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I’m celebrating Oktoberfest a bit late on my blog, but the weather has just starting feeling fall-like this week! Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival held in Munich, Germany at the end of September/beginning of October that is famously known for its beer drinking and accompanying eats.
When I think of Oktoberfest, I immediately imagine beer, pretzels, and yummy wursts (or sausages). One of my favorite sausages (although it’s not German) is Kielbasa, especially when grilled.
Hillshire Farm® Polska Kielbasa is made with beef, pork, and turkey with a blend of natural spices to really bring the flavor. I wanted to play off of the smoky flavor as well as pay tribute to Oktoberfest with a Beer and Cheddar Soup to pair with the Grilled Polska Kielbasa. I found Hillshire Farm Polska Kielbasa in my local Walmart.
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 leek, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 12 oz Oktoberfest beer
- 1 1/2 cups half and half
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon smoked hot sauce (can also use liquid smoke)
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 12 oz extra sharp yellow cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 Hillshire Farm® Polska Kielbasa
- the juice of 1 lemon, optional
- olive oil for drizzling, optional
- chives, finely chopped, for garnish
Prepare your leek, carrot, celery, red bell pepper, and garlic.
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and add the chopped ingredients and the bay leaf to the melted butter. Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until fragrant and the veggies begin to soften.
Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
Add the half and half, chicken broth, and beer, mixing to combine. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, smoked hot sauce or liquid smoke, nutmeg, and dry mustard. Mix to combine. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Add in the shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, stirring until fully melted, about 5 minutes.
Carefully pour half of the mixture into a blender and puree until smooth (remove the center of the top of the blender and cover with a kitchen towel to allow some of the steam to escape while it purees). Repeat with the remaining soup and return the pureed soup to the pot, keeping the soup warm.
Spray a grill pan with cooking spray. Heat over medium high heat. Slice your kielbasa into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Add to the grill pan and cook for 12-14 minutes, turning frequently.
To serve the soup, spoon into bowls and add the kielbasa.
If desired, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, squeeze in some lemon juice, and sprinkle with chives. Serve hot.
The beer and cheddar soup has a little smokiness to it to complement the flavor of the kielbasa. The squeeze of lemon and the drizzle of olive oil really added a finishing touch to the soup!
The seasoning of the kielbasa was super tasty and was a perfect pair to the beer and cheddar soup!
What is your favorite Oktoberfest-themed recipe?
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 leek, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 12 oz Oktoberfest beer
- 1 1/2 cups half and half
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon smoked hot sauce (can also use liquid smoke)
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 12 oz extra sharp yellow cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 Hillshire Farm® Polska Kielbasa
- the juice of 1 lemon, optional
- olive oil for drizzling, optional
- chives, finely chopped, for garnish
- Prepare your leek, carrot, celery, red bell pepper, and garlic.
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and add the chopped ingredients and the bay leaf to the melted butter. Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until fragrant and the veggies begin to soften.
- Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
- Add the half and half, chicken broth, and beer, mixing to combine. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, smoked hot sauce or liquid smoke, nutmeg, and dry mustard. Mix to combine. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Add in the shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, stirring until fully melted, about 5 minutes.
- Carefully pour half of the mixture into a blender and puree until smooth (remove the center of the top of the blender and cover with a kitchen towel to allow some of the steam to escape while it purees). Repeat with the remaining soup and return the pureed soup to the pot, keeping the soup warm.
- Spray a grill pan with cooking spray. Heat over medium high heat. Slice your kielbasa into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Add to the grill pan and cook for 12-14 minutes, turning frequently.
- To serve the soup, spoon into bowls and add the kielbasa.
- If desired, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, squeeze in some lemon juice, and sprinkle with chives. Serve hot.
This soup looks and sounds so delicious. I love the idea of cheese soup with sausage. I saw a recipe for some stockbrot earlier today that would pair so well with this! [client]
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