The last thing you want to do after a long day at work is put effort into making a filling meal from scratch. That is why most people tend to fall back on fast food or unhealthy quick meals just to fill them up. But what if you didn’t have to settle for instant ramen for the 5th night in a row?
Soup is one of the best meals to prep in advance when you know it will be a tough week. The issue is many soups start to lose their flavour if made in advance. Fortunately, cabbage soup is full of nutritious goodness but has just enough sweetness and flavour to make it a meal. Better yet, it is slow to lose this flavour, making it the perfect soup to make in bulk and freeze.
To freeze cabbage soup, you must first allow it to cool entirely before decanting it into air-tight containers or good-quality freezer bags. Seal the containers up and then pop them into the freezer.
How to Freeze Cabbage Soup
As is the case with most soups, there is only one effective way to freeze cabbage soup.
However, you do need to follow that method carefully to ensure that your cabbage soup can last in your freezer without turning mushy or becoming completely tasteless. Here is that method:
- Cool
Do not start preparing your cabbage soup for freezing until it has cooled completely. You want the soup to be at least room temperature before moving on to the next step, but the colder the soup is, the better. - Prep Containers
Ready a handful of air-tight containers or freezer bags. - Separate The Soup
Portion out however much cabbage soup you plan to freeze into the various air-tight container or freezer bags. Try to keep the portion sizes consistent to make the freezing process easier. 1 cup or 2 cups is a good amount. - Secure
Put the lid on the air-tight containers or properly secure the freezer bags shut, removing as much air from the bags as possible. Then double-check the bags or containers to ensure that the soup is air-tight. - Label
Use a permanent marker to make a note on the freezer bag or containers so that you know what they contain. You can also make a note of how many portions are in those containers. - Freeze
Now you can place the cabbage soup in your freezer and allow the cold to work its magic. You can freeze cabbage soup for up to 6 months before it starts turning flavourless.
When you are ready to defrost your cabbage soup, remove a portion of the soup from your freeze the night before and leave it in your fridge to defrost naturally. This will ensure that the soup’s texture remains consistent and no harmful bacteria start to grow in the soup as it defrosts. Then heat up the soup in a pot on the stove.
How to Freeze Cabbage Soup Successfully
One of the best things about cabbage soup is how easy it is to make. Well, plenty of soups are easy to make, that’s why they are so popular.
But cabbage soup, in particular, is one of those meals that gives you a lot of flavour for little effort. Freezing cabbage soup is just as easy as making the soup, so long as you keep these few tips in mind:
- Cool Completely – In order to make your cabbage soup last in the freezer, you need to let it cool completely before you freeze it. This stops the soup from condensing and catching freezer burn once frozen, helping the soup retain its texture and flavour much better.
- Add the Date to the Label – As well as making a note of the portion sizes, you can also write down a use by date for the soup on the soup’s container or bag. You will then know when best to enjoy the soup.
- Undercook It – If you know in advance that you intend to freeze your cabbage soup, do not cook the soup all the way. Stop the cooking process while the cabbage and veg are still a little hard. Then when you come to heat up the soup, you will not risk overcooking the cabbage.
- Season When Reheating – Unfortunately, regardless of how quickly you eat it or how well you freeze it, frozen food does not taste as good. The process of being frozen and then defrosted dilutes some of that flavour, and though cabbage soup is one of the better foods to freeze, it too will lose some of its flavours. Luckily you can help restore the soup’s former glory by adding some extra seasoning to the soup when you heat it up.
- Do Not Refreeze – It would be best if you did not try to freeze cabbage soup once you have defrosted it as the cabbage itself will start to develop a grainy and unpleasant texture. That is why we instruct you to portion out the soup before you freeze it so that you only have to defrost as much as you will actually eat.
Does Cabbage Soup Freeze Well?
Cabbage soup, like many other soups, freezes very well.
Soup, in general, is the perfect texture to freeze without it changing too much, and cabbage soup is one of the most flavourful soups. These two advantages combined mean that cabbage soup will remain flavourful and have perfect consistency while frozen.
Freezing Cabbage Soup FAQs
Do you have further questions about freezing cabbage soup? Then have a look at these:
Although it is possible to freeze it, potatoes in soup tend to go quite mushy once frozen and thawed, which can ruin the texture of the soup.
Acacia may be a freelance writer by day, but they are a food fanatic by night. They are always trying out new recipes or finding different ways to elevate classical dishes. But their biggest culinary aim is to educate others on the basics of the kitchen so that they too can enjoy delicious food.
