In short, there are three ways to reheat different types of soup to taste fresh. Each way has different freezing tips and reheating steps to preserve the texture and flavor of the soup.
There is nothing nicer on winter days than starting lunch with a plate of warm, soothing soup. Somehow without it, the meal is not complete.
However, if you choose to prepare it fresh, you know that it will take a lot of time, especially if you put fresh ingredients and vegetables in it.
What is wonderful about the leftover soup is that you can freeze it without any problems and then reheat it when you need it. There are a few useful tricks you can do, depending on what kind of soup you have. In freezing temperatures, your soup will last for up to three months.
We will deal with reheating of each type and also explain the best way to store it. You can prepare your easy instant pot recipes for days ahead with proper reheating techniques.
Reheating Soup That Contains Pasta In It
Most often, the soup contains some kind of pasta in it. We got used to it as kids. Whether it is noodles or some other type of pasta, you should usually pay attention to the cooking time because it will overcook easily.
Once the pasta becomes gooey and soft, the soup loses its good taste. So, it is best to store the soup you are freezing without pasta in it and then subsequently just add the noodles as needed.
Freezing Tip: Separately Store the Soup without Pasta
This way, you will avoid the possibility of the noodles being overcooked in double cooking—the first time during primary cooking, and the second time during reheating.
The leftover soup should be stored right after it has cooled entirely from cooking. You can put it in freezer bags or smaller containers. It is best to immediately separate the exact size of the meal that you will need later so that you do not have to defrost the whole amount unnecessarily. Freeze soup as soon as it cools down.
Reheating Steps for Noodles Soup
You can defrost frozen soup first, which will make the reheating process shorter and easier. The best way to do so is to take the soup out of the freezer the night before and put it in the fridge. By morning, it will be nicely thawed.
Place the soup on medium heat and warm up slowly with occasional stirring.
During that time, in a separate pot, cook some noodles in plain water without any additives or spices. You can use instant pot pressure cooker.
Once pasta is cooked, simply add it to the heated soup and stir a bit.
Reheating A Creamy Soup With Milk or Cream
Creamy soups are great and nutritious. They are very saturating also due to its dense texture. What creates a problem when heating is the addition of cream.
If you try to heat everything at once, lumps may appear, and that altogether does not look nice. So, it is better to add cream at the end.
Freezing Tip: Freeze the Soup without the Addition of Dairy Ingredients
It is best not to put sour cream and milk additives in general in the soup before freezing. Simply make the soup and freeze it without that last step.
Equally, if you have leftovers from lunch, remove the cream and then freeze the soup. This will make reheating much easier for you in the future. Again, you can put the soup either in suitable bags or freezer containers.
Reheating Steps for Cream Soup
Try to thaw the frozen soup first. Due to its creamy texture, it is prone to burn more quickly, so be sure to keep that in mind.
Heat the soup on medium heat while stirring often. This type of soup will stick to the bottom of the pot much easier, so avoid too high temperatures and frequently stir.
Once the soup is heated correctly, serve it with a tablespoon of cream.
Reheating Soup With Vegetables and Potatoes
Here, we don’t mean the tiny pieces of vegetables you may have in a clear noodle soup as well. We’re talking about diced vegetables or potatoes that you don’t want overcooked after reheating.
The best trick for this type of soup—if you know you will store it in the freezer—is to leave it slightly undercooked in the first place.
Freezing Tip: Store the Soup Slightly Undercooked
It is best not to cook the soup thoroughly but to leave it slightly uncooked.
Store the soup in the freezer, and once you reheat it, make sure to extend the cooking time long enough for the ingredients to cook to the end. That way, the soup will taste perfect as if it had just been prepared.
Reheating Steps for Vegetable Soup
Defrost the frozen soup by leaving it in the refrigerator overnight.
Put to heat over medium heat and stir occasionally.
Once the soup boils, let it simmer until the vegetables are completely cooked. Be sure to stir occasionally and make sure the vegetables don’t overcook.
Of course, you can reheat the soup in the microwave. The only downside is that this way, the noodles and the vegetables may become overcooked as you need to heat all the ingredients together. That is why we have chosen the heating methods on the stove that give the best result.
However, if you only need a plate of soup in a hurry, a microwave will definitely help. We advise you to use short heating intervals of 30 seconds and stir the soup a little between each. This way, it will heat up more evenly. Use only a microwave safe container.
How long can soup leftovers last in a fridge?
As a rule, the soup in the refrigerator can last for about two days. Sometimes depending on the ingredients that are in it—it can be just one day. So be sure to check if your soup smells good before you start heating it up. If it is spoiled, you should clearly feel it by the sour smell and later the taste. Always store soup as soon as it cools down, and never leave soup sitting on the counter.
Can I reheat soup several times?
As with any other food, reheating soup several times is not really recommended. Although it is possible to heat it more than once, considering it is done properly, the food will not improve its taste and will likely decrease in quality.
How do you reheat soup safely?
To reheat soup safely, use a stovetop or microwave method. When using the stovetop, heat the soup over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating. In the microwave, use a microwave-safe container, and stir the soup occasionally during reheating to avoid uneven temperature distribution and to ensure it reaches a safe internal temperature before consuming.
Conclusion
Soup is a great dish to freeze. If you follow our tips on freezing certain types of soups, no one will even notice that it is not freshly cooked once you reheat it.
You can keep the cooked soup in the freezer for about a month, which means you can prepare a few meals in advance and save yourself cooking time.
Tanja is great lover of healthy eating and lifestyle, she has been editing TV series about nutrition and health for years. She also engaged in food production in the family business, mainly focused on fruit processing without destroying vitamins and minerals. She believes that quality nutrition is one of the key ingredients of a happy and healthy life.
