I have come across many comments on my “How to freeze” blog from different people, all with the same question of “Can you freeze potato soup“. Figured it was better to answer this question through one blog post.
Rest assured, you can in fact freeze potato soup, and easily do so as well. So good news for all the people who like to keep their food in the freezer, ready whenever they crave it, especially during the cold winter season. I am going to share with you all the detailed steps of freezing potato soup.
I personally love to freeze my food as I am very busy most of the time. Thankfully, I came up with the best way to do so with potato soup, since I know how challenging it is to freeze potatoes.
How to freeze potato soup?
Before we start the step-by-step guide to freezing potato soup, let’s first learn a few tweeks that you should make when cooking the potato soup that will result in a potato soup perfect for freezing.
Tips for cooking your potato soup for freezing:
- It is highly recommended to freeze pureed potatoes than potato pieces. It freezes better and preserves the taste more. So puree your potato soup before freezing.
- Avoid adding milk or cream in your potato soup before freezing it. It is better to add them after thawing your potato soup, while reheating it, as dairy products tend to separate upon freezing and turn into a rather grainy texture.
- Add your fresh herbs after reheating or else it will lose its flavor and freshness upon freezing. It will also lose its bright green color.
Freezing your potato soup:
- Start by first allowing the cooked soup to cool to at least room temperature before you attempt to freeze it.
- Pour your cooled soup then into freezer bags, an airtight container, or a freezer container. Tightly seal it. I prefer to freeze large batches of potato soup in small separate portions so that I wouldn’t have to defrost the whole batch.
- Label the freezer bag or freezer-safe container containing your potato soap with the use-by date and date of freezing, I addition to the content of the container so that you can later distinguish it from all the other food placed in your freezer.
How long does frozen potato soup last in the freezer?
If frozen properly, potato soup can last for up to 5 months if stored in -18 degree Celsius
How to Keep Potato Soup For Longer?
Freezing does guarantee a longer shelf life for your potato soup. However, if you do want to keep your potato soup for longer, there is a better option where you could place your potato soup into a freezer bag and vacuum seal it.
This greatly decreases the chances of bacterial contamination and air oxidation, allowing your food to last for longer in the freezer.
Keep in mind that soups, even thick ones need special precautions before vacuum sealing the bags containing them. This includes pouring the soup in the freezer bag, then closing the bag as you normally would and placing in the freezer for the soup to solidify a bit. This shouldn’t take longer than a few hours.
Then vacuum seal the bag using a vacuum sealer and place it back again in your freezer for long term storage.
How to defrost potato soup?
I prefer to allow my frozen potato soup to defrost slowly overnight in the freezer without any rush. That’s why, I recommend moving the bag or container with the frozen soup from the freezer to the top shelf of the fridge and allowing it to slowly defrost overnight.
There is another way where you can defrost your potato soup, and that is done by placing the bag with the frozen potato soup under running water.
Once your potato soup is completely thawed, pour it into a large pot. Stir all the ingredients together with the potato soup to reincorporate its components together.
Allow the soup to heat over medium heat with constant stirring. In this step you can add your heavy cream or milk according to your preference.
Another way where you can defrost your leftover soup, is to place it inside a microwave set on Defrost setting after removing it from the plastic wrap. Serve your hot soup fresh after grating cheddar cheese on top.
Can I refreeze the potato soup?
Unfortunately no. It is not recommended to refreeze leftover potato soup, or any soup in general, especially ones containing milk or heavy cream.
Defrosted soup is best eaten within 2 to 3 days.
Frequently asked questions:
What can I flavor my potato soup?
I love to caramelize onions for an extra kick of sweetness, along with some roasted garlic cloves when I cook potato soup. This gives an amazing taste, especially when I throw in some ham or baked bacon. Yum yum.
As for vegetarians, you use natural liquid smoke for the same smoky and earthy taste.
Dry white wine, or Worchestershire sauce, spicy chili flakes, or dry mustard. All give the same dry spicy flavor that really takes this simple dish to a whole new level.
The sky is your limit when it comes to flavoring your potato soup plate. Since it is a throw-everything-you-have kind of meal, there are no rules for flavoring your dish. You just add whatever you prefer and see which one works best.
What goes good with potato soup?
Potato soup is a bit of a hefty dish on its own. Meaning, it can stand alone, or along with a fresh salad with fresh berries. Another good idea is some animal protein on the side, grilled meat or fish.
If you want the potato soup to be your main dish, then fresh garlic toast or dipping dinner rolls will add the extra crunch you need with your soup.
Do I have to peel potatoes for soup?
It depends on whether you enjoy eating chunky potato soup with chunks of potatoes, then leaving them unpeeled is a good option that will ensure keeping their form intact with the best texture.
However, if you are into pureed potato soup, then you don’t want to keep the peel on. Peeling your potatoes before cooking them is much better for a creamy texture.
How do you make potato soup thicker?
These are the most common and easiest ways to thicken your potato soup:
- Add to your soup a cup filled with cold water and contains a tablespoon of cornstarch or flour to form a cornstarch slurry. Mix it in for 1 to 2 minutes and you will notice your soup thickening almost immediately.
- I prefer this option over all the other options, which is adding heavy cream to your potato soup till you reach your desired consistency. It gives your delicious soup a flavorful and rich consistency.
- Have your potatoes’ soup back by adding starchy vegetables as carrots, lentils, or even extra pieces of russet potatoes and make sure to puree them all well together to ensure a well-incorporated consistency. This will thicken your soup and also give it an extra kick of flavor.
Why do cream-based soups get watery?
If you relied on heavy cream to make a creamy potato soup, then it is not recommended to leave your soup to rest for a long time.
Blending the components of your soup together well will ensure the proper mixing of both the fats in the heavy cream with the water in the soup. Once the soup stands for some time, the fat will start separating from the water in the soup.
Fortunately, you can blend the soup again to re-incorporate everything back together.
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