The Storage Tip You Need To Know Before Meal-Prepping Potato Soup
For anyone who's ever made a big batch of creamy soup, frozen the leftovers, and — upon defrosting them — been sad to discover it's separated and is far less appealing than it was when fresh, we see you. We have a solution in this food storage hack you need to try. Specifically, potato soup is a dairy-based dish with a quick and simple recipe, but it can disappoint if not frozen properly.
To prepare your potato soup for maximum freshness after frozen storage, you'll want to omit cream (or milk) from the initial cooking process. Dairy, the ingredient that will ultimately provide your dish with richness, depth of flavor, and texture, may negatively affect your soup when frozen and thawed.
The fat molecules in dairy can be damaged during freezing, creating an undesirable outcome when you thaw your soup. To avoid a potentially grainy and separated texture, simply withhold the dairy before freezing. You can easily add it in before serving and enjoying your potato soup.
How to best prepare and store your potato soup
If you're planning to make a big batch of soup to store for later, you'll want to follow the recipe's instructions until you reach the step for adding your dairy. This should not impact the cooking process, because cream is often a final ingredient to include, anyway. Prepare your soup up to this point, and then let it fully cool down before transferring it to freezer-safe bags or airtight containers, where it will stay fresh for approximately three months in your freezer.
Dairy can be added to your soup once it's properly thawed. After you've thawed your soup, place it back on the stovetop, and resume your recipe, adding the recommended amount of cream or milk. Although it may be tempting to add your dairy and pop the soup into the microwave, we recommend slowly reheating it on the stovetop. This not only allows you to follow the original recipe and cooking instructions but will also prevent your dairy from curdling.
This storage tip may seem like an additional step, but in the long run, you'll relish having creamy, delicious leftovers. Of course, if potato soup is not your favorite, there are countless varieties of hearty soups you can try instead. Just remember to freeze any type of cream-based soup without the dairy, and your future self will thank you.