I often have a hankering for just a small cup of soup for lunch or dinner. I also love home made soups but wonder about freezing small amounts.
For instance today in the paper I read a good recipe (think it was in "relish") for an Italian wedding soup. I wonder if I could freeze that with its fresh greens? What about a chowder with potatoes in it?
I think pea or bean soups would freeze well but what about those with the fresh ingredients?
I make all kinds of soups(except cream soups) and freeze small quantites. never had any that wasn't just as good as the day it was made. I love having something in freezer that is handy for a fast meal. Since I began making soups like this, I don't even like the canned ones anymore.
Someone told me years ago...if you put quality foods in the freezer, you get quality out. Don't put inferior things in there & expect them to improve. So if you potatoes are over cooked in the soup, they might get soft in the freezer...same with other ingredients. Also, don't leave soups in there for 6 mos. & expect them to taste fresh. I try to rotate all of mine on a 3 mo. basis...but sometimes one sneeks behind something and stays longer. The cats get a treat that evening!
"The soil is the source of life, creativity, culture and real independence." David Ben-Gurion
I freeze soups, stews, chili, gumbo, etc. all the time. However, I do not like the texture of reheated frozen potatoes. So if my soup/stew has potatoes in it, I pick the potatoes out and either eat them before freezing or toss them.
I agree ... Ick to frozen potatoes. Potato soup is the only kind I ever froze that turned out inedible. Cooked potatoes acquire the texture of styrofoam in the freezer.
Greens that are ordinarily added at the last minute and served in a soup in more of a wilted than cooked state - as in wedding soup - may turn a darker color in the freezer, but they'll still taste fine.
LOS, I agree with all posts so far - make your soups and freeze them in small freezer bags - about two servings each. Now, I'm not willing to go so far as to say that it will taste as good as right out of the pot the day it was cooked but, in my experience, it will be pretty close!
