Can You Freeze Potato Soup?

Last updated on July 24th, 2022 at 05:54 am

There is nothing like a heartwarming bowl of potato soup on a cold winter day. The comfort of potatoes and soup have combined to make the ultimate comfort food. 

There are several soups that can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer for a quick meal on a day when you just don’t have the time to make soup from scratch. It’s nice to be able to come home after a long day of work, pull a container of soup from the freezer, and then warm it up on the stove or even in the microwave. 

A quick, delicious, and hearty dinner in a few minutes is always something to look forward to. Is potato soup one of those soups that you can make ahead of time and freeze for later? 

While you can freeze potato soup it will not be as good as it is when it is fresh unless you take a few extra steps. Any cream-based soup like potato soup does not freeze well as the dairy in the soup will separate and does not quite come back together when it is being reheated. 

Potatoes tend to soak up moisture as well which means your broth could disappear when you’re trying to reheat it. The texture of the potatoes can also deteriorate while in the freezer. 

I like a nice and creamy potato soup so I never worry about the texture since I prefer my potatoes to be practically mush when in soup form anyway but not everyone will like the texture after it is taken out of the freezer. 

How Do You Freeze Potato Soup?

While many people will say that you absolutely should not freeze potato soup there is a way that it can be done with a successful outcome. Since dairy separates when it is frozen it will change the texture of your soup. 

This dairy separation will not alter the taste of your soup, only the texture of it. 

The best way to freeze potato soup is to leave the dairy out until it is time for you to reheat your soup. You can add the dairy products when you are reheating the soup rather than when originally making it. 

This way it will not affect the texture of the soup. 

If you have decided that you want to go ahead and freeze some potato soup for later there are a few tips that will make your soup turn out great once you reheat it. 

The first tip is to leave the dairy out of the soup until it is time to reheat it. The second tip is to not cook it all the way through. 

The trick to freezing potatoes is to cook them but not completely. If the potatoes are cooked all the way through when you reheat them they will become mush. To avoid the breakdown in texture of your potatoes you will want to only cook your soup to about seventy-five percent done. 

If you know ahead of time that you are going to want to freeze some potato soup then you can divide your soup up before it is fully cooked. Once your soup is about seventy-five percent cooked you will take out the amount of soup that you want to freeze for later and then finish cooking the soup that you plan to eat that night. 

Or you can simply make a batch of potato soup specifically to freeze. If you have meat in your potato soup you will need to cook it thoroughly. You can not leave any meat partially cooked as it will make you sick. 

Ham, however, is cured so it will be safe if you do not cook your soup through. 

After your soup has been cooked so that your vegetables are still al dente you will need to allow the soup to cool to room temperature. Once your soup has cooled to room temperature you will need to put it into freezer safe containers. 

It is best that you go ahead and divide up the soup now into the serving sizes that you will want as potato soup should not be refrozen after it has been defrosted. Make sure to leave some room at the top of your freezer safe containers for the soup to expand as it freezes. 

Place the lid on the container securely. Label your containers with the contents and the date that you made it. You will want to eat your potato soup within six months of putting it in the freezer. 

How Long Will Potato Soup Last In The Fridge?

Perhaps you have made some potato soup but it is not enough for you to want to freeze it or you just plan to eat the leftovers later in the week. Then it is important for you to know how long it can be stored in the fridge. 

Potato soup can be stored in the fridge for three to four days if it is stored properly. The best way to store potato soup in the fridge is to allow it to cool to room temperature first. 

You will need to get your potato soup into the fridge within two hours of making it. Do not allow it to sit out longer than two hours as that is when bacteria can start to form which will cause you to get sick. 

Once your soup has cooled to room temperature you will want to place it into a container that has a well fitting lid. Make sure that you label the container with the date so that you can use it within four days. 

Remember that potatoes will break down a little more while you are reheating them.

Can You Leave Potato Soup Out All Night?

Potato soup is a filling dish that often has leftovers when made. This heartwarming soup is delicious when reheated as well. If you have some leftover soup can you allow the potato soup to sit out overnight? 

Potato soup should not be left out overnight. Any soup will need to be refrigerated after two hours to avoid bacteria growth. 

You will want to allow your soup to cool to room temperature before you put it in the fridge or freeze it. Do not allow your soup to sit at room temperature for more than two hours. 

It is recommended that you do not place a large pot of soup into the fridge as it will not cool quickly enough and could develop bacteria because it would take longer to cool below room temperature. 

If you do have a large batch of soup left over you will want to divide that soup into smaller servings. Place these smaller servings into containers and either store them in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for six months.