Soups are great and often cooked in bulk, but what happens when you have excess potato soup? Can you freeze potato soup? Potato soup doesn’t freeze well especially if it contains dairy products like milk and creams.
Milk and creams aren’t exactly known for freezing. The milk or cream that one might use for potato soup can still be perfectly fine for consumption after freezing, but the fatty lumps and grainy texture can be difficult to deal with after reheating.
One way to improve the appearance and texture of potato soup after freezing is to consider substituting cream for some cornstarch, a bit of your favorite non-dairy milk alternatives, or olive oil. These options can leave you with a more visually appealing dish after defrosting.
How To Freeze Potato Soup
When trying to keep your potato soup from souring by freezing, picking the right container is essential to long-term storage.
Start with one that you know has a matching lid and is air airtight. One that seals around your container snuggly and gives you confidence that freezer burn won’t be your downfall.
Make sure to leave an inch or so of space between the lid and your potato soup.
It might seem counterintuitive not to smoosh down everything that you can, filling the container to the brim, but this nifty secret is how the pros do it!
No free containers? No problem. A ziplock bag can be a great alternative to containers for storing potato soup. The trick is remembering to apply pressure to the bag before sealing it. You have to make sure you get as much of the excess air out as possible.
The freezer should already be on a setting for 0℉, but give your thermometer a once-over, just in case. If everything checks out—it’s FINALLY freezer ready.
Oh, but before you pop the container in, you should consider marking up your little package with the current date (for the sake of convenience later on).
It generally doesn’t matter whether you use a creamy base for the potato soup or if you have an oil/non-dairy base; the fact remains the same: proper food storing guidelines must be followed as closely as possible.
Related Topic: Can you freeze potato salad?
How Long Does Potato Soup Last in the Fridge/Freezer?
The length of time you can leave your potato soup frozen is typically six months. Six whole months! Although, when kept in the fridge, it typically only stays good for about 4-6 days.
These estimates are just that, however, estimates. Knowing how long your potato soup will last depends on a variety of factors.
Under perfect conditions, the potato soup will stay good for that six-month term (ONLY while frozen, not refrigerated). If not, the results can vary dramatically.
According to the FDA, the designated safe temperatures to store your food items are 0℉ for frozen products and less than or about 40℉ for refrigeration. Anything above those specific temperatures, and the likelihood of ending up with spoiled food increases exponentially.
So stick to the guidelines, okay?
Of course, earlier, it was mentioned that the milk/cream might not hold up so well. Don’t panic! Everything is going to be alright. The taste will be just as fresh as the day it was frozen (as long as you allow it time to thaw properly).
Visually, the dish might seem a little different, but it’s nothing a real good whisking after reheating couldn’t cure! (And for those whose joints are a bit stiffer, there’s no harm in blending with an electric blender for a few seconds!)
How To Tell If Frozen Potato Soup Is Bad:
If you think your potato soup might have gone bad while frozen, you might be right. The best way to know is to physically check it out.
Some people think that discoloration or even freezer burn can be a telling sign something’s wrong, however according to the USDA, that’s a myth!
The only true way to know if your frozen potato soup has spoiled is if it has grown mold or has a strange odor. And when thawing, it should always be left in the fridge rather than the counter.
Letting the room temperature warm up the potato soup allows the bacteria to wake from their dormant state and run rampant.
If you need to speed up the whole process of defrosting your potato soup, you can try periodically dipping the container into some cold water or running cold water over it consistently from the sink.
The cold water can help you keep up the minimum 40℉ temperature for safety.
How To Use Frozen Potato Soup
Okay, so you’ve frozen your potato soup and allowed it the appropriate time to thaw (of course!). What can you do with it besides munch upon the deliciousness as is?
Well, there’s a whole lot that can be done, actually. Here are some of the best ideas:
- If you don’t love the idea of Potato Soup Frittatas on Sunday morning, who are you? This recipe is a bit more complex than some of the ones below, but mashing the potato soup and throwing in some fresh ingredients will open up a whole new flavor the whole family can enjoy.
The Potato Soup Frittatas are so fluffy and diverse; each one will be more divine than the last!
- Maybe you’re just looking for a quick snack? Grab your potato soup, some butter, a little flour, and a couple of frozen dough discs. Boom, you have yourself some crispy Potato Soup and Onion Perogies! These crispy little guys are quick to make and require minimal work.
Potato Soup and Perogies are an interesting snack when you’re in looking for delicious party foods.
- Comfort food makes most think of creamy, delicious, cheesy, crispy, gumminess! With that being said, Loaded Baked Potato Soup just screams eat me! Using your freshly thawed potato soup, simply add in your shredded cheese, ham, bacon, and some of your favorite veg. Throw it all in the slow cooker and wait for the mouth-watering goodness.
Okay, there are a few more steps, but with such a savory ingredient list, it’ll be well worth the extra work!
Potato soup is shockingly easy to reanimate in different ways. The core ingredient being potatoes, allows for personalized options. In other words: there are no bad ideas with potatoes involved.
Related Questions
The quick answer is: it’s up to you. When it comes to food, it’s all about preference. If you’re running late to the company picnic and didn’t have time to make Great Aunt Harriet’s highly coveted potato soup, stopping to pick some up never hurt anyone.
In the long run, yes, it can matter which potatoes get used in the potato soup. If you’re expecting to have enough to freeze later, consider what you might do with them a second time.
Mixing it up with sweet potatoes when you first begin making your soup can alter your flavor palette, and you’ll be able to try even more leftover ideas!
Most likely not. There is no way to absolutely guarantee that you’ll be able to plan 100% of the time and prepare everything accordingly. Sometimes, it just happens.
However, as long as you stay cautious and practice impeccable food safety procedures, you shouldn’t have any troubles.
Assumingly, you aren’t attempting to eat the potato soup while still in the frozen state. While that would be considered a bit unusual, it isn’t unheard of. Still, it’s not something any expert would recommend.
Pro Tips:
Never leave potato soup (or really any perishable items) out on the table or counter for too long.
Anything more than two hours before refrigerating and you might begin to notice a more acidic flavor.
If possible, consider using something like a non-dairy alternative (coconut milk, almond milk, olive oil, just for example) when making potato soup. It is quite a bit easier to defrost and does not disband like its creamier counterparts.
Make sure you check the temperature on your home appliances and adjust accordingly.
Refreezing anything is typically not a great plan, but potato soup is not something anyone should mess around with.
If you try to refreeze potato soup that stayed at 40℉ consistently, you might be able to get away with it. The potato soup that’s been sitting out on the picnic table for a while is probably best thrown away.
