Can You Freeze Split Pea Soup?
Split pea soup is among the best soups to have it steaming hot during cold wintry evenings. This dish can refresh you completely besides providing you with the proper nourishment. You can prepare split pea soup in many ways. The primary ingredients are split peas, carrots, and ham. In addition, you can have bacon, potatoes, and other vegetables if required. But, these additions can make it challenging to preserve correctly. So, let us look at the ideal preservation methods of split pea soup.
Can You Freeze Split Pea Soup?
You can freeze split pea soup, provided you keep out bacon and potatoes from it. Ham should not be a problem because it is an accent ingredient and not the primary one. Using uncured ham is advisable because cooked ham does not freeze long. Therefore, slight changes in its texture will not be noticeable. Split peas are one of the best vegetables to freeze, and they can remain fresh for extended periods in the freezer.
How Do You Freeze Split Pea Soup?
We recommend keeping ingredients like cream, potatoes, and fat away from the split pea soup before freezing. They can affect the texture and flavor drastically. For example, potatoes can absorb the broth and affect the creamy consistency of the soup. Besides, they become grainy during the thawing process. But, of course, you can always add these ingredients later on while reheating the defrosted soup.
- So, the first step is to cook the split pea soup without the ingredients that can cause the soup to lose its consistency. They include potatoes, cream, bacon, and other fat.
- We advise soaking the peas until they become firm. Similarly, the carrots should reach a similar consistency.
- Cool the split pea soup to room temperature. It can take around two hours to cool naturally. Please ensure not to keep the split pea soup at room temperature for long because bacterial contamination could occur.
- Flash freezing the soup is a good alternative. You can place the entire soup container into a bowl filled with ice inside the refrigerator. The soup becomes cold faster without allowing for bacterial contamination.
- Pour the chilled soup into freezer-safe ziplock bags and leave some space at the top for the liquid to expand.
- Alternatively, you can pour the cold split pea soup into an ice cube tray or muffin tray to distribute it into consumable portions. Please ensure not to fill the trays to the brim but maintain some space for the soup to expand. Next, place these trays into the freezer to freeze. Once frozen, you can transfer the split pea soup to a freezer-safe ziplock bag.
- Seal the bag well after expelling excess air from it. Please note the freezing date and the contents on the packet before placing it flat inside the freezer. You can also freeze the split pea soup in a freezer-safe Tupperware container if you have sufficient space. We advise leaving room at the top to allow the soup to expand during the freezing process. Seal the container with heavy-duty aluminum foil and cover it from all sides before closing the lid airtight. Stick the date label before placing the container inside the freezer.
How Long Does The Frozen Split Pea Soup Remain Fresh?
Frozen split pea soup can remain in the freezer for six months without compromising its taste and flavor. However, we suggest maintaining the freezer temperature at zero degrees Fahrenheit. If there are fluctuations, the soup can lose its texture. Under such circumstances, we do not advise keeping it frozen for six months. Instead, you can consume it within four months.
How Do You Defrost And Reheat The Split Pea Soup?
You can defrost the split pea soup by removing the container from the freezer and placing it inside the fridge. It is ideal if you have not apportioned the soup into consumable portions. However, the defrosting process takes time. So, we suggest starting the process overnight to have the split pea soup ready for reheating and consumption the following morning.
Once defrosted, you can transfer the soup to a microwave-safe container and microwave it. Alternatively, you can heat it on the stovetop at low to medium heat. It is the right time to add ingredients like potatoes, cream, etc.
If you have portioned out the soup into smaller consumable parts, you can remove them and place them in a microwave-safe dish inside the fridge. The smaller portions do not take as much time to defrost as the entire bowl. So, it will be ready within a couple of hours. You can microwave the soup and have them during lunchtime.
Can You Refreeze Split Pea Soup?
We do not recommend refreezing split pea soup because repeated defrosting and freezing can hamper its texture making the soup lose its flavor.
Can You Freeze Split Pea And Ham Soup?
Yes, you can freeze split pea and ham soup, primarily if you use uncured ham. It lasts longer. You can also freeze cured ham, but slight changes in the texture can occur.
Can You Freeze Split Peas?
You can freeze the cooked split peas and extend their shelf life considerably.
Can You Freeze Split Pea Soup With Potatoes?
Potatoes do not have a reputation for defrosting well. They develop a grainy structure that can affect the split peas soup’s texture. So, we do not recommend freezing split pea soup with potatoes. Instead, you can add the cooked potatoes later while reheating the soup.
Can You Freeze Split Peas Curry?
Yes, it is possible to freeze split peas curry to maintain their freshness for six months.
Can You Freeze Split Pea Vegan Soup?
Vegan split pea soup does not contain ham. However, the other ingredients are the same. You can freeze vegan split pea soup similar to split peas soup with ham. Please note to keep potatoes away from the split peas soup as they can affect the soup’s texture.
How Long Can Split Pea Soup Remain In The Refrigerator?
You can refrigerate split pea soup in the fridge for about a week. However, if you need to preserve it for extended periods, it is better to freeze it the way described in this article.
Final Thoughts
Steaming hot split pea soup can banish the winter blues away. So, if you have excess split pea soup, do you have to worry about its preservation? Can you freeze split pea soup and maintain its freshness? Yes, you can.
