Don’t let your delicious soup go to waste! Learn how to freeze soup instead and you’ll be able to extend the shelf life of your leftovers. There are many ways to freeze soup, so just choose whichever method is best for you.
Learning How to Freeze Soup
Some of my favorite meals are my homemade soup recipes. When then weather gets chilly outside, it’s always my go-to to make as much soup as I possibly can! So freezing soup is a fantastic way for me to meal prep and keep food in the freezer for quick dinners.
I’ve already taught you how to freeze pineapple, ginger, asparagus, and a few other things. So now it’s time to learn how to freeze soup. You can choose the best method for you and then freeze so many of your most favorite soups.
This storage method has come in handy more times than I can count. I mean, there are truly so many times when I’ve just been too busy to cook meals and then I remember I have soup in the fridge! I just pull it out in the morning to thaw and then voila, dinner time is taken care of.
I’m all for anything that will help me get the most bang out of my buck AND help me around the kitchen. So come with me and learn how to freeze soup. You’ll thank me later!
Why this How-To Is Helpful
Freezing food can become your best friend if you know how to do it properly:
- Freezing your food is a fantastic way to reduce food waste. Save those leftovers instead of letting them go bad in the back of your fridge.
- Many soups are loaded with protein and vegetables and freeze really well. It’s a simple way to help yourself eat healthy!
- Nothing is better on a busy week than knowing you’ve got soup in the freezer that you can pull out for dinner one evening. This is perfect for meal prep!
How to Freeze Soup
There are many different methods to freezing soup. Everyone has their opinion on what works best, but just choose whatever works best for your freezer space or what is easiest for you. The three methods below are what I have found keep the best quality of my soup! Whether you’re storing a single serving or a large batch, all of these methods will work:
Zip Top Plastic Bags
Allow soup to fully cool before transferring to a plastic bag. It is important that it’s cool so that it doesn’t melt the plastic bags!
Place the plastic bag into a bowl or cup and stretch the opening over the sides. This will help keep the bag sturdy while you add the soup.
Using a ladle or large spoon, carefully transfer soup into the open bag. If you want to store individual portions of soup, use quart-size freezer bags. For a whole batch, use gallon size plastic bags.
Once the soup is transferred to the bags, carefully take the zipper top off of the cup or bowl and seal it tightly, squeezing out air as you are able.
Lay the bag of soup flat and label it with the name of the soup and date. Transfer to your freezer, laying the bag flat to save freezer space!
Silicone Molds
In recent years, silicone soup molds have become increasingly popular! There are all different sizes from small portions to large servings. It is a really convenient way to freeze the perfect portions of leftover soup.
To store in silicone molds, allow your soup to cool first. Then use a ladle or spoon to fill each slot of the silicone trays. If you don’t have soup cubes, popsicle molds and even a silicone muffin pan would work!
I like to place my cubes on a baking sheet before filling so that I can steady them as I transfer to the fridge.
Once the soup is frozen, remove from the silicone molds and place into a freezer bag. Label and freeze for up to 3 months!
When you’re ready to eat your soup, allow to thaw in the fridge overnight. You can thaw as many portions/cubes as you need.
Airtight Containers
Freezing soup in airtight containers is a great way to reduce freezer burn. However, this does not come without its risks.
You must leave space in each container so that the soup doesn’t crack the plastic or glass when it expands as it freezes.
Allow soup to cool first and then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Do not fill it to the top of the container. Carefully snap on the lid and then transfer to the coldest part of the freezer.
Freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight for best results, especially if you have frozen in glass containers or glass jars.
Freezer-Friendly Soup Recipes
Broth-based soups tend to freeze the best! If you’ve got creamy soups that you want to freeze, just know that the cream in the broth will likely separate once thawed and reheated.
I have loads of different recipes that freeze so well. My chicken broth is great to make in large batches and freeze too! Winter time calls for meal prepping soups like ham and white bean soup, slow cooker chicken stew, and dutch oven beef stew.
Easy beef taco soup is probably one of the best soups to freeze! And turkey meatball soup is a hearty soup that freezes well. Other recipes like vegetarian white bean chili and Instant Pot Mexican vegetable soup freeze great too.
Tips for Success
Check out these simple tips and tricks so that your frozen soup lasts as long as it can:
- Cream-based soups don’t typically freeze super well. After the soup thaws and is reheated, the cream is often separated from the broth. However, it’s usually still fine to eat it just may have a funny texture. But just keep that in mind as you’re making soup to freeze!
- Avoid freezing soups that have noodles or rice. Recipes like chicken noodle soup can be frozen, just leave out the noodles and cook them fresh whenever you’re ready to reheat the soup.
- It is important to fully thaw soup before reheating. If you forgot to remove servings from the freezer, you can place a bag of soup in a warm water bath to encourage thawing. However, if you froze the soup in glass containers, you’ll need to be mindful of a rapid change in temperature so that you don’t crack the glass.
- Move the contents of your freezer around before transferring soup for storage. This will ensure that your soup has space in the freezer, especially if you’ll need to lay a plastic bag flat.
FAQ
This is totally up to you. However, freezing in glass or silicone tends to be the best at preventing ice crystals from forming. You soup won’t develop freezer burn as quickly!
Absolutely! Make sure you grab the plastic freezer bags, not the regular ones. Freezer bags are made from a thicker plastic. It is also best to lay the bag of soup flat to freeze so that it saves space and evenly freezes. It will also thaw faster if it’s been frozen in a flat layer!
More Helpful How-To’s
How to Freeze Soup
Equipment
- Plastic Bags or Airtight container
Instructions
Zip Top Plastic Bags
- Allow soup to fully cool before transferring to a plastic bag.
- Place the plastic bag into a bowl or cup and stretch the opening over the sides. This will help keep the bag sturdy while you add the soup.
- Using a ladle or large spoon, carefully transfer soup into the open bag. If you want to store individual portions of soup, use quart-size freezer bags. For a whole batch, use gallon size plastic bags.
- Once the soup is transferred to the bags, carefully take the zipper top off of the cup or bowl and seal it tightly, squeezing out air as you are able.
- Lay the bag of soup flat and label it with the name of the soup and date. Transfer to your freezer, laying the bag flat to save freezer space!
Silicone Molds
- To store in silicone molds, allow your soup to cool first. Then use a ladle or spoon to fill each slot of the silicone trays. If you don’t have soup cubes, popsicle molds and even a silicone muffin pan would work!
- I like to place my cubes on a baking sheet before filling so that I can steady them as I transfer to the fridge.
- Once the soup is frozen, remove from the silicone molds and place into a freezer bag. Label and freeze for up to 3 months!
- When you’re ready to eat your soup, allow to thaw in the fridge overnight. You can thaw as many portions/cubes as you need.
Airtight Containers
- Allow soup to cool first and then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Do not fill it to the top of the container. Carefully snap on the lid and then transfer to the coldest part of the freezer.
- Freezer for up to 3 months.
- Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight for best results, especially if you have frozen in glass containers or glass jars.
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