freezing soup

positivelymummy

i usually put my leftover soup into 1 bowl portions and into a freezer bag, that way i can jam it into the tiny gaps left in the freezer!:D

newlywed

I have gradually bought some lock and lock 500ml beaker type containers. Just right for a single nice large helping of soup - and they won't leak in your work bag when the soup defrosts! I use these to take fresh soup to work too - or sometimes an old screw top glass jar (that did have peppers in it once upon a time).

I tend to use those first - although I may try the plastic bag inside option now....

I freeze leek and potato, chicken and sweetcorn, butternut, butterbean, parsnip, minestrone, chicken stockpot soup, etc.

But I don't use any cream in mine - so not sure if dairy makes any difference to freezing.

My only comment is if it contains pasta, then stop cooking when the pasta is slightly al dente, otherwise by the time it's cooled and then you've reheated it - the pasta swells a bit and goes a bit stodgy - although I quite like it that way

Geeves1980

I was wondering how well soups such as minestrone and leek/potato would reheat due to re-cooking of the solids.

Most of the soups I thought of making were going to be the blended ones such as basil/tomato, carrot/corriander and cream chicken.

I quite like spicy bean but wasn't sure if the beans would go a bit mushy on reheating?

I've been trying to think of flavours that I could buy a large amount of ingredients for and use them for different meals. For instance the carrots would make cottage pie, side veg and then soup and my fave carrot cake (which I understand can also be frozen?) and I am going to attempt to make pesto with the basil left over from the tomato soup. Any idea how long that would keep in the fridge for? (the pesto, not the soup).

newlywed

Leek and potato goes into a solid lump with a watery top - whether chilled or frozen and defrosted - when you reheat and stir it, it's absolutely fine My favourite soup I usually blend about a third of the batch and leave all the rest as lumps and mix them back together to portion up.

The only three soups I blend completely are butternut squash, butterbean and lentil and carrot soup

Minestrone is ok as long as you keep the pasta a little al dente before chilling/freezing - but even if the pasta is a little over cooked, the soup is still nice - just ends up a bit more like a stew sometimes!!!

newlywed

Leeks are on offer in sainsbugs this week £1 a pack

Geeves1980

Just wondering now what other things I could use leeks for other than side veg:think:. Could make pork and leek sausages... yum. However that seems a bit ambitious at the moment seeing as I haven't even made my first batch of soup yet!

newlywed

Chicken and leek pie of course

billieboy_2

Smoked Haddock and Leek quiche is gorgeous.

Geeves1980

I had thought of chicken pie but was going to mix it up with ham, would leeks with it as well be nice?

I love smokerd haddock, but just can't make up my mind about quiche. Either I've never tried a decent one or else I just really don't like it! I'm thinking probably the former, as I love pastry, scrambled egg and the main ingredients, somehow when put altogether though...I'm just not loving it!

SunnyGirl

My DH & I love leeks cooked until just soft in salted water, then laid in an oven dish with cheese sauce poured over & grated cheese sprinkled on top. I often put chopped, cooked bacon on the sauce too :drool: With a side salad & crusty bread/new potatoes it makes a tasty meal. By the way I turned into my Mum a few years back you get used to it .............. eventually :rotfl: