Cozy Smoked Gouda Soup

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This smoked gouda soup is the ultimate comfort food! We’ll saute some aromatics until fragrant, create a bechamel and then add in tons of shredded smoked gouda cheese and smoked paprika. I serve this in a bread bowl but this would be equally delicious with sourdough croutons.

smoked gouda soup in bread bowl with chives on top

Smoked Gouda soup was amongst one of the best things I ate in Stowe, Vermont.

I’ll admit, I went a little overboard ordering both a cheese soup and the Vermont Cheddar fritters. But you must when you’re in Vermont and besides, this girl loves her some cheese. This recipe is 100% inspired by that delicious soup. Loads of garlic, onions, and celery so the soup is definitely aromatic. Hickory smoked gouda, along with smoked paprika, makes it smoky and delicious. It’s honestly the perfect starter for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other holiday party.

I found the most adorable little sourdough bread boules and used those as bread bowls, which would be adorable for a starter at a party! The key is to remove the top, push down the fluff, and toast them in a 250ºF oven or air fryer for a few minutes. Toasted bread holds its shape better. And the tops of the bread are absolutely perfect for dipping!

Ingredients for homemade smoked gouda soup:

Butter: We’ll use a knob of butter to saute the aromatics. Then, we’ll create a roux for the bechamel.
Onions: add tons of flavor to this recipe. Chop them up finely and season them with salt so that we can cook them down until they’re tender and translucent.
Celery Stalks: You’ll want to chop these up finely as well and season them with salt to cook them down quickly without browning or burning.
Garlic: we’ll add this in when the onions are almost done so that the garlic doesn’t burn.
Flour: Creates a roux with the butter that we’ll then turn into a bechamel by adding whole milk.
Whole Milk: creates the sauce that we need to cook the cheese down in. This recipe starts just like a pot pie filling or any other bechamel-based soup.
Chicken broth: you can use vegetable broth if you want to keep this recipe vegetarian-friendly.
Seasonings: You’ll need both mustard powder and smoked paprika to help give the sop plenty of flavor! You’ll also need a couple of bay leaves!
Worcestershire Sauce: Adds saltiness and an umami flavor to the soup that pairs beautifully with the smoked gouda. If you’re preparing this for vegetarians, be sure to swap this with vegetarian-friendly Worcestershire!
Smoked Gouda Cheese: I like to use a hickory smoked gouda. Just shred the cheese on a box grater before you add it to the soup. Or, to cut down on prep time, just run the block of cheese through a food processor.
Chives: just adds a little color to the top of the soup! Feel free to use toasted croutons or anything else you’d like as well.

How to make cozy smoked gouda soup:

Saute the aromatics. Melt butter in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Then add the onions, celery stems, and bay leaves. You want to get them added nice and early so that there’s plenty of flavor. Season the onions with a big pinch of salt and cook them down for 7-10 minutes. You want them to be soft and translucent so it’s critical to keep a close eye on them. Then add the garlic and let it saute for another minute until you can smell that deliciousness.
Make the roux. Once the aromatics are cooked down, sprinkle the flour into the butter and stir, and cook it for 60-90 seconds. It’s essential that we cook down the flour so that the soup doesn’t have a raw flour flavor. Then add the milk in slowly as you whisk or stir to combine. As the liquid starts to simmer, you’ll notice the roux will start to thicken. Add in the chicken broth, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, and smoked paprika.
Make the soup. Allow the soup to reach a boil, then lower the heat and allow it to thicken. Turn the heat to low and slowly add the cheese in batches so that it melts as you stir. You want to make sure to do this step slowly. If you’re scared of the cheese scorching, pull the pot off the heat completely. Continue adding the cheese, roughly 1/2 cup at a time, until all of it has been added to the soup. Fish out the bay leaves and give the soup a taste. Feel free to season with additional salt and pepper as desired.
Serve it up. Once the soup is done, serve it with toasty bread in your favorite bowl. I like to top it with chopped chives for a little color!

FAQs about this recipe:

Can I add additional veggies to this soup?

I know a lot of smoked gouda soups usually also contain roasted red peppers. If that’s something you enjoy, you can easily add in a drained jar of roasted red peppers that are chopped up in with the onions and celery. You could even roast your own red bell peppers on a baking sheet, wrap the pepper in foil until you can peel the skin, and then use that.

Does this soup have texture?

It does! Unlike most pureed cheese soups, this one definitely has a bit of texture to it from the onions and celery. If you’re someone that wants a super smooth cheese soup, I suggest using an immersion blender and blending the soup once you’ve added the chicken broth and the seasonings. Make sure to do this before adding the cheese!

What about storage?

Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You can also add it to zip-top bags and keep the soup in the freezer. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator. It does change the texture of the soup a bit because of the cheese, but it’s still warm and cozy!

Can I add cream to the soup?

I honestly think the soup doesn’t need it. However, if you wanted to make this more lux, I’d swap the whole milk for half and half!

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soup in bread bowl topped with chives on a plate with spoon

Yield: Serves 8