Potato soup can are available quite a lot of flavors and textures, however one factor is definite, it’s a hearty warming bowl of consolation.
The suitability of your potato soup for freezing might rely on just a few elements together with the particular substances used, and the specified texture of the soup.
Reading: Does potato soup freeze well
The kind of potato soup you’re freezing will affect the preparation and reheating strategies greatest suited to make sure a scrumptious and high-quality finish product.
Right here you can find out every thing you must know to efficiently freeze any kind of potato soup.
Table of Contents
Kinds of Potato Soup You Can Freeze
For the aim of freezing tips, potato soup could be divided into 4 classes as follows:
Dairy-based Potato Soup
Dairy-based potato soup can embrace any potato soup that features milk or cream base. Some of these soups don’t freeze effectively because the dairy will separate on thawing and lead to a grainy or curdled texture making your dish relatively unpalatable.
Non-dairy Potato Soup
Non-dairy potato soup doesn’t embrace any type of dairy, nevertheless, you should use a dairy various if you wish to up the creaminess of the soup.
Dairy substitutes comparable to coconut cream or almond milk can be utilized. There should be a slight change within the texture on freezing and thawing however the separation, curdling, or graininess is not going to be as excessive as it will be when freezing dairy.
Chunky Potato Soup
Chunky potato soup can embrace quite a lot of diced greens and even meat. The greens are cooked however not blended, in order that they keep a agency texture, construction, and slight chew.
Easy Potato Soup
Easy potato soup is mixed to type a silky liquid consistency. It will possibly embrace different kinds of greens, however whatever the substances or thickness, it doesn’t comprise strong chunky items.
Can Potato Soup Be Frozen?
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Sure, potato soup could be frozen, nevertheless, the kind of potato soup will extremely affect the standard of the dish as soon as thawed.
Potato soup made with dairy doesn’t freeze effectively. In case your recipe contains cream or milk, it’s best to freeze the potato soup with out the dairy substances and add them as soon as the soup has been thawed, simply earlier than heating and serving.
Potato soup containing chunks of potatoes or different greens is greatest left barely undercooked earlier than freezing. Freezing and thawing well-cooked potatoes will lead to a mushy texture as soon as thawed.
It’s, nevertheless, crucial that any meat included within the dish is totally cooked by way of as freezing undercooked meat will lead to the complete dish changing into unsafe to eat.
When freezing potato soup, all the time be certain that the soup is totally cooled earlier than freezing. Additionally, be certain that there isn’t a contact with air throughout freezing as this may occasionally trigger freezer burn and damage the standard of all of your laborious work.
How To Freeze Chunky Potato Soup
Step 1: Portion Whereas Cooking
As soon as your soup is three-quarters of the best way cooked, you ideally need to take away the portion that you will freeze and even refrigerate. Solely totally prepare dinner the quantity you will eat right away. Depart the remaining barely undercooked as it is going to prepare dinner by way of when reheated.
Step 2: Cool
Let the soup settle down fully to room temperature. To hurry up the cooling course of you possibly can place it within the fridge.
Step 3: Pack
Pour the cooled soup into hermetic freezer-friendly containers or zip lock freezer luggage. Freezer-safe glass containers are preferable over plastic ones as they are going to forestall the absorption of odors from surrounding meals.
Freeze the soup within the portion dimension that you’ll want at any given time as you’ll have to thaw and use the complete batch in every container when eradicating it from the freezer.
Step 4: Seal
If you’re utilizing a container, depart an inch of headspace on the high open for the growth of the liquid on freezing. Lay a chunk of clingfilm on the floor of the soup to restrict the contact with air whereas nonetheless permitting for the growth of the liquid. Shut with an hermetic lid.
For zip lock luggage, depart some headspace to permit for the growth of the liquid with out bursting the bag. Seal the bag 90% of the best way after which press out any remaining air earlier than closing it fully.
Step 5: Label
Label the baggage or container with the contents and date of freezing to maintain observe of how lengthy it has been within the freezer.
Step 6: Freeze
Place the freezer luggage flat on a baking sheet and put them within the freezer till strong. This may enable the soup to freeze evenly, pace up the thawing course of, and save freezer house later. As soon as laborious, take away the baking sheet and stack the flat freezer luggage.
When inserting containers within the freezer attempt to maintain them degree till totally frozen to stop any leakages.
How To Freeze Easy Potato Soup
Step 1: Maintain the Dairy
Read more: How to make easy potato soup
In case your recipe requires the addition of milk or cream, first take away the portion that you simply need to freeze earlier than including the dairy. Add dairy solely to the portion you will eat instantly.
The portion that can go within the freezer ought to be frozen with out the addition of dairy, which could be added as soon as thawed, on reheating.
Step 2: Cool
Let the soup settle down fully to room temperature. To hurry up the cooling course of, you possibly can place it within the fridge.
Step 3: Portion
Divide the soup into the portion sizes you have to to thaw at any given time. This lets you solely take away from the freezer what you want and maintain the remaining safely frozen.
Step 4: Pack
Pour the cooled soup into resealable freezer luggage leaving an inch of headspace open for the growth of the liquids on freezing. Seal the bag 90% of the best way after which press out any remaining air earlier than closing it fully.
Step 5: Label and Freeze
Label the freezer luggage and place them flat on a baking sheet. Put the tray within the freezer till the soup is frozen. As soon as laborious, take away the baking sheet and stack the flat freezer luggage.
How To Thaw and Reheat Frozen Potato Soup
One of the simplest ways to defrost potato soup is to position it within the fridge to thaw in a single day. To hurry up the thawing course of, you may also submerge the sealed freezer bag in a water tub or empty the soup straight right into a pot on the stovetop to warmth from frozen.
As a final resort, you should use the defrost setting on the microwave stopping at 60 to 90-second intervals to stir the soup guaranteeing even heating.
In case your recipe requires dairy, now’s the time so as to add it. In case you have a chunky soup that has misplaced a few of its texture on thawing, you possibly can mix it to show it right into a easy soup, add contemporary greens, beans, or croutons.
See extra: reheat leftover soup
FAQs
Conclusion
Whether or not it’s a potato and leek soup, chunky potato and vegetable soup, or easy potato soup, don’t let any of your laborious work and hearty goodness go to waste simply because you possibly can’t end it all of sudden. Merely let it cool, pour it into hermetic packaging, and freeze away for later enjoyment.
When you had no selection however to freeze fully-cooked chunky vegetable soup and it seems somewhat mushy as soon as thawed, merely place it within the blender and remodel it right into a easy model of your potato soup. Add croutons, cream, shredded rooster, or noodles for a completely new scrumptious dish.
Freezing potato soup will now prevent a great deal of time on busy weeknights, to not point out no extra meals waste.
*picture by depositphotos.com/MissesJones
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