Epcot's Canadian Cheese Soup Recipe From Le Cellier (2024)

FAQs

How to add cheese to soup? ›

Keep the heat very low, and make sure the cheese is one of the last things added to the soup. Whisk very quickly but add the cheese in gradually, one cup at a time, to make sure it melts before adding the next cup.

Cheese can curdle when added to soup due to the high temperatures and acidity in the soup. The proteins in cheese are sensitive to heat and acid, causing them to separate and form curds.

If your soup doesn't have the desired melted cheese consistency, you can try blending it with an immersion blender or transferring it to a regular blender. This can help break down any clumps and incorporate the cheese more evenly.

Mild cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack, mozzarella, Swiss and queso blanco can all work well. “The best cheeses to melt into soups are cheeses that are higher in moisture and have a lower melting point,” says Bauer. In addition to cheddar and Monterey jack, he recommends Fontina and Gruyère.

Got a soup that tastes a little bland and unexciting? Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt.

There are many reasons, but the biggest is the moisture content. The moisture content of the cheese has a great effect on the melting process. Cheese that contains higher amounts of fat will melt better than one that doesn't.

There's one type of cheese that no amount of tweaking will melt: Acid-set cheeses, like fresh goat cheese, quick farmers cheese, paneer, queso fresco, and ricotta, just can't do it.

Thing is, once cheese is heated too far beyond its melting point, the proteins firm up and squeeze out moisture—the same way protein does in meat. When this occurs you're left with rubbery, clumpy bits of cheese protein that separate from the fat and moisture.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

But when heat is introduced, the protein structure falls apart and the emulsion breaks—the fat globules come together into a greasy pool and the proteins congeal to form a stringy mess. But American cheese is specifically designed to be extremely meltable and nearly impossible to break.

Can I add Parmesan cheese to soup? ›

I throw in leftover Parmesan cheese rinds—usually two of them—before the 30- to 40-minute simmer time. The soup gets topped with shredded Parm when serving, but adding the rind to the pot while the soup is simmering gives it an additional depth of nutty flavor that takes the already-excellent soup up a notch.

Adding a potato to the simmering soup provides a natural thickener that helps the cheese emulsify and gives the soup a creamy texture.

When it's time to add the cheese into the soup, sprinkle it in in batches, stirring until each batch is melted before adding the next batch vs dumping it all in at once. This will ensure there are no clumps in the final soup.

As you might surmise, cheeses with high melting points and low moisture content don't mix with soup well. Crumbly aged Pecorino, savory Halloumi, and even aged Cheddar can separate and become granular in the soup. These are best left as a finishing touch that is shredded on the soup after it comes off the heat.

The best options for thickening soup are cream or half and half. Plain yogurt or even freshly grated cheese works well and adds an extra layer of tangy, salty flavor. Add the dairy at the end and avoid bringing the soup to a boil since this can cause yogurt, cheese, or cream to split.