Wondering how to freeze soup? We’ve got all the tips & tricks on the best way to freeze soup, containers, how to defrost soup & more!
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How to Freeze Soup
There’s nothing better than a cozy bowl of delicious soup. Comforting, yummy, and nutritious – soup is one of our favorite meals and the best comfort food! (If you love soup as much as I do check out these healthy soup recipes).
One of the main reasons we love it so much is because of how well it freezes! Soup is the perfect freezer friendly meal, and in this post, we’re going to share all of our best tips for how to freeze soup!
Here’s what this post covers:
- freezing soups
- how to thaw soup
- freezer safe containers
- the best soups for freezing
- how to reheat soup
Can I freeze homemade soup?
Yes, you absolutely can (and should!) freeze soup, especially homemade.
Homestyle soup does freeze well! Whether you’ve made chicken soup or minestrone– they do freeze well!
Does freezing soup ruin it? Freezing soup does not ruin it at all. Freezing soup can help lock in the flavor and preserve the soup. The only soups that may get ‘ruined’ in the freezer are those with pasta in them. The pasta can absorb the liquid and get mushy.
What is the best way to freeze soup?
If you’re wondering what is the best way to freeze homemade soup, here’s how to freeze soup:
- Allow your soup to cool completely. You can cool it on your kitchen counter or even cool it in the refrigerator overnight. Never put hot soup in the freezer.
- Transfer your soup to freezer safe containers. We like these containers.
- Allow your soup to freeze for 12-24 hours. After this, it should be completely frozen!
What is the Optimal Freezer Temperature?
The FDA recommends that your freezer temperature should be 0° F (-18° C).
What containers are good for freezing soup?
Properly storing soup in the freezer is SO important for your food quality. These are some of our favorite freezer safe containers:
Souper Cubes are without question the best containers for freezing soup.
Souper Cubes are silicone stand alone molds that freeze soup in perfectly portioned cubes.
You can read more about them in our Souper Cubes Review post. They’re the best freezer safe container because they put your soup in perfect portions and freeze in nice little squares which is great for maximizing freezer space.
Reusable zip top bags- I love ZipTop Bags. They have a flat bottom and stand up straight which makes them great for standing in the freezer or for defrosting in the fridge/microwave. Because they stand up on their own you can also eat directly out of them!
Ice cube trays – can be good for freezing very small portions
Glass containers – I don’t like to freeze in glass containers. I find they can easily expand and break. make sure it is labeled safe for freezing and always leave at least 1/4 of the container empty because it will expand when freezing.
What soups should not be frozen?
There are a few soups that do not freeze well. Avoid freezing soups with grains, milk, and potatoes. Here are some of the soups that should not be frozen:
- Soups with grains/starchy elements- Rice, pasta, noodles, etc will all absorb the liquid in the soup and can get very mushy when frozen. I prefer to keep the grains off to the side and add them to the pot/serving bowl when I’m ready to eat.
- Soups with milk/cream/coconut milk– Milk and cream can separate when refrigerated or frozen so these aren’t the best soups to freeze. Creamy soup is best enjoyed when you first cook it.
- Potato Soup – Potatoes can get gritty and gummy when frozen. It’s best to avoid freezing them if you can.
How do you reheat frozen soup?
Reheating frozen soup is so easy! Here are some things to keep in mind when reheating frozen soup:
- Defrost in the fridge for optimal food safety
- Reheat previous cooked food or meat to an internal temperature of at least 165°F
- Reheat over the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave
- If you have a question about the best way to reheat a particular recipe, look to the recipe creator to see if they have tips for freezing your particular dish! Most of us will already have tested to see how the dish will freeze and be able to offer helpful tips in the blog post of the recipe.
Once your soup is thawed and reheated, serve it with crusty bread or a nice sandwich!
Can you freeze soup in a glass container?
You can freeze homemade soup in glass containers but we do not recommend it. Freezing in glass is very tricky. Soup expands when frozen, and it can easily crack the glass containers, which is why I never do it.
If you are freezing in glass make sure your soup is completely cooled and you leave 1/4 of the container empty so that the soup can expand when freezing.
Can you freeze soup in ziplock bags?
Yes, you can freeze soup in ziploc bags. However, I don’t recommend doing it. Even though it is technically safe to freeze soups in these bags, they are made out of plastic.
Plastic is bad for the environment, and not great for our health so I tend to avoid it. I also think it can get very messy when trying to defrost soup in ziploc bags. They often spill/burst open.
Freezer bags also can get freezer burn. We don’t recommend trying to freeze with plastic wrap.
Is it safe to freeze soup in Ziploc bags? Yes, it is safe to freeze soup in Ziploc bags. If you are going to freeze in ziploc bags use gallon or quart size freezer safe ziploc bags to maintain freshness.
Can you store soup in bags? Yes, you can store your soup in bags. It’s best to lay them flat in your refrigerator. I find glass containers are better for storing soup in the refrigerator, and Souper Cubes are best for freezing.
Can I store soup in freezer bags? Yes, you can store homemade soup in a freezer bag. Make sure your soup has cooled completely. Add the soup to the bag, lay flat, and freeze.
Can I freeze soup in plastic?
Yes, you can freeze soup in plastic. However, I don’t recommend doing it.
We prefer to try and limit our plastic usage because it’s bad for the environment and there also are some potential health implications to freezing in plastic due to the low temperatures deteriorating the plastics, so we recommend trying to avoid it if possible. Here’s a better option.
How do you freeze soup in plastic containers? Here’s how to freeze soup in plastic containers:
- Allow your soup to cool completely.
- Ladle soup in plastic containers. Leave a bit of room at the top so the soup can expand as it freezes.
- Cover & put in your freezer.
How long can soups stay in the freezer?
The FDA says that freezing at 0° F will technically keep your food safe indefinitely; however texture, taste, and moisture will definitely deteriorate over time and since you will be opening your freezer periodically, there are some recommended “use-by” dates for frozen food and meals.
It’s best to enjoy soup three months after you freeze it. After that, your soup might start to get freezer burn.
Can you freeze soup after 3 days?
Yes, you can freeze soup after 3 days. I would not freeze soup past 3 days because it may start to be a food safety issue and you wouldn’t want to freeze soup that has gone bad.
How do you thaw frozen soup?
The best way to thaw frozen soup is to defrost it in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours ahead of time.
You can also transfer frozen soup directly from the freezer to the microwave or stovetop to reheat it.
How do you freeze soup in individual portions?
The best way to freeze soup in individual portions is to get molds for freezing soup. I like these molds.
You can also get small containers for freezing in individual portions!
Why you need to cool your soup before freezing:
Make sure that when you are freezing soup Make sure you let the soup cool completely before putting it into your freezer.
Putting hot food directly in the freezer will raise the freezer temperature and could jeopardize your other food, but at the very least will put added stress on your freezer to cool back down.
I always make sure to let the soup cool completely on the counter, then add it to the fridge to cool completely and then freeze.
How to Freeze Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup is not the best soup to freeze. The noodles absorb the liquid in the broth, which can make them mushy/gummy.
If you do want to freeze chicken noodle soup, we recommend cooking the noodles on the side and freezing them separately not in the broth. You can also make chicken soup and cook the noodles when you’re ready to eat after you’ve defrosted the soup.
Our favorite healthy soup recipes:
Looking for more crock pot or instant pot soups to freeze? Check out these 40+ Healthy Soup Recipes. Click here to grab our free healthy soup cookbook.
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