Can you freeze potato soup?

Absolutely! Freezing potato soup is a simple process. However, the way you freeze it will affect the taste and texture of the soup once you defrost it and reheat it. So, if you do want to freeze potato soup, there are several key points you should follow, which we will outline below.

It depends on two things: the ingredients within your soup and the way that you freeze your soup.

First of all, if you're freezing a standard potato and vegetable based chunky soup, it will freeze very well, without much change to the taste or texture.

If you're freezing a smooth potato soup made using cream or milk, however, you'll notice that the texture and taste will be affected. So, be sure to consider whether or not you want to freeze a creamy potato soup, as it won't be quite the delicious soup once it has been defrosted.

I wouldn't recommend freezing potato soup more than once. Freezing soup more than once tends to affect the taste and texture too much.

The best way to get around this is to only defrost the amount of soup you need. You can do this by freezing your soup in smaller portion sizes.

Once opened, store bought potato soup will last for around five days in the refrigerator. Of course, if you haven't opened it, it will last longer.

Particularly if it's canned potato soup, in which case it will last for a very long time at room temperature – just check the best before date on the can.

Homemade potato soup usually lasts around 3-5 days when stored in the refrigerator. You will need to make sure you store it in an airtight container.

Frozen potato soup lasts a long time – up to six months if stored in the correct way. Although you can freeze potato soup up to six months, it's best to keep it no longer than four months, as after this time the taste and texture will begin to be affected.

You might be tempted to keep it for longer, but I'd advise against it. Keeping potato soup in the freezer for longer than six months will result in a mushy, unappetizing texture. The soup will also lose it taste.

Spoiled potato soup will have a few clear tell-tale signs.

Firstly, it will start to look different. If your potato soup has changed its color, it's a sign that the soup has gone off. You'll also notice a slimy film on top of the soup. There might also be signs of mold.

Another big give away is smell. If the potato soup has a change of aroma, with a sour musty smell, it has probably gone bad.

Finally, there's the taste test. If the soup tastes sour and unpleasant, it's time to throw the soup away.

Defrosting or thawing potato soup is a simple process and there are a few different options, depending on how much time you have.

The best way to thaw potato soup is to leave it defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Remove it from the freezer the night before you plan to eat it – it'll be perfectly defrosted the next day.

If you need to thaw potato soup quicker, you can defrost it by leaving the frozen container in a large container of water. Either a large saucepan or in the sink will do. Change the water every 30 minutes to one hour – it'll be fully thawed within a few hours.

An even quicker method is to defrost potato soup in the microwave. Place your microwave-safe container that contains your frozen soup onto a microwave-safe plate then thaw your soup by using the defrost setting on your microwave. Pause every few minutes to stir the soup.

This method is quick, but you will notice a change to the taste and texture of the soup.

If, after defrosting your soup, you've noticed that it has lost some of its creamy texture, there are a few things you can do to make it a luscious smooth soup again.

Firstly, try whisking the soup as you reheat it on the stove. Avoid reheating the soup in the microwave, as this won't help the texture of your soup.

You could also add a little splash of cream to give the soup a thicker, creamier texture, and also use a hand blender to blend the soup to give it a smoother texture.