This Is The Best Way To Freeze Soup

Soup is really a magical unicorn meal. Add in your fresh vegetables, noodles, shredded meats, seasonings, and herbs and you've created a culinary masterpiece. Soup is one of those meals you can make ahead, grab and go, or freeze for a later day, making it both practical and economical. But if you are going to make a big batch of this tasty comfort food to enjoy in the future, it's important you store it properly. Freezing is kind of a no-brainer, but using the proper container and being aware of how long things will last in the freezer is the key to ensure your soup tastes just as good on the day you eat it, as the day you made it. 

How long can you store soup in the freezer? The FDA says soups and stocks can last up to three months in the freezer and four days in the refrigerator. But Bon Appetit says while you can probably stretch it to two months, after that soup starts to lose its flavor and fall victim to freezer burn. However, the magazine also suggests that stock can go a little bit longer, and you can always using salt and seasoning to revive the flavor. So with this in mind, what is the best way to freeze your soup?

The first thing to remember, and this is important, is to make certain your soup has cooled down to room temperature before you put it in the freezer. If the soup is burning hot, it will warm-up your ice cream and other frozen foods. Trust us, you don't want that. Next, choose your container wisely. Pastry and Arts Chef-Instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, Jenny McCoy, eschews Tupperware, or tempered glass jars, and instead, recommends freezer bags as your go-to container for freezing soup. McCoy notes that they are "thicker" than normal plastic food storage bags, they keep out other odors that may be lurking in your freezer, and are space efficient. 

McCoy also cautions about portion control, meaning if you know you are going to be using small portions of the soup or stock, then divide it up accordingly, using smaller freezer bags. When it comes time to defrost, if you have time, place it in the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. Otherwise you can put the freezer bag in a bowl and run cool water over it. But, as tempting as it may be, do not run hot water over the soup to try and accomplish quick thawing. You run the risk of cooking it and this could change the flavor and texture, ruining your convenient, comfort meal.