If you made a bigger batch of rice soup and you’re unsure what to do with the leftovers, no worries, you can put them in the freezer!
The freezer is an awesome place to store rice soup leftovers or batches you’ve prepared in advance.
In this way, you’re prolonging the soup’s quality and safety for up to a month! However, when you’re freezing a dish with a delicate texture like soup, it’s important to do it properly.
This will ensure optimal results and reduce the risk of any unwanted accidents! If you’re excited to learn all about freezing rice soup, stay tuned until the end of this guide.
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Is It Okay to Freeze Rice Soup?
Freezing soups is frequent during the cooler months. We can prepare bigger batches of soups and stews, divide them into portions, and freeze them for later.
This eases meal choices for busier days or days when we’re rushing for work. And, nothing beats the feeling of satiety when you consume a warm bowl of soup on a cold day!
Before you begin to freeze soups, including rice soup, it’s essential to know how to do it. In this way, you’ll ease meal preparation and prevent food waste.
What’s more, the leftovers cannot stay in the fridge for long. In fact, if you transfer the soup to a container and put it in the fridge, it doesn’t last more than three to four days. Knowing this, the freezer is a much more suitable option for longer storage.
When it comes to rice soup, many think that it’s not the most freezer-friendly soup out there. And, though there’s truth to this, by following the instructions for freezing, you will reduce the risk of poor texture which may occur because of the freezing, thawing, and reheating.
And, there are a lot of good reasons why you should freeze this soup. Namely, the rice will add a nice thickness to the soup.
Brown rice soups are particularly giving and boast a sturdier texture than that of white rice. And, they will hold better in the freezer too!
When you plan to freeze a soup that has grains like rice, you can wait to add the rice and boil a fresh batch once you reheat the soup. And, of course, don’t forget to follow the steps below for optimal freezing of this heartwarming dish!
How to Freeze Rice Soup: Step by Step
Freezing soup with grains like rice may be a bit tricky. Therefore, to freeze such soups properly, you need to follow certain important steps for the best outcome.
Below, check out the step-by-step guide to rice soup freezing:
- Cool down the soup before you store it in the container. This will reduce the risk of bacterial growth which may occur if the soup is left to cool down in the container.
- Divide the wanted portions and choose appropriate container sizes for each.
Opt for containers that have an optimal closing of the lid. This is to prevent any improper closing which may end up affecting the quality of the soup and also cause a mess in the freezer.
- Once you finish portioning out the soup, close the containers. Don’t forget to leave space between the soup and the lid. In this way, the soup will have enough room to expand a little bit during the freezing.
- Label the containers with the date of storage and carefully set them in the freezer. It’s best to consume the soup within a month.
- If you don’t have containers, you can freeze the leftover rice soup in bags. But, they need to be thick and of premium quality. And, they need to have a proper seal.
This will prevent the bag from being easily damaged in the freezer and cause a mess!
Which Things to Avoid When Freezing Rice Soup?
Now that you’ve learned how to freeze rice soup, it’s essential to know which things you should avoid doing to prevent poor results.
Check out some of the most important ones below:
- Don’t use containers or bags that don’t close well. If you do this and freeze soup inside, you risk the food spilling into the freezer.
This causes unnecessary food waste and you’ll have to clean the freezer.
- Don’t forget to leave space between the soup and lid for expansion. This is essential when freezing food to avoid any bursting.
Though this happens rarely, you need to take all the necessary measures to prevent such issues.
- Don’t refreeze rice soup because some of the ingredients inside may be prone to bacterial growth.
How to Defrost Rice Soup?
One of the best ways to defrost rice soup or any other type of soup or stew is the microwave. Heat it until the soup is equally hot.
Do this in thirty-second intervals. Another suitable option you have is to leave the soup to thaw gradually.
This can be done by leaving it in the fridge overnight. Avoid leaving rice soup to thaw at room temperature to prevent any bacteria due to the warmer temperature!
How to Reheat Rice Soup?
There are several options you can choose from to reheat the rice soup. Check out the best ones here:
- You can reheat rice soup in the microwave. Transfer it to a microwave-safe bowl and heat it up until piping hot.
Do it in thirty-second intervals so that you can check it out and ensure it doesn’t overheat. Serve and enjoy!
- You can reheat the soup using the stovetop. Transfer it to a pot and bring it over medium heat.
Stir it occasionally and heat until it’s piping hot. Serve and enjoy!
Final Thoughts
Whichever recipe for rice soup you choose, it’s guaranteed to satisfy the belly!
But, this nutritious and tasty soup may take a bit more time to prepare. So, it’s normal to want to make a bigger batch and store it for later.
This is why freezing the portions is a great way to meal prep and store leftovers. Since it doesn’t last long in the fridge, the freezer is a suitable long-term storage option.
Stored properly in a container or a bag, rice soup will last up to a month in the freezer.
Knowing this, we no longer have excuses to waste food, right?!
