Copycat comfort food alert: this Outback Steakhouse Walkabout Soup recipe turns simple pantry staples into a rich, cheesy onion soup you can make at home tonight, no reservation required.
Okay, real talk: the first time I had walkabout soup, I was NOT prepared. I went to Outback for a steak and left thinking about the soup for a week straight. That’s how you know something’s special, right?
So naturally, I got a little obsessed with recreating it at home. Turns out this outback steakhouse walkabout soup recipe is way easier than I expected, and now it’s basically my go-to when it’s cold outside and I need a hug in a bowl.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Walkabout Soup Recipe
This isn’t your average onion soup. It’s got that deep, slow-simmered onion flavor, but it’s also silky and cheesy, kind of like French onion soup and a cheddar bisque had a baby.
Here’s the quick rundown before we dive in:
- Sweet, slow-cooked onions give it that rich, almost caramelized backbone
- A cheddar and Monterey Jack combo makes it extra creamy and melty
- It’s a copycat recipe, so you get that outback steakhouse flavor without leaving your kitchen
- Simple ingredients, no fancy equipment, just a big pot and a little patience
Basically, if you’ve ever wanted to skip the wait for a table and just make your favorite appetizer at home, this is it.
And honestly, once you see how simple the ingredient list is, you might feel a little silly for paying restaurant prices for it all these years. Not that I’m judging, I did the exact same thing for way too long.
Outback Steakhouse Walkabout Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Large stock pot
- Whisk
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Ladle
- measuring cups
Ingredients
Broth Base
- 10 cups low sodium chicken stock
- ¼ cup white cooking wine
- 2 bay leaves
Onions
- 2 large sweet yellow onions quartered and thinly sliced
- 1 large white onion quartered and thinly sliced
Thickener
- 1 cup all purpose flour sifted
Dairy
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese plus more for garnish
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese plus more for garnish
Seasoning
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the chicken stock, white cooking wine, bay leaves, sweet yellow onions, and white onion to a large stock pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, allowing the onions to soften and release their sweetness into the broth.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Gently whisk in the sifted flour a little at a time until mostly incorporated, with only a few small clumps remaining.
- Let the soup simmer for another 30 minutes so the flour can thicken the soup.
- Turn the heat down to low. Stir in the heavy cream, shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
- Continue stirring over low heat until the cheeses melt completely and the soup becomes glossy, creamy, and smooth.
- Once the cheese is fully melted, remove the pot from the heat to prevent the soup from becoming grainy.
- Taste the soup, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with extra shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. Serve hot, preferably with crusty bread for dunking.
Notes
Ingredients You’ll Need
Nothing wild here. You probably have most of this already, and the rest is a quick grocery run.
| Category | Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Broth Base | Low sodium chicken stock | 10 cups |
| Broth Base | White cooking wine | ¼ cup |
| Broth Base | Bay leaves | 2 |
| Onions | Large sweet yellow onions, quartered and thinly sliced | 2 |
| Onions | Large white onion, quartered and thinly sliced | 1 |
| Thickener | All purpose flour, sifted | 1 cup |
| Dairy | Heavy cream | 1 cup |
| Dairy | Shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish | 1 cup |
| Dairy | Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, plus more for garnish | ½ cup |
| Seasoning | Salt and freshly ground black pepper | To taste |
Quick note on the onions: don’t skimp here. The sweet yellow onions bring the mellow, almost caramelized sweetness that makes this walkabout soup taste like the real deal, while the white onion adds a little sharper bite underneath.
And go ahead and use a good extra sharp cheddar. It’s tempting to grab whatever’s cheapest, but a sharper cheese gives the whole pot way more personality once it melts in.
How to Make Outback Steakhouse Walkabout Soup
This whole thing comes together in one pot, which is honestly my favorite kind of cooking. Less dishes, more soup. Let’s get into it.
Step 1: Build the Broth Base
Grab your biggest stock pot and toss in the chicken stock, cooking wine, bay leaves, and all three onions. Bring it up to a boil over high heat, then dial it back to a simmer.
Let it hang out, uncovered, for a full hour. Your kitchen is going to smell incredible around minute twenty, I promise.
Pro tip: Resist the urge to rush this step. That hour of gentle simmering is what gives the onions time to soften and release all their sweetness into the broth.
This is basically the same slow-cook logic the National Onion Association talks about when it comes to coaxing real sweetness out of onions.
Step 2: Thicken It Up
Once the hour’s up, fish out those bay leaves. Nobody wants to bite into one of those, trust me.
Now gently whisk in the sifted flour, a little at a time, until you’ve got just a few small clumps left. Don’t panic about the clumps, they’ll smooth out as it cooks. Let the soup simmer another 30 minutes so the flour has time to work its thickening magic.
Step 3: Add the Cheese (the Best Part)
Turn the heat down low here, this matters. Stir in the heavy cream, cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses, and keep stirring until everything melts into one glossy, creamy pool of soup.
Once the cheese is fully melted, kill the heat. Cheese soups can turn grainy if they sit on high heat too long, so pulling it off the burner right away keeps the texture smooth and silky.
Step 4: Season and Serve
Taste it, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper until it tastes like you. Ladle it into bowls and pile on extra shredded cheese for garnish, because more cheese is never a bad call.
Serve it hot, maybe with some crusty bread on the side for dunking. This is the kind of soup that disappears fast.
Expert Tips, Variations, and Troubleshooting
Tips for the Best Walkabout Soup
Shred your own cheese instead of using the bagged, pre-shredded stuff. It melts smoother because it isn’t coated in anti-caking additives that can leave your soup a little grainy.
Whisk the flour in slowly and steadily. Dumping it all in at once is basically asking for lumps, and nobody wants lumpy soup.
Fun Variations to Try
Want a little smoky depth? Add a few crumbles of cooked bacon on top along with your extra cheese. It leans the soup a bit more toward loaded baked potato soup territory, and honestly, it’s delicious.
Feeling spicy? A pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce stirred in right before serving gives this outback steakhouse classic a little kick.
If you’re into other creamy, comforting bowls, this soup pairs nicely in spirit with something like Japanese corn potage, another silky-smooth soup that proves simple ingredients can taste incredibly luxurious.
Serving this for a cozy night in? A glass of something fun on the side never hurts. If you’re in the mood to play bartender too, this coconut syrup for dirty soda makes a sweet, easy drink to pair with a savory, cheesy dinner.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Soup came out grainy? That usually means the cheese hit heat that was too high. Cheese proteins tighten up and separate above about 150°F, which is why low and slow is the way to go when melting it in.
Soup too thick or too thin? Too thick, splash in a little extra warm chicken stock. Too thin, let it simmer uncovered a bit longer before adding the dairy, or whisk in an extra tablespoon of flour mixed with cold water first.
Cheese not melting smoothly at all? Make sure it’s at room temperature before it goes in, and add it in small handfuls rather than dumping the whole cup in at once. Patience really does pay off here.
Storage, Reheating, and No-Waste Tips
This soup keeps well, so don’t be shy about making a full batch and enjoying leftovers all week.
| Method | How Long It Lasts | Best Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 3 to 4 days | Store in an airtight container once cooled |
| Freezer | Up to 2 months | Cream soups can separate slightly when thawed, so whisk well when reheating |
| Reheating | N/A | Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often |
According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, cooked leftovers like this soup are generally good in the fridge for about 4 days, so that weekly meal prep plan is totally safe to lean on.
When it comes to no-waste kitchen ideas, save any extra caramelized onion bits or cheese ends for topping baked potatoes or stirring into scrambled eggs.
And if you’ve got leftover shredded cheese from another recipe, like a batch of beef and rice queso, toss it into this soup instead of letting it go stale in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this exactly like the Outback Steakhouse Walkabout Soup?
It’s a close copycat version made with everyday ingredients, so the flavor is very similar, though slight differences in cheese brands or onion sweetness can shift the taste a little.
Can I make this walkabout soup ahead of time?
Yes, you can make it up to a day in advance and store it covered in the fridge. Just reheat it gently over low heat so the cheese stays smooth instead of separating.
Can I freeze walkabout soup?
You can freeze it for up to 2 months, but the texture may be slightly less silky once thawed since it’s a cream and cheese based soup. Whisking well while reheating helps bring it back together.
What can I substitute for Monterey Jack cheese?
A mild white cheddar or a mozzarella and cheddar blend both work well if you don’t have Monterey Jack on hand. Just stick with cheeses that melt smoothly.
Why did my soup turn out grainy?
Grainy texture almost always means the cheese was added over heat that was too high. Keep the heat low when stirring in the cream and cheese, and remove the pot from heat as soon as everything melts.
Conclusion
This outback steakhouse walkabout soup recipe is proof that you don’t need a fancy kitchen setup to make something that tastes like a treat. Just a pot, some onions, and a whole lot of cheese.
Give it a try this week, and if you love it as much as I do, pin it to your soup board on Pinterest so you can find it again on the next chilly night. I’d love to hear how yours turns out, so drop a comment and let me know what you thought!
