Can onion soup be frozen? - The best way

Soup is the perfect dinner for the winter months, and it’s one of the best meals to make ahead of time because most soups freeze very well. It’s always a good idea to keep a couple servings of soup in the freezer for when you don’t feel like cooking, but want a hot, healthy meal in no time.

Most soups freeze well, but there are some that don’t. One such soup that causes some confusion is onion soup. Onion soup is an absolute must during the winter months, and you can make a big batch of onion soup on a budget, but to keep it for a long time, what do you do?

Can you freeze onion soup?

You can freeze the onion soup for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Before you put the onion soup in the freezer, make sure it has completely cooled to room temperature. It’s also a good idea to portion the soup so you can reheat individual servings.

Understanding how to freeze onion soup correctly will help ensure that your onion soup maintains its delicious flavor and high quality when frozen and thawed, allowing you to enjoy it for lunch or dinner without all the extra preparation.

Freeze onion soup: The best way

Freezing onion soup is not complicated at all, and there are only a few steps to follow to ensure that your onion soup stays safe in the freezer.

These are the steps to follow to properly freeze onion soup:

1. Cooking the soup - The first step would obviously be to let the soup cook as it normally would, however if you plan to freeze part of the soup, remove the portion to freeze before it is fully cooked. This is to keep the onion al dente, which prevents it from becoming too soft and mushy when defrosting and reheating. However, if this isn’t possible, it’s okay to cook the onion soup as you normally would following your favorite recipe.
2. Let it cool down - You can’t put hot food in the freezer. This can cause condensation in the freezer bowl, which will lead to poor food quality, and freezer burn which further destroys quality. Instead, you should allow the onion soup to cool to room temperature.
   1. If you’re in a bit of a hurry, you can pour the hot soup into a pot or bowl and drop it into ice water in the sink. Stirring it often also helps it cool down a bit faster. You can also divide the soup into smaller portions to make it cool faster.
3. Portion the soup – If you plan to use the batch of soup to freeze for a large family meal, it’s okay to freeze it together in a large freezer bag or container. However, if there is a significant amount of soup left over, and more than can be enjoyed at one time, you will need to freeze it in smaller portions.

Containers to store the onion soup

There are several freezer storage options to choose from when freezing your soup: 

• Quart Freezer Bag – Quart freezer bags hold a single serving of soup, with some room left over, and seal. The advantage of using freezer bags is that you can stack them on top of each other to save space in the freezer, as they stack very easily.
• Freezer-safe containers – You can use freezer -safe plastic or glass containers to freeze the soup. Use the size you want to accommodate the portion of your ration and make sure it is well closed. Our favorite glass containers are part of the Rubbermaid Brilliance Collection.
• Muffin Pans - Freezing onion soup in muffin pans is a great hack! We explain how:
  • Pour the cooled onion soup into the wells of a muffin pan until the soup reaches the top of the individual muffin wells.
  • Pop the muffin tray in the freezer overnight or a few hours until the soup is frozen.
  • Once frozen, take it out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter for up to 20 minutes; this makes it easy to remove individual frozen soup servings.
  • Scoop out all portions and place in a large freezer bag. Freezing the soup this way allows you to have individual frozen servings, separated from each other, but kept in the same bag.
  • You can easily grab a serving or two to heat up when you’re ready, without having to thaw the whole batch.

Tips for Freezing Onion Soup

• Do not freeze the croutons - Typically, onion soup is served with a delicious cheese crouton on top. You can not freeze onion soup with croutons. It will become incredibly soggy and really inedible. It’s best to freeze the onion soup plain, and then make fresh cheese croutons when you thaw and reheat it.
• Label the freezer container - It is very important to label the freezer container that you use to freeze the onion soup. Write the name of the food, which would be onion soup, and the date it was frozen. This will allow you to easily identify the onion soup among all the other foods in the freezer, and will help you know when to consume the onion soup to ensure that it retains its good flavor and quality.

How long can onion soup be frozen?

If handled and stored correctly, onion soup can keep in the freezer for up to 3 months . After that time, it will be edible, but there is a good chance that the quality will deteriorate and it will not taste the same as it could.

If stored in the refrigerator, the onion soup can be consumed in 3 or 4 days. So if you want to extend the shelf life of your onion soup beyond this, it’s much better to place your onion soup in the freezer to make sure it doesn’t go bad before you eat it.

Refreeze Thawed Onion Soup

If you’ve thawed a large serving of onion soup, but can’t finish it all, you may want to refreeze it. It is not safe to refreeze onion soup once thawed , and the same rule applies to almost all food that has been thawed.

You may be able to refreeze the onion soup if it has been left to thaw in the fridge and there are a few ice crystals left, which means it hasn’t fully thawed, but it’s still not recommended.

It is even more dangerous to refreeze onion soup that has been reheated after it has been thawed.

Any soup left over after being thawed and reheated should be thrown away, and not even put back in the fridge. There is too much chance of bacterial growth that could lead to foodborne illness, and the onion soup will not be of good quality after reheating it again.

That’s why it’s a good option to freeze individual portions , so you can thaw the amount you know you’re going to finish in one meal, without risk of waste.

Related questions

What is the best container to freeze onion soup?

The best container for maximum freezer protection would be a mason jar or plastic freezer container. They work well to keep onion soup protected from freezer burn and other freezer odors.

You can also freeze soup in Tupperware.

Does onion soup expand when frozen?

Yes, being liquid, onion soup will expand when frozen, so you should leave some room in your freezer container of choice to allow room for this.

If you fill the container and leave no room for expansion, chances are the onion soup will blow up the container or freezer bag and you’ll find yourself in quite a mess in your freezer.

How do I reheat onion soup?

Before reheating the onion soup, you should leave it in the fridge overnight to thaw. You can leave it out at room temperature or microwave it to thaw, but this can ruin the quality and cause bacteria to grow.

Once thawed, place the onion soup to reheat in the microwave , or you can put it in a saucepan and reheat over medium heat on the stove. Be sure to heat it well and stir it so the heat is distributed evenly.

Freeze onion soup

You can freeze onion soup to preserve and enjoy later, and it’s very easy to freeze onion soup to ensure it’s safe and tasty to enjoy later.

Remember to follow the steps above to ensure that the onion soup retains its great quality and flavor and that it stays protected in the freezer. Once frozen, you can leave the onion soup in the freezer for up to 3 months before consuming it.

Make an extra batch of onion soup the next time you have dinner, and keep a few servings in the freezer for when you need a hot, healthy meal without worrying about cooking.