14 Delicious Things You Can Make With a Can of Beer
After you have thrown a party, you've likely noticed there's always that random bit of leftover booze, especially if someone brings a 12-pack of beer. Instead of just letting those lonely cans sit in the back of the fridge until you feel like drinking one, have you ever thought to cook with it? How about with one of these beer can recipes? There is a surprising number of ways you can whip up a dish using a can of beer, whether it's bread, batter for fried fish, or a pub-style beer cheese dip.
We've rounded up 14 of our favorite beer can recipes that may make you consider beer for dinner—without going on a liquid diet. And to really step up your cooking game, be sure to try out any of these 100 Easiest Recipes You Can Make.
Beer Can Chicken
Don't have a roasting rack? No problem—just sit your chicken on a can of beer and cook it in the oven or on the grill. The beer steam will flavor the chicken from the inside out. As the chicken cooks, the beer steams and keeps the bird juicy and flavorful. Plus, it's easy to clean up.
Get our recipe for Beer Can Chicken.
Beef and Beer
This beer can recipe is inspired by a Belgian dish called carbonnade, a hearty stew of beef and onions braised in beer. It's the type of dish you want to come home to on a blustery winter night.
Get our recipe for Slow Cooker Beef and Beer.
Beer Bread
Bread is made of yeast. Beer is made of yeast. Therefore, you can make bread using beer! This easy beer bread recipe all comes together in one bowl and you'll need under an hour to make it from start to finish in. By adding a touch of honey for sweetness and brushing butter on top to make the bread golden brown makes this an easy recipe you don't want to pass up.
Get the recipe from Gimme Some Oven.
Beer Battered Fish Tacos
Using beer batter makes fried fish that is light, airy, and crisp. This fish taco recipe only uses ¼ cup of oil so you don't have to deep fry, and it also gets a margarita-inspired mango salsa and jalapeño crema to really spruce things up.
Get the recipe from How Sweet Eats.
Beer Battered Vegan Fish Sticks
Yes, you read that right—vegan fish sticks! In this recipe, shredded hearts of palm are combined with panko breadcrumbs and seaweed, and then beer-battered and fried to emulate the texture of fish sticks. It will blow your mind.
Get the recipe from My Darling Vegan.
Bacon Beer Cheese Dip
Beer cheese is a classic pub food made mainly of cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and beer. This version adds bacon—because why not? Serve it hot and bubbly with potato chips.
Get the recipe from Foodie Crush.
Gluten Free and Vegan Beer Mac n' Cheese
If you're going to cut out the cheese and gluten from macaroni and cheese, it has to be packed with flavor, and this version with beer sounds surprisingly tasty. It has nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavor and Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper to amp things up.
Get the recipe from Simply Quinoa.
Irish Ale Potato Cheddar Soup with Beer Battered Leeks
This packs twice the beer flavor with an Irish ale in the cheesy soup and beer-battered crispy leeks on top.
Get the recipe from How Sweet Eats.
Healthier 30-Minute Beer-Braised Chicken
A hearty braised chicken stew in 30 minutes can be your weeknight wonder. It can be made on the stovetop that quickly, or in a mere six minutes cook time in your Instant Pot! One of the secrets to long-simmered flavor is using fire-roasted tomatoes in the sauce.
Get the recipe from Half Baked Harvest.
Game Day Beer Chili
Whether it's football season or not, this chili beer can recipe will be a touchdown. There's beef, Italian sausage, and three kinds of beans in this hearty chili recipe with beer. Top with cheese, sour cream, chips, or even dip in some beer bread.
Get the recipe from How Sweet Eats.
3-Ingredient Beer Brats
Spoiler alert: the three ingredients are bratwurst, beer, and onions. That's all you need. Go ahead and serve them on buns with sauerkraut, mustard, and relish, or just eat the brats on their own with the braised onions.
Get the recipe from The Seasoned Mom.
Beer-Braised Short Rib Sliders
You've heard of red wine-braised short ribs, but what about beer-braised short ribs? These are a labor of love since they take a few hours in the oven, but the fall-apart meat will be worth it. Perfect for game day.
Get the recipe from Real Food by Dad.
Buffalo Cheddar Beer Bread Stuffing
When Buffalo wings and beer bread combine into one epic side dish, you get Buffalo cheddar beer bread stuffing. It has blue cheese, bacon, cheddar beer bread crumbles, and buffalo sauce. What more do you need?
Get the recipe from Half Baked Harvest.
Summer Shandy Lemon Bars
Beer and dessert aren't a natural pairing, but this recipe takes lemon bars and puts a fun twist on them, making them like a shandy (beer and lemonade)! Don't knock it 'til you try it.
Get the recipe from Show Me the Yummy.
