With these tips, you’ll freeze soup the best way (and be glad you did later)

It’s always a good idea, but now that it’s raining almost every day, all the more so: eat soup very often! From lentil/sweet potato soup to the ultimate comfort soup with meatballs and semi-secret tomato soup from FavorFlav’s Sharon – we can’t get enough of it. And with these tips, you’ll freeze your leftovers the best way. So you can eat soup again soon, and make it even easier!

Although we definitely recommend always keeping leftovers on hand, there are some handy do’s and don’ts when freezing that delicious soup you made (or ordered) with love. So Surinamese star chef** pea soup: you and me, a date tonight and again in two weeks. See you then… And for everyone who has just been inspired with an idea they’ll benefit from all autumn and winter; this is how to freeze soup the best way:

How much and in what

Make sure your food-container supply is in order, so you always have something in which to store your leftovers. If you use glass containers, make sure you’ve checked that they’re suitable for freezing temperatures. Plastic containers should preferably be BPA-free, so no harmful substances are released if you later reheat the food in the container itself in the microwave. Always leave a few centimetres of space at the top because liquid expands in the freezer.

And when

Keep a roll of narrow painter’s tape and a waterproof marker in a kitchen drawer. Label the food container: which soup is this, and on what date was it made? Nothing is more irritating than having no idea after some time what this unrecognisable substance is. Gravy? Soup? You can keep soup for about four days in the fridge, and up to three months in the freezer. But it would be a shame to have to throw it away because you no longer remember the day you had the brilliant idea to make this soup.

Just thaw it

Ideally, you’ll think one or two days ahead that you want to eat that soup again. Then move it from the freezer to the fridge and let it thaw there gently before reheating it. If you’re in a hurry, however, you can place it in its sealed food container in a bowl of warm water and change the water occasionally until you can reheat it in a pan. Or do this until the soup comes loose from the container, transfer it to the pan, and keep stirring over low heat until it’s heated all the way through.

Will it automatically be delicious again?

The solid ingredients will probably have absorbed the liquid. As a result, you may now be left with something resembling a thick purée. Quickly make a cup of hot stock and stir it into the soup while reheating. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice (it improves almost every soup), add a pinch of salt if desired, and perhaps finish with some quickly chopped fresh herbs. As good as new, that wonderful Thai pumpkin soup!

Plan ahead

If I were you, I wouldn’t leave it all to chance. You actually want to have soup in the freezer! So make an extra-large pot, perhaps by increasing the recipe by fifty percent, and freeze that portion. The following week, make another soup and do the same. And the week after that? Tadaaa! Two soups to choose from, or heat them both up and enjoy!

Preferably not

There are a few soups that are less suitable for freezing and reheating. Soup with lots of starchy ingredients such as rice or pasta can become thick and sticky the second time around, which isn’t tasty. You can strain these types of soup, or fish out the ‘culprits’ with a slotted spoon, freeze the liquid part, and eat the rest as leftovers for lunch the next day. It will still taste great! Potato soup also isn’t particularly tasty after freezing because of its high starch content. Soups based on cream or milk may split, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ruined; in that case, whisk vigorously while reheating.

Also read:

• 6 recipes that freeze well
• Five really good tips for freezing (and thawing) meat
• 5 more ways an ice cube tray can come in handy