Instant Pot Beer Cheese Soup with Kraut & Kielbasa

This Instant Pot Beer Cheese Soup with Kraut & Kielbasa is creamy, comforting and quick to make in your pressure cooker. Truly amazing flavor.

Instant Pot Beer Cheese Soup with Kraut & Kielbasa. What?  Never heard of it?  That’s because I made it up! You know I can put kraut in just about everything, right? And if you are thinking “not dessert” then I ask you to try my Sauerkraut Chocolate Cake recipe!! It’s the BEST chocolate cake EVER!

This post is sponsored by Frank’s Kraut, but the opinions and life long love affair with their sauerkraut is all my own.

SOME OF THE ITEMS BELOW CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS; I AM A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR US TO EARN FEES BY LINKING TO AMAZON.COM AND AFFILIATED SITES. I AM ALSO AN AFFILIATE FOR OTHER BRANDS. HOWEVER, I ONLY PROMOTE THINGS THAT I LOVE AND THINK YOU WILL LOVE, TOO.  FOR MY ENTIRE DISCLOSURE POLICY PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Did you get an Instant Pot for Christmas?  These pressure cookers are becoming so popular.  Like crockpots, every kitchen will have one.  I still have my “old fashioned” pressure cooker in my pantry.  I haven’t used it in a gazillion years, because quite frankly, it scares the heck outta me.   I remember my mom used it all of the time when we were kids and she used to warn us not to run through the kitchen or stomp.  I was always sure that thing would be the end of me.  Flash forward to now? The new Instapots are super safe, and I love how convenient they are!

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I have made a Mississippi Pot Roast in my pressure cooker, and I made these amazing Twisted Meatball Subs, too.  But I have to say, one of my favorite things to make in it is soup. Just recently I have made a Loaded Potato and a New England Clam Chowder in my Instant Pot.  It’s so quick and the flavors are like you cooked it for a long long time.  Just like this Beer Cheese Soup.  Simple and so flavorful.  

Ingredients in Instant Pot Beer Cheese Soup with Kraut & Kielbasa:

• Frank’s Kraut
• Smoked Polska Kielbasa
• Carrots and Onions
• Chicken Stock and Light Beer
• Flour, Black and Cayenne Pepper, Garlic Salt
• Half & Half and Butter
• Muenster and Mild Cheddar Cheese

Slice your kielbasa thin.  I bought smoked Polska kielbasa.  It’s already cooked, so adding it at the end is perfect.  I had shredded carrots, and they worked great, but dicing them would work, too.  Chopped yellow onion and of course, the best sauerkraut ever … Frank’s Kraut.

I bought a block of both Mild cheddar cheese and Muenster.  It, along with the light beer gave the soup a more mild taste.  If you want to get a more intense flavor, use a more flavorful cheese like a sharp cheddar and a stout beer.  Shredding your own cheese is always a better option.  It melts so much better than the bagged stuff.  

Set Instant Pot to “sauté” setting, and add in butter. When butter melts add in onion and carrot. Sauté for about 4 minutes. Add in kraut and sauté for a couple on minutes more. Add the flour to the pot and mix into the veggies and kraut until they are coated. Make sure there are no clumps. Add in chicken stock and the beer. Add in garlic salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Stir.

Secure the lid and make sure knob is set to the “sealing” position. Set the pot to manual and the timer for 5 minutes. When the pot beeps that it is done, CAREFULLY release the steam. When steam is released, unlock the lid and remove it.

Using a hand blender,  blend veggies until smooth. Gradually mix in the shredded cheese until smooth. Pour in Half & Half, stir. Add in Polska Kielbasa. Leave set to keep warm until ready to eat.

The flavor of the sausage will come through as it warms. (it’s even better the next day!)

It’s really good topped with sliced scallions.

Or some more Frank’s Kraut, and even a sprinkling of caraway seed.  

Sidebar — I used to hate caraway seeds when I was a kid.  Do you like them?   It wasn’t until later in life when I discovered the amazing-ness of an Everything Bagel that I started to warm up to it.  Now, I love Everything Bagel Spice! I sprinkle it on my salads, and love it in Everything Bagel Dip!

What Is Caraway Seed? – From The Kitchn

Taste: Sweet, earthy
Most Popular Use: Breads, soups, sauces, vegetables

Caraway plants are actually a member of the carrot family, related also to coriander and cumin. It’s native to central Europe and then spread to other parts of Europe, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. Both the roots and the seeds are edible. If you ever get your hands on some, the roots can be cooked just like carrots.

Caraway seeds are highly aromatic and have a distinctive earthy anise flavor. They pack a lot of punch for such tiny little seeds. Most recipes only use a teaspoon or less.

We served it up piping hot with a slice or two of crusty bread.  It was the perfect kind of soup to dunk in.  Of course, Rye bread would be an amazing addition to this Instapot Beer Cheese Soup!

Frank’s Kraut comes in can, jars and these poly bags.  I have to say I love the poly bags the best.  When I buy the two pound poly bags, I always buy extra and pop them in the freezer.  Once they are defrosted, I use what I need, then I place any remaining sauerkraut into a mason jar in the fridge.

SEE ALL OF MY SAUERKRAUT RECIPES HERE!

Take some time to visit Frank’s Kraut, find out where to buy the best sauerkraut on the planet, and read about the wonderful benefits of adding it to your diet.  

Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to score all kinds of great recipes!

FOLLOW MY SAUERKRAUT BOARD ON PINTEREST!

Sauerkraut makes a wonderful addition to soups! 

Let’s make some Instant Pot Beer Cheese Soup with Kraut & Kielbasa! 

Love Sauerkraut? Everything you always wanted to know about Kraut! Where it comes from, how it’s made and tons of Sauerkraut recipes in this Ultimate Guide to Sauerkraut.

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Print Recipe

Instant Pot Beer Cheese Soup with Kraut & Kielbasa

This Instant Pot Beer Cheese Soup with Kraut & Kielbasa is creamy, comforting and quick to make in your pressure cooker. Truly amazing flavor.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Instant Pot Beer Cheese Soup with Kraut & Kielbasa

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 536kcal

Author: Michaela Kenkel

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 stick
• 1/3 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup yellow onion diced (1 small onion)
• 1/2 cup Frank's Kraut
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 12 ounce light beer
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 8 ounce block mild cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 8 ounce block Muenster cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Half & Half
• 1 14 ounce package of Smoked Polska Kielbasa, sliced

Instructions

• Set Instant Pot to "sauté" setting, and add in butter.
• When butter melts add in onion and carrot. Sauté for about 4 minutes. Add in kraut and sauté for a couple on minutes more.
• Add the flour to the pot and mix into the veggies and kraut until they are coated. Make sure there are no clumps.
• Add in chicken stock and the beer. Add in garlic salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Stir.
• Secure the lid and make sure knob is set to the "sealing" position. Set the pot to manual and the timer for 5 minutes. when the pot beeps that it is done, CAREFULLY release the steam. When steam is released, unlock the lid and remove it.
• Using a hand blender blend veggies until smooth.
• Gradually mix in the shredded cheese until smooth. Pour in Half & Half, stir. Add in Polska Kielbasa. Leave set to keep warm until ready to eat. The flavor of the sausage will come through as it warms.
• Serve topped with wither green onions, OR more sauerkraut. Caraway seeds are a nice addition, too!

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 1364mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g