Can You Freeze Asparagus Soup?
The exceptional taste and growing requirements of asparagus have given it a special place in the vegetable world. It is a delicacy that most people rarely consume but when you cook it properly, it never ceases to amaze with its sensation of flavors.
Asparagus soup is perhaps the rarest form of cooked asparagus, in most cases, and it is not a common addition to restaurant menus.
If you haven’t had the chance to eat asparagus soup, we urge you to cook it at home as soon as possible. And in case you make more than you can consume, you need to know the proper ways to store it.
With this said, can you freeze asparagus soup? Yes, you can safely freeze asparagus soup as long as you follow a couple of simple steps. All you need is to cook and cool down your soup and suitable containers, and it will last for about six months.
In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about freezing this yummy dish to enjoy later.
The Complete Guide to Freezing Asparagus Soup
Asparagus has been consumed due to its exceptional taste and healing properties for almost 2000 years. It originates from the eastern Mediterranean region but has since been cultivated all over the world.
The figure behind the modern popularization of asparagus was King Louis XIV in the 18th century. The vegetable surprised and impressed the king, and for this reason, it is called the “royal vegetable”.
Several centuries later, it continues to impress connoisseurs of refined taste. It is considered a luxury vegetable nowadays due to its delicate texture and juicy taste, but you can generally find it everywhere around the world.
There are three main options for making asparagus: blanching, stewing in butter or olive oil, and steaming.
As unconventional as it may be considered, asparagus soup has grown in popularity in the latest years and we highly recommend trying it at home.
Can you Freeze Asparagus Soup?
Fortunately, you can freeze asparagus soup just as safely as you can freeze fresh asparagus. It is a completely simple process that does not differ from freezing any other type of soup.
In a similar fashion, frozen asparagus soup could easily last up to half a year in the freezer but as always, we recommend consuming it as soon as possible if you are keen on having the freshest taste possible.
How to Freeze Asparagus Soup
Before we get to the step-by-step guide, we have a valuable tip on freezing asparagus soup:
There are countless different recipes you could use and some of these that have dairy products in the ingredients list.
Since dairy products do not always freeze well, we recommend leaving any cheeses, yogurts, or other dairies for after you thaw the soup. It is better to add them when you reheat the soup rather than have the soup separated after freezing.
Step 1: Cook your Asparagus soup and cool it down
Throwing freshly cooked food in the freezer without cooling it down is rarely a good idea. Not to mention that it is bad for the other frozen foods around it as the temperature could disrupt their frozen state and cause a certain degree of spoilage.
Allow your soup to cool down for an hour and then continue to step 2.
Step 2: Pick your containers & portion your soup
We always recommend portioning your food before you freeze it as it makes your life easier when you want to eat it. There is no need to freeze an entire batch together and then thaw the whole thing instead of getting just the amount you need for that meal.
As for the method of freezing, you either need an airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. You can use Tupperware if you like, although freezer bags have the advantage of allowing you to take out as much excess air as possible.
Step 3: Fill the bags with soup & freeze
Now that your soup has cooled down and you have your freezer bags ready for work, portion the soup and fill the bags or containers. Remember to take out as much of the excess air as possible (when you can) but leave some headspace free.
You never want to overfill freezer bags when you are freezing soups since liquids expand when frozen.
Find a suitable location in the freezer and lay the freezing bags flat if you’re not using a container. Positioning them this way will make it easier to thaw the soup later.
Selection and storage of asparagus
When choosing asparagus, take care that their stems are rounded, not greasy, and twisted.
You should buy asparagus with fragile, thin stems, with a deep green or purple color. Yellowish discoloration may be a sign of stale vegetables. Asparagus that is too long is also not preferable because the length increases the weight, but not the useful qualities.
Asparagus should be used within a day or two after purchase to preserve its flavor.
They are best stored in the refrigerator with the ends wrapped in a damp cloth, away from the light, as the folate in the vegetable is destroyed by exposure to air, heat, and light.
To preserve the aroma of asparagus for a long time, they should be frozen raw in heavy-duty freezer bags. This way, your asparagus can retain its qualities for more than 6 months.
