Vegetable soup is the perfect thing to warm anyone up during the cold winter months. If you have a tendency to make too much like me, I’ve got the perfect tips to freeze your soup for a tasty meal all winter long.
Can You Freeze Vegetable Soup?
Yes, you can freeze vegetable soup for up to 12 months. Chunky soups will freeze for around three months before degrading, while smooth vegetable soups will freeze for around 12 months. For either soup, place them in an airtight container.
Do Does Vegetable Soup freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Vegetable Soup? No
How to Freeze Vegetable Soup
Itās perfectly possible to freeze vegetable soup well, but following a simple set of instructions will help you get a perfect consistency every time.
- Make your Soup: First of all, you need to make your soup and decide whether youāre going to make a chunky soup or a smooth soup. Either is fine, but a smooth soup can be stored for twelve months, while a chunky soup could only be for three.
- Portion the Soup into Freezer Bags or Containers: Using a ladle, portion the soup into the container that youāll be freezing it in. Any container will work fine, but containers or bags which seal airtight will be the best option for you, as theyāll stave off freezer burn.
You can spoon the soup into the containers while itās still hot, though youāll need to wait for it to be room temperature before sealing, to prevent condensation. - When Cooled, Seal: When all of the soup is at room temperature, seal the containers that youāre using. If theyāre rigid plastic, ensure that theyāre snapped shut all the way around the rim, and if theyāre soft freezer bags, ensure that the seal has shut all the way across.
When sealing, press out as much air as you can – that prevents freezer burn in the long run. - Wrap Each Container then Freeze: Wrap each of the individual containers filled with soup in foil to create a barrier against frost and freezer burn, and then place them in the freezer. Smooth soup will store for twelve months, while chunky soup will store for three months.
Freezer-Friendly Soup Recipes
Try out one of these delicious recipes that are perfect for freezing:
How Long Can You Freeze Vegetable Soup?
Unfortunately, the answer isn’t binary and will depend on the type of vegetable soup you have frozen:
How Long Can You Freeze Chunky Soup?
You can freeze chunky soup for up to three months.
The reason that it doesnāt store as well as the smooth, broth-based soup is that the chunks of veg or dumplings within the soup can become freezer burned over time – this means that to ensure the food is still tasty, it must be eaten before that sets in.
How Long Can You Freeze Smooth Soup?
You can freeze smooth soup for up to twelve months, and even a little longer if youāre sure to reheat it thoroughly.
The reason it has such a long life in the freezer is that the components are all liquid, so thereās nothing to get freezer burn. Therefore, it can store for a long time.
Vegetable soup will keep for around 3 to 4 days in the fridge when stored in airtight containers. It’s important that you allow the soup to cool fully before placing it in the fridge.
How Do You Defrost Vegetable Soup?
The easiest way to defrost vegetable soup is in the microwave. Place the frozen soup into a container that is both ventilated and has a lid, and then microwave on the defrost setting until itās steaming hot.
You can defrost on any power level, but the higher levels can boil the centre of the soup while the outside is still cold.
Can You Refreeze Vegetable Soup?
Yes, you can refreeze vegetable soup, both smooth and chunky. The reason for this is that there are no proteins or carbs in the soup to become damaged by repeated freezing – after being frozen once, veggies generally retain their overall texture.
Does Vegetable Soup Freeze Well?
Yes, vegetable soup freezes very well. The reason for this is that thereās no protein or carbs to be impacted upon by freezer burn, and since the entire meal is a liquid, it freezes at an even rate, so itās extremely unlikely to burst out of the container itās in.
Chunky vegetable soup freezes less well since the chunks of veg or dumplings in it can get freezer burn. To prevent this, freeze chunky soup for three months while freezing smooth soup for up to a year.
Vegetable Soup Freezer Recipe
Vegetable soup is loaded with goodness, a great way to use up leftover vegetables and easy to make. The benefits don’t end there because it is also perfect for popping into the freezer.
Our recipe follows all the basic rules for the perfect freezer-friendly vegetable soup but it’s completely adaptable for your palate. Add a sprinkling of chilli flakes, stir in a dollop of mustard or stir through some shredded chicken – whatever takes your fancy!
Freezer-Friendly Vegetable Soup Recipe
8
servings15
minutes25
minutes40
minutesHaving a basic vegetable soup recipe is a must if you want to avoid throwing out any past-their-best veggies
Keeps the screen of your device ON
Ingredients
1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp – Olive Oil
2 2 – Onions, Chopped
3 3 – Celery Sticks, Chopped
3 3 – Carrots, Chopped
600 g 4 1/2 cup – Mixed Root Vegetables, Chopped
3 3 – Garlic Cloves, Crushed
200 g 5 cup – Mixed Greens, Chopped
1 tsp 1 – Nutmeg, Grated
1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp – Dried Thyme
2 L 2 L – Vegetable Stock
Salt
Black Pepper
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and add in all the vegetables and garlic, besides the greens, stir to coat in oil, add a pinch of salt and then cook until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the nutmeg, dried herbs and mixed greens and then top it up with vegetable stock. The vegetables should be completely submerged. Bring it to a boil then turn it down to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Once the vegetables are cooked through, remove the pan from the heat and then blitz using an immersion blender until smooth. Season to taste and then either serve it up or freeze it.
Notes
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing vegetable soup or soup in general, then these may help:
Most vegetable soups can be frozen. The only exception is a soup made with potatoes. The potatoes can disintegrate and turn your soup grainy and gritty.
We recommend freezing soups with potato chunks prior to simmering. When ready, thaw and then simmer. This will help keep the potatoes from degrading too much.
Yes, you can freeze any type of soup in a Ziploc bag providing that it is good-quality and thick. Avoid cheaper plastic bags which can be prone to leaking.
