Can You Freeze Cabbage Soup?
A vegetable soup like cabbage soup should be ideal on a cold wintry evening. The refreshing aroma of cabbages and the spices in the soup can stir you up into action. You feel refreshed after having a bowl of steaming hot cabbage soup. Since the soup is delicious and nutritious, you might want more. Therefore, the temptation to prepare more than you can consume is omnipresent. As a result, you have sufficient leftovers of cabbage soup, leaving you wondering about the different methods of storing and preserving it. So, what are the storage options? Is refrigerating cabbage soup an excellent idea to extend its shelf life?
Can You Freeze Cabbage Soup?
Freezing cabbage soup is possible. Firstly, cabbage soup does not lose its texture and taste after freezing. So, you can enjoy the same taste it had when fresh. Secondly, cabbage becomes soft when frozen in the freezer. Therefore, the cabbage soup becomes tender when thawed and reheated, making it tastier and more nutritious. So, let us learn how to freeze cabbage soup.
How Do You Freeze Cabbage Soup?
Freezing cabbage soup is easy. While the process does not require many preparations, you can take elementary precautions to ensure a perfect freezing job. First, please cook the vegetable al-dente because the vegetables can be cooked fully when reheating the soup after defrosting it.
Step 1 – Cool The Cabbage Soup
While consuming cabbage soup hot is desirable, freezing it straight from the stovetop is not. Hot cabbage soup can condense and disintegrate when placed directly inside the freezer. The condensation can make it watery and result in ice crystal formation, making the soup mushy after thawing. Besides, the hot soup can transfer heat to other foods freezing inside the freezer and damage them. So, cooling the cabbage soup after preparing it is the first precaution.
Step 2 – Split The Soup Into Consumable Portions
While there should be no problem freezing the entire cabbage soup bowl in a single batch, we recommend splitting it into individual consumable portions. It becomes easy to defrost and consume. Otherwise, you defrost the entire batch leading to wastage, especially as you cannot refreeze cabbage soup. Please arrange for small containers or freezer-safe ziplock bags to accommodate the individual portions.
Step 3 – Fill The Cabbage Soup Into The Freezer Bags
Fill each container or ziplock bag with the cabbage soup. Please leave some space at the top because the freezing cabbage soup needs some room for expansion. Tightly-packed ziplock bags can burst and cause spillovers inside the freezer, making it a mess.
Step 4 – Remove Air And Seal
There could be air pockets inside the freezer bags as you leave space at the top. Please squeeze the ziplock bags gently to remove these air pockets. Seal the bags or the containers firmly to ensure against exposure to air and moisture. Place the freezer bags and containers into a larger freezer bag for convenience.
Step 5 – Label The Bags And Freeze
Note the freezing contents and the date on a label and stick it to the bags or containers. Then, place the freezer bag inside the freezer to allow the cabbage soup to freeze.
An Alternative Freezing Method
You can use the ice cube tray, silicone cube tray, or muffin cups to portion the cabbage soup into small consumable parts. Provide space for expansion and push these trays inside the freezer to freeze for a couple of hours. The soup solidifies in the trays. Next, you can remove the individual frozen soup cubes and transfer them to a ziplock bag. Continue with the vacuuming, sealing, and labeling procedures before pushing the bags inside the freezer for freezing.
How Long Can You Keep The Cabbage Soup Frozen Fresh?
Frozen cabbage soup can remain fresh for six months inside the freezer. Then, you can store the soup comfortably in the refrigerator for four days after defrosting. So, there is no need to consume the cabbage soup immediately after thawing it.
How Do You Defrost The Frozen Cabbage Soup?
While it is crucial to know how to freeze cabbage soup, learning how to defrost it is equally critical. The incorrect procedure can spoil the texture and the taste of the soup rendering it unpalatable.
We advise transferring the frozen cabbage soup into the refrigerator overnight to let it thaw gradually and naturally. The cold temperature inside the freezer discourages bacterial contamination and keeps the soup fresh.
Can You Reheat The Defrosted Cabbage Soup?
Cabbage soup tastes best when consumed hot. So, reheating the defrosted soup is essential. You can reheat the cabbage soup in two ways.
In The Microwave
Please transfer the soup from the refrigerator to a microwave-safe container and place it inside the microwave oven. Set the power at around 70% for a minute. Remove the soup and stir it well. Then, you can microwave it further for 30 seconds to a minute on 100% power. It ensures that the soup reheats uniformly.
On The Stovetop
An alternative to microwaving is reheating the defrosted cabbage soup on the stovetop. Pour the defrosted cabbage soup into a saucepan and heat it gently on the stovetop. Please keep stirring the soup to prevent it from getting burnt. You can serve the soup once it reheats thoroughly.
Can You Refreeze Cabbage Soup?
We do not recommend refreezing cabbage soup because it can become grainy and lose its texture. Besides, the vegetable in the soup can become mushy. Hence, we advise freezing the cabbage soup in small portions for easy consumption. It reduces the wastage considerably.
Can You Freeze Cabbage Soup Ingredients?
Cabbage soup ingredients like onions should not pose problems when freezing. However, you have to be careful when freezing cabbage potato soup.
Can You Freeze The Cabbage Soup Diet?
You can freeze the cabbage soup diet and retain its freshness for six months.
Can You Freeze Sour Cabbage?
It is possible to freeze sour cabbage.
Can You Freeze Sour Cabbage Rolls?
You can freeze sour cabbage rolls, but they can fall apart in a soupy puddle when reheating. Hence, we advise slowing the process down for best results.
Can You Freeze Cabbage Roll Soup?
The method of freezing cabbage roll soup is the same as described here.
Can You Freeze Cooked Cabbage Soup?
You can freeze cooked cabbage soup, but reheating the soup can overcook the cabbages. Hence, we recommend cooking the vegetable al-dente.
Can You Freeze Unstuffed Cabbage Soup?
Freezing unstuffed cabbage soup is possible.
Final Thoughts
Cabbage soup is delicious when consumed hot. So, if you have leftovers, we advise preserving them carefully and consuming them later. Can you freeze cabbage soup? Yes, you can do so and keep the dish fresh for later consumption.
