Butternut squash soup makes you think about autumn and the beautiful color of the leaves on the trees. It is a warming soup for those colder days. It makes a great lunch option, served with warm crusty bread or as an appetizer at a dinner party.
It is a rich soup that can be made just with squash and onions, or you can add other vegetables such as carrots, celery, or parsnips. You can make it spicy with the addition of cumin, cilantro, and garlic. Herbs, such as basil, oregano, and sage also pair well with butternut squash.
However, it takes time to prepare butternut squash soup, so can you make a big batch of it and then freeze some for use at a later date? The simple answer is yes, and, like most vegetable soups, it does freeze well. In this article, we will tell you how to freeze butternut squash soup and how to defrost it. The great thing is that it’s not difficult to freeze.
How To Freeze Butternut Squash Soup
1. Blend the soup.
Butternut squash soup is much better if it is smooth and creamy so do this first. It helps to speed up the cooling process as well.
2. Cool down the soup.
Transfer the soup to a cold bowl so that it cools down quickly. You don’t want to put warm soup in the freezer as it will bring up the temperature and other food may start to defrost. When it refreezes, the texture will be compromised and it might even spoil, especially if it is meat. You will want to have the soup cooled down within two hours as after this time, bacteria may start to form.
3. Divide the soup into portions.
You will want to freeze the soup in meal-size portions so that you only defrost as much as you need for a meal. This will save on waste.
4. Put the soup into airtight containers.
It is best to freeze the soup in airtight containers as freezer bags could split and you will end up with a mess in your freezer. The soup will expand when it is in the freezer so leave some space at the top of each container. Put a label on the containers with the date you put it in the freezer, and also the contents in case you have frozen numerous soups.
5. Put the containers in the freezer.
Tips For Freezing Butternut Squash Soup
- If you are short of airtight containers, you can freeze your butternut squash soup in slightly larger portions. Butternut squash soup lasts for between four and five days in the fridge. You may not want to eat the soup every day but every other day might suit. It is a delicious soup so you will probably be tempted. Make sure that you keep the soup in the airtight container when it is in the fridge so that it doesn’t absorb other odors.
- If you have a lack of space in your freezer and don’t think that you can get in many airtight containers, you can use freezer bags but make sure that they are extra thick so that they don’t split. You can even put the soup in double freezer bags for extra safety.
- Reheat the soup over a low heat. This helps it to regain any texture it might have lost during the freezing process. Add a little water and stir gently.
- Don’t freeze butternut squash with cream in it as the cream will probably split when it is being frozen. You can freeze the soup without the cream and then add it when you are reheating it. The same goes for cream cheese. Cream cheese is a popular addition to butternut squash soup as it makes it very creamy.
For How Long Can You Freeze Butternut Squash Soup?
You can freeze butternut squash soup for three months. After this time, it will still be safe to eat but the taste and texture will start to deteriorate. This is why it is so important to put a label on the containers with the date frozen so that you don’t keep them in the freezer for longer than three months.
How Do You Defrost Butternut Squash Soup?
The best way to defrost butternut squash soup is to do it slowly and steadily. Put it in the fridge the night before you want to eat it. By doing it this way, it will retain taste and texture as well as all the nutrients. You can then reheat it on the hob on a low heat making sure that it is warmed all the way through before you eat it.
If you forget to defrost it in this way and are desperate for a bowl of delicious butternut squash soup, you can defrost it in the microwave. Put it on the lowest setting to do this as you don’t want to heat it up in the microwave. It probably won’t heat up evenly and you may even burn it. The hob is a much better option. After you have defrosted it
Don’t put the soup in a pan while it’s still frozen and heat it up this way. It will be very difficult to heat it evenly and a lot of the texture will be lost.
Can You Refreeze Butternut Squash Soup?
If you have defrosted your soup in the fridge, there’s no reason why you can’t refreeze it. It may, however, lose some of its texture. In reality, if you have frozen your soup in meal-size portions, there will be no reason for you to refreeze it. Even if you have defrosted a bit more than you need, it will last for up to five days in the fridge.
Don’t refreeze your soup if you have defrosted it in the microwave as the taste and texture will be compromised.
Is It a Good Idea To Freeze Butternut Squash Soup?
Yes, it’s a good idea to make a big batch of butternut squash soup and then freeze some of it in meal-size portions. In fact, just about all vegetable soups freeze well. Just remember to blend the soup and freeze it in meal-size portions. Don’t add dairy otherwise, you will have a split soup. Stirring it over a low heat and adding a bit of water will help it regain its texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing butternut squash soup but in case you are still curious, we have answered a couple of questions here.
Can you freeze butternut squash soup with herbs?
Some herbs don’t freeze that well, so it is better to add them when you are reheating the soup.
Can you freeze pumpkin soup?
Pumpkin is a similar vegetable to butternut squash and can be frozen in the same way. The same goes for soup made from other types of squash such as acorn and spaghetti squash.
Can you freeze all types of soup?
You can freeze most types of soup and keep them in the freezer for up to three months. However, there are some varieties of soup that you shouldn’t freeze. We have already mentioned that you shouldn’t freeze dairy-based soups as they can split. Some fish soups shouldn’t be frozen, and you should take seafood, such as clams and mussels, out of their shells before you freeze the soup.
