Can You Freeze Bean Soup? Here’s How To Do It Right
Updated on March 2, 2023
Bean soup is certainly something lots of us like, especially as it’s a great way to take a break from consuming meat all the time. If you want to make a bigger batch of bean soup and freeze it up, you can try it out.
We understand the love for bean soup so well and we’re going to dive into whether or not bean soup freezes well, how you should be doing this, and how to eat it later.
Can You Freeze Bean Soup?
One of our readers had a question about freezing bean soup too, especially as they love it so much. Here’s the message we received:
I really like bean soup, but no one else in my family does. It’s not worth the effort to just make enough soup for one, so instead I make a proper batch. The trouble is, I end up either eating bean soup leftovers for the week, or throwing the remainder out.
It’s frustrating to go through all that effort only to see so much of the soup go to waste. I have been thinking about freezing the leftover soup so that I can eat it a few times without having to make a new batch every time.
However, I have been told that beans don’t freeze well and that they will suck all the water out of the soup if I freeze it. Can you freeze bean soup?
Yes, you can freeze bean soup! Freezing beans should not affect their quality or taste, but it may result in a thicker soup after thawing. However, the soup can be brought back to the original consistency fairly simply during the reheating process.
How to Freeze Bean Soup?
When your soup is ready, it’s time to go ahead and freeze up any extra portions:
- To freeze bean soup, it’s best to start with the freshest soup possible.
- Cook your bean soup according to your favorite recipe, and then let it cool.Beans will go bad quickly, so don’t try to freeze a bean soup that has been sitting around for a few days. Fresh is best.
- Place a freezer bag inside a bowl, and fold over the top so that the bag stands up in the bowl.
- Ladle in the desired amount of bean soup into the freezer bag.
- Unfold the top, then seal the bag after squeezing out the excess air.
- Leave some headroom to allow for some expansion during the freezing process. Lay the freezer bags flat in the freezer and then stack them to save space.
How to Keep Bean Soup for Longer?
One of the things you must do if you want to make sure you keep your bean soup for longer in the freezer is to use a vacuum sealer. Yes, we know that vacuum sealers and soups don’t necessarily do well together, but there are things you can do. For instance, you can put your soup in a freezer bag, seal it as best you can, and place it in the freezer. Then, a few hours later, you can take out your vacuum sealer and finish up the job.
We have a list of great vacuum sealers you can try out, but our favorite is the FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine which works with both freezer bags and containers of various sizes. It will help save you time and money in the long run.
How to Thaw Bean Soup?
When you next feel like you’re craving bean soup, it’s best to get started in advance.
- To thaw frozen bean soup, remove the desired number of bags from the freezer and allow the soup to thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Then, place the soup in a saucepan on the stove, and reheat gently.
- Beans will continue to soak up water before they are completely frozen, so you may find that your soup is a bit thicker and drier than before freezing.
- Also, beans can take on a bit of a white tinge after being frozen, but that should disappear once thawed and heated.
- Simply add a little bit of water or broth to the pot to thin out the bean soup.
For best results, consume thawed soup within two days. Never refreeze previously frozen bean soup.