Can You Freeze Broccoli Cheese Soup? How Long Does It Last In The Fridge?

Those who hate broccoli might change their attitude towards it once they try a succulent plate of broccoli cheese soup. The cheddar’s flavor and texture really provide added value to the dish and will enable children and adults alike to familiarize themselves with vegetables and hopefully cherish them! Broccoli, in particular, is packed with a lot of health benefits related to cancer prevention and cardiovascular activity, making it an ideal inclusion in your wintertime dinner menu. If you’re reading this, you might had realized that your love for broccoli cheese soup went too far and you must now deal with an ocean of “cheesy goodness”. And you may start to think. Can you freeze broccoli cheese soup? How long does broccoli cheese soup last in the fridge?

Can you freeze broccoli cheese soup?

You can freeze broccoli cheese soup. But it doesn’t freeze too well, owing to the presence of a dairy product, which separates into layers and loses consistency. You can restore the texture in the defrosting process, but it might take a bit of effort and patience.

How to freeze broccoli cheese soup?

Freezing broccoli cheese soup is a very straightforward process. First, wait until the soup cools down. Usually, it’s better if you stow it in the fridge for a short time to accelerate the cooling period. If you try to place hot soup in the freezer, you risk building up moisture all around the container and the content will freeze in a disorderly manner. Furthermore, the overall freezer environment will temporarily get a bit hotter and you may accidentally thaw other items inside.

After the soup has cooled down, transfer it into airtight freezer bags or containers, ideally in single-serving sizes and allowing enough space to account for fluid expansion (a common occurrence when you freeze liquid products). Try to squeeze out as much air as possible from the containers or bags and seal them. Lastly, simply place them in the freezer until later use.

Ideally, you should remove big chunks of broccoli while they are al dente and freeze them separately, but for that, you need to plan in advance. By doing this, the broccoli preserves its crunch, and you prevent the broth’s moisture from being further absorbed.

Does freezing affect the taste of broccoli cheese soup?

As mentioned previously, the creamy base will separate upon freezing, leaving the soup with a grainy and uneven texture. Moreover, large broccoli chunks will absorb moisture from the broth, further impacting its consistency.

Can you refreeze broccoli cheese soup?

You shouldn’t refreeze broccoli cheese soup. The sacrifices in the quality of the soup upon first freezing will only worsen upon a second attempt. It’s better to thaw only the portions to be eaten short-term and leave the rest of the soup sitting in the freezer for later.

How long does broccoli cheese soup last in the fridge?

Broccoli cheese soup can last 3 days in the fridge without risk of spoilage, provided that it’s set to 40º F or below. After that period, it’s best to abstain from eating it.

How long can you keep broccoli cheese soup in the freezer?

In the freezer set to 0º F or below, broccoli cheese soup has a durability of 2 months. It’s safe to consume after that time, but it will have an irksome taste.

How to defrost broccoli cheese soup?

To thaw broccoli cheese soup the right way, remove the container from the freezer, shove it in the fridge and allow it to rest there for the night. With this method, the moisture will slowly be absorbed by the creamy broth, recovering some of its pristine texture. If you try defrosting the soup with the usual “shortcuts” , the soup will probably lose uniformity. Notwithstanding, you can still use this shortcut. Just empty the frozen soup in a microwave-friendly bowl and set the microwave to defrost, frequently interrupting the process so that you can stir the mix and add a bit of milk or cream (when needed) in an attempt to merge the chunks.

Some people suggest placing the soup over the counter, but I strongly advise against that since you will expose the soup to the dreaded “Danger Zone” and bacteria will end up thriving in it.

How to cook frozen broccoli cheese soup?

Theoretically, you could empty the contents in a pot and cook broccoli cheese soup from its frozen state. I personally don’t recommend that practice, since the soup will very likely get ruined beyond repair.

The best approach is always to patiently wait for it to thaw first, seizing the opportunity to stir it and tweak it accordingly, using the procedure disclosed above. That way, you’re able to bring back some of its lost texture.