French onion soup is a delicious classic dish that can be a meal on its own. It takes close to an hour to make as the onions need to be caramelized and then simmered in stock over low heat. This brings out the sweetness of the onions.
Once the soup is made, put a slice of toasted baguette on top and then add lots of Swiss cheese and parmesan. Melt this under a hot grill. It is great for lunch with warm fresh bread, or a smaller portion can be served as an appetizer at a dinner party. However, as it takes so long to make, can you make it in bulk and freeze some to enjoy at a later date?
The simple answer is yes but don’t freeze it with the baguette and cheese. The bread will become soggy, and the cheese may split or become grainy. In this article, we will tell you how to freeze French onion soup and how to defrost it.
How To Freeze French Onion Soup
1. Cool down the soup.
Transfer the soup to a cold bowl to speed up the cooling process. Make sure that the soup is completely cold when you put it into the freezer (see also Can You Freeze Gazpacho?) as it will bring up the temperature and other food may start to defrost and may even spoil.
2. Portion the soup into freezer bags or airtight containers.
If you are using freezer bags, make sure that they are thick so that they don’t burst and make a mess in your freezer. Also, squeeze out all the air from the bags so that freezer burn doesn’t occur and ruin the taste and texture of your soup. Leave about an inch of space at the top of the bags or containers as the soup may expand in the freezer. It is a good idea to freeze the soup in meal-size portions so that you only defrost what you need. Otherwise, you could end up throwing some away. Put labels on the bags or containers with the date you put them in the freezer and what is in them.
3. Freeze.
Tips For Freezing French Onion Soup
- Use heavy-duty freezer bags to prevent the bags from bursting and the soup from leaking.
- Squeeze out all the air from the freezer bags to prevent freezer burn.
- Put labels on the bags or containers, especially if you have frozen several different soups. You don’t want to defrost the wrong soup particularly if you are holding a dinner party.
- If you’ve used freezer bags, freeze them flat to save room in the freezer.
For How Long Can You Freeze French Onion Soup?
Like most soups, French onion soup will freeze for three months as long as it is kept airtight. It’s a good idea to keep the soup at the back of the freezer so that it doesn’t accidentally start to thaw when you open the freezer door.
How Do You Defrost French Onion Soup?
The best way to defrost French onion soup is slowly and steadily. Doing it this way retains the taste, texture, and nutrients. Take the soup out of the freezer the night before you want to eat it and put it in the fridge. However, if you forget and want to eat it on the same day, put the container or bag in a bowl of warm water. Keep changing the water until the soup has defrosted. You can just put it in a microwavable bowl and put it in the microwave to defrost. It might, however, slightly lose taste and texture. It is better if you just defrost it in the microwave and then heat it on the hob. Then toast up the bread, put it on the soup and pour over lots of delicious cheese. Melt the cheese under the grill.
Can You Refreeze French Onion Soup?
It isn’t unsafe to refreeze French onion soup but we still don’t advise it. Unfortunately, refreezing will alter the taste of the soup and it will probably end up bland.
Is It A Good Idea To Freeze French Onion Soup?
Yes, it is. French onion soup, like most soups, freezes well and you will find it hard to tell the difference between freshly made French onion soup and frozen. If you lead a busy life or want to host a dinner party, it saves you time to make the soup in bulk and freeze it in meal-size portions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing French onion soup but in case you are still curious, we have answered a few questions here.
Yes, of course, you can and it can also be frozen for up to three months. You can freeze just about every kind of soup apart from potatoes. This is usually because they are too watery to freeze well and they won’t defrost that well without adding more flour.
Yes, you can but it will only last for around three days before it starts to spoil so if you want to keep it for longer, you will have to freeze it.
Yes, you can, and it will still be just as delicious. Instead of beef stock, use a vegetable stock cube or make your vegetable stock. Instead of dairy cheese, you can substitute vegan cheese. It comes in all sorts of flavors, including parmesan. You can freeze vegan French onion soup but again don’t freeze the baguette or vegan cheese in the soup. You can, however, freeze the baguette separately and it will last in the freezer for around three months, the same time as the soup.
Brandy or cognac is an optional addition to French onion soup but one that gives a nice kick and a bit of warmth. Alcohol doesn’t freeze that well but you probably will only add a little so you should be all right freezing the soup with a little brandy. The best time to add the brandy is into the caramelized onions before you add the stock.
The cheese may split, and it can also become grainy. In addition, it may lose its flavor the longer you keep it in the fridge. It’s not difficult to add the cheese before serving so wait until you have defrosted the soup and then add the cheese.