Just before Christmas in 2014 my husband asked my daughter what she wanted to eat on Christmas Day. She said, “yummy soup made by mommy. PRETZEL SOUP!”
Pretzel soup? I had never made pretzel soup before, but like any self-respecting foodie I accepted the challenge. First step – what pairs well with pretzels? Cheese was the first thing that came to mind. As a kid I loved dipping my pretzels into port wine cheese, so why not make a port wine cheese soup with pretzel croutons?
A bit of sautéed shallots, roux, and equal parts chicken stock and half & half create the base, then an entire container of port wine cheese is stirred in.
The creamy soup gets flavored with some black pepper, garlic powder, and salt before being garnished with fresh thyme and honey-mustard pretzel pieces.
While it might not be a soup entirely made of pretzels, the port wine cheese soup pairs perfectly well with the pretzel bites for a stick-to-your-ribs soup. Given the cold weather and snow storms sweeping the country this week, this soup is just the thing to warm you up!
Port Wine Cheese Soup (a.k.a. Pretzel Soup)
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 cup diced shallots
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cup chicken stock
2 cups ½ & ½
14 oz jar Port Wine Cheese spread
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Fresh thyme (to taste)
Honey-mustard pretzels bits as croutons (to taste)
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft. Add the flour and stir for about 2 minutes, or until just fragrant. Add the stock and the ½ & ½. Bring to a low boil and add the port wine cheese. Cook until the cheese spread is melted into the soup and the soup begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Laddle into bowls and serve with fresh thyme and pretzels.
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