Learn how to freeze soup so you can always have a hearty meal ready.
Updated on September 7, 2022
Leftover soup will last up to three days in the fridge or up to one month in the freezer. Follow these steps to freeze and store soup—you'll have warm comfort food all winter.
How To Freeze Soup
- First, remember to allow the soup to cool. Refrigerators and freezers cannot cool soups quickly enough to be food safe. Speed up the cooling process by placing the pot of soup in a bath of ice water in the sink. Stir soup often to help release the heat.
- Package, label, and date a gallon- or quart-size zip-top plastic freezer bag, place it in a bowl and cuff the bag over the edge.
- Ladle soup into each bag, then let out any excess air and seal.
- Freeze and lay bags flat in a single layer in the freezer. When frozen, stack bags to save space.
Storing Frozen Soup
You can only store soup containing meat in the fridge for a maximum of four days. For the safest results, you should freeze meat-based soups within three days of making them. For best practices, freeze all soups the day you prepare them.
Soup can stay in the freezer for up to three months if stored properly, but it will be less fresh the longer it sits in the freezer. Also, flavors may dilute because of ice forming, which creates water in the soup when thawing.
Additionally, not all soups freeze the same. Soups with a creamy consistency, like potato or chowders, might not taste good after freezing because it affects the texture making things like potatoes mushy. Rice, beans, and noodle soups might also taste differently. Typically, broth-based soups will freeze well.
Reheating Frozen Soup
When removing frozen soup, first thaw it overnight in the fridge. Next, reheat using a microwave, stovetop, or instant pot. For reference, chowders typically reheat over low heat, and gumbo, stew, and hearty Italian soup reheat over medium-low heat. For all soups, stir occasionally.
Reheat Soup with a Microwave
- First, remove frozen soup and let it thaw in the refrigerator until partially or entirely softened.
- Next, you can use a covered microwave-safe bowl to heat the soup in 30-second intervals.
- Remember to poke holes in the covering for ventilation.
- Stir after each 30-second interval and continue until reaching the desired temperature.
Reheat Soup with a Stovetop
- First, remove frozen soup and let it thaw in the refrigerator until partially or entirely softened.
- Next, turn it over into a pot filled with some water. (Just enough so you won't burn the bottom of the pot.)
- Continue cooking over medium-high heat, stirring until reaching the desired temperature.
Reheat Soup with an Instant Pot
- First, remove frozen soup and let it thaw in the refrigerator until partially or entirely softened.
- Next, turn the soup over into the instant pot on medium heat.
- Allow soup to cook for five to ten minutes or until it reaches desired temperature. Stir occasionally.
Plus, which soups are best to freeze?
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How Long Does Soup Last In the Freezer?
Greg DuPree
Frozen soup lasts much longer than refrigerated soup. Soup stored in the fridge should be consumed within three to five days, while soup stored in the freezer will stay good for up to three months. Certain soups may be safe to eat after that time frame, but they will lose quality.
Best (and Worst) Soups For Freezing
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
All soups can be frozen, but some types freeze much better than others. The best candidates for freezing are broth-based soups with or without veggies and/or meat. Avoid freezing soups that have:
- Dairy. No matter how thin or thick it is, creamy soups can’t withstand the freezer. The milk or cream will start to separate and curdle when you heat it back up—and that’s no fun for anyone.
- Noodles or rice. We know, this one’s a bummer. But pre-boiled starch just can’t handle being frozen, thawed, and then heated again. If you want to freeze something like chicken noodle soup, your best bet is to freeze only the broth, veggies, and chicken—add the noodles after it’s been thawed and reheated.
How to Freeze Soup
Tuscan White Bean and Lentil Soup
Jennifer Causey
Freeze your soup perfectly every time with these simple tips:
- Choose the right container. When it comes to freezing soup, there are plenty of options. We recommend gallon-sized bags—they hold a lot of liquid and can lie flat, conserving freezer space. You can also use quart-sized bags if you want to freeze individual portions. As long as you’re sure it’s freezer-safe, though, you can use just about any food-safe, airtight container you like (Pssst: These top-rated 32-ounce deli containers have more than 2,000 five-star reviews—and you can 24 of them for just $16.99 on Amazon).
- Use ice cube trays for broths. Just pour the liquid into an ice cube tray, freeze overnight, then store the frozen soup cubes in a freezer-safe container. This tip works especially well with homemade stocks and broths. Since you’re able to use just what you need, there’s no reason to thaw and reheat the whole batch multiple times.
- Cool the soup completely before freezing. Like, completely. Otherwise it will freeze unevenly and the texture will be gross. Cool it to room temperature first, then let it sit in the fridge for a few hours before transferring it to the freezer.
How to Thaw and Reheat Soup
Turkey Meatball Soup with Greens
Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
Move the soup from the freezer to the fridge the night before (or, at the very least, a few hours before) you plan to reheat it. Then you can easily toss it in the microwave or on the stove to warm it up before eating.