In Italian, Zuppa means soup and Toscana means Tuscan… Tuscan soup! It is a hearty soup packed full of Italian sausage, kale and potatoes. But, what do you do if you have leftovers? Can it be frozen?
Can You Freeze Zuppa Toscana?
Yes, you can freeze Zuppa Toscana for up to 3 months. The best way to freeze this soup is in small Tupperware containers with tight-fitting lids. You could also opt to use freezer bags but they need to be thick to avoid leakages.
Do Does Zuppa Toscana freeze well? Sometimes
Can you refreeze Zuppa Toscana? No
How to Freeze Zuppa Toscana
Freezing Zuppa Toscana is much like freezing any other soup in terms of method. If you want to freeze your Tuscan soup then here are the steps you need to take:
- Cool: Before you get to freezing your soup (as with anything) you need to allow it to cool to room temperature. You do not want to put hot food into the freezer which can impact the internal temperature of your freezer.
- Prepare Containers: Find containers that are suitable portion sizes. You don’t want to use a larger Tupperware container that could hold 6 portions if you’re only ever going to need 2 servings at a time.
- Portion Out: Once you have your containers, carefully ladle the soup between the containers. Try to ensure you get an even distribution of ingredients. You don’t want one portion to be full of kale and another to contain all the meat.
- Seal Tightly: Importantly, you now need to seal the containers tightly. It’s vital that the soup is stored airtight. If your containers are poor-quality then you could wrap them in clingfilm.
- Label and Freeze: Clearly label the container with the contents and the date and then carefully place the containers into the freezer.
Yes, it’s possible to freeze the soup in bags but you need to ensure those bags are high-quality, thick and leakproof. The last thing you want is for the soup to seep out all over your freezer. You should also remove as much excess air from the bags when you seal them up.
3 Tips for Freezing Zuppa Toscana
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing Zuppa Toscana to have the best results:
Label it Clearly
If you have frozen different soups, stews and sauces then once they’re frozen it can be hard to differentiate between them. This is why it’s important to write a clear label for your soup. Ā
Add Freshness When Reheating It
You will find the texture changes and the flavour loses its oomph when you reheat Zuppa Toscana. So, when you reheat it, add some fresh ingredients into the mix whether this is some fresh kale leaves or a sprinkling of chopped parsley.
Avoid Doing So
A lot of soups will freeze really well… That is until you start to add potatoes and a creamy texture. You’ll lose the silky, smooth texture of your Zuppa Toscana when you freeze it so it might be better to avoid freezing it and stick to other soups in the freezer, instead. Ā
How Long Can You Freeze Zuppa Toscana?
Zuppa Toscana can be frozen for around 3 months. Unfortunately, after just a few weeks you’ll find that the texture has already changed. The longer you leave it in the freezer, the greater this change will be.
Zuppa Toscana is likely to be safe to consume beyond this 3-month period but you may find that the texture is completely off and the flavour becomes bland.
How Do You Defrost Zuppa Toscana?
The best way to defrost Zuppa Toscana is slowly. Grab one of your Tupperware portions of soup from the freezer and place it in the fridge on a plate (so that any ice doesn’t make a mess of your fridge).
You then need to reheat it slowly over a low heat ensuring the sausage is hot through. It should reach an internal temperature of at least 70C.
Can You Refreeze Zuppa Toscana?
When freezing Zuppa Toscana, you’ll have issues with the texture. This will become significantly worse were you to refreeze the soup. This is why we would err on the side of caution here and avoid refreezing it altogether.
Does Zuppa Toscana Freeze Well?
Not particularly well, no! Unfortunately, Zuppa Toscana can become a little grainy and lumpy when it is frozen and then thawed.
Zuppa Toscana is loved for being silky smooth and full of richness – both of these can become lost when the soup is frozen. This is why it’s actually a soup we would avoid freezing if you have another option.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing Zuppa Toscana or Zuppa in general, then these may help:
If you decide to keep Zuppa Toscana in the fridge then it will keep for around 3 days providing that you keep it stored in an airtight container. Beyond this and it may not be safe to consume, unfortunately.
Yes, sausage and kale soup will freeze well either in a Tupperware container or thick freezer bags. The only exception is if the soup contains potatoes then you’ll have some issues with texture.
