this is the first key to a smooth, creamy cheese sauce), 2 to 3 minutes.

  6. When mixture has cooled off a bit, whisk in garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and mustard. Finally, add in cheese in 3 additions, whisking well after each addition (this is the second key to a great cheese sauce - let each addition of cheese have time to melt into the sauce before adding more).

  7. Toast pretzels / pretzel rolls if you’d like them warm.

  8. Return to soup and give it a good stir. Remove and discard bay leaf. Taste and season with some salt and pepper. You can stir in some extra apple cider vinegar if you’d like the soup to have a bit more tart flavor.

  9. Serve soup with beer cheese and pretzels on the side. Enjoy!

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