If you ask us, soup is the ultimate make-ahead meal for winter. You can freeze most soups for up to three months, making it the perfect Sunday afternoon activity. You just need to find the perfect way to freeze it.
The only downside to freezing soup is that sometimes when you defrost it, it can taste a little funny. However, if you know before you start cooking that you’re going to freeze it, there are a few things you can do to ensure it tastes a good as the day it was made. Read on for our helpful tips.
While you’re cooking:
Skip the dairy
Dairy tends to separate and become a little chunky when frozen and reheated. So it’s best to avoid freezing soups that contain it.
Separate grains and pasta
Sadly, any kind of pasta and grains that are in a soup will soak up the liquid and soften as they freeze, so it’s best to avoid freezing soup that contains those. If you do prefer your soup with pasta or grains, cook them al dente, freeze them separately from the soup and combine when serving.
Try to keep the veggies al dente
Kind of like your pasta and grains, you should cook your vegetable al dente, this way they’ll stay firm when you freeze them and won’t overcook when you reheat them.
After cooking:
Let it cool
If you put hot soup in your freeze directly after cooking, it can thaw your already-frozen food — and nobody wants that. Let your soup cool to room temperature before moving into a freezer container. After that, you should place it in the fridge to cool even further before putting it in the freezer. A few steps, we know, but worth it. One way to speed up the process is by dividing soup into smaller portions… more on that later.
Portions are key
By turning your big batch of soup into convenient grab-and-go meals, you make life easier for yourself and free up some room in your freezer. But how do you freeze soup in individual portions? *Soup trays have entered the chat*. Soup trays are silicone trays that you can portion out and freeze your soups in. Similar to an ice tray, the silicone allows for the soup to expand as it freezes and you can stack the trays easily. Just be careful not to overfill your soup cubes! They’re also great to pop out as you need them and heat up your soup.
If you haven’t heard of a soup trays? Don’t worry, we’ve rounded up a range of them worth investing in for winter.
Souper Cubes Extra-Large Silicone Freezer Tray, $46.99
Souper Cubes Extra-Large Silicone Freezer Tray makes freezing super simple. Each compartment has fill lines so you can freeze 1 cup, 2 cups, 250 millilitres, or 500 millilitres of soup. The individually segmented compartments allow for easy removal of the frozen cubes. It also comes with a steel-reinforced rim that allows you to handle the tray with confidence as you transport it to the freezer. The snug-fitting lid keeps also keeps out freezer odours, freezer burn and allows for easy stacking.
Buy the Souper Cubes Extra-Large Silicone Freezer Tray ($46.99) from Amazon here.
PrepWorks Freezer Pod, $19.69
These freezer pods allow you to make and store perfect portions of soup to reheat later. The freezer pods also feature resealable silicone lids that allow for expansion when freezing to avoid mess and reduce freezer burn. They have a capacity of four servings per tray.
Buy the PrepWorks Freezer Pod ($19.69) from Amazon here.
Webake Silicone Freezer Tray with Lid, $26.98
This silicone freezing tray is great for storing broth, spaghetti sauce, pesto, salsa and of course, soup. Each Individual Compartment has four fill lines — 1 cup, 1/2 a cup, 250 ml, 125 ml. It’s great for meal prepping. It also comes with a clear tight lid, so you don’t have to worry about freezer burn while also making the container stackable.
Buy the Webake Silicone Freezer Tray with Lid ($26.98) from Amazon here.
Bangp Extra-Large Silicone Freezing Tray with Lid, $39.76
Bangp 1-cup freezer trays are made of professional quality food-grade silicone and are BPA-free, safe to make and store various kinds of food. They’re strong, flexible and durable. Each compartment has four fill lines — ½ a cup, 1 cup, 125 mL, 250 mL, making portioning simple. Each tray holds four cups and is perfect for storing and freezing soup.
Buy the Bangp Extra-Large Silicone Freezing Tray with Lid ($39.76) from Amazon here.
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