How long can soup last in the fridge? (+ 5 Different types)
In this article, we will answer the question “How long can soup last in the fridge?”, and how to store soup safely?
How long can soup last in the fridge?
The shelf life of soup in the fridge depends on whether it is a chicken or vegetable soup. For a vegetable soup with tomatoes, the acidity is high and soup can last for up to a week in the fridge. For chicken based soup, the shelf life reduces to 3 – 5 days in the fridge. It is important that you always taste the soup before reheating to avoid food poisoning.
A watery soup that has tomatoes or any other acidic ingredient will have an extended shelf-life. Soups with creams can be kept for up to 3 days in the fridge and seafood soup will last 2-3 days in the fridge.
Read on if you want to know how to store your leftover soups in the fridge or freezer for an extended shelf-life.
How to store soup safely?
In the fridge
Any type of soup will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days on average but if you want to extend the shelf-life, maintain a steady temperature of 2°C. For convenient reheating, store your soup or stew in single-serving portions. Store in an airtight container.
In the freezer
Freezing your soup is a great option if you want to extend its shelf-life. If store correctly, soups and stew will preserve their freshness in the freezer for 4-6 months. If the temperature of the freezer is steady at 0°F, the soup will stay safe indefinitely.
How to reheat soup?
After reheating your soup, make sure to bring it to a boil once or twice to destroy any harmful microbes. If the soup had cream or flour in it, boiling it might make it thicker and saltier. In this case, it is best to check that the soup appears fine and does not give off any foul odor.
Stovetop
Transfer the soup to a pot and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes on the stovetop or bring to a boil once or twice. If the soup was a clear broth, you can adjust the liquid by adding water that was lost during boiling.
Microwave
If the soup was frozen or refrigerated in a glass jar, you can reheat it in the microwave at low power. Microwaving soup that was stored in any container other than glass is not recommended.
Refrigerator
Plan ahead and consider thawing your soup in the refrigerator overnight. After it has been defrosted, transfer it to a pot or a saucepan and let it come to a boil on low-medium heat. Turn the heat down and simmer. You can adjust the liquid by adding more water especially if you want to add fresh vegetables or noodles to your broth.
Water-bath
This is a good choice if the soup was creamy or had vegetables. Indirect heating your soup will not damage the texture of the cream or milk present in the soup. Put the container or bag inside a hot water bath. Heat the bath on low-medium heat.
Different types of soup
There are 6 different types of soups depending upon the consistency. Bouillon, broth, and consomme belong to the “Clear soup” category while bisque, cream, and potage are thick soups.
Clear soups do not contain any thickening agent and are enriched with distinct flavors. Thick soups, on the other hand, are thickened by flour, cornstarch, or vegetables.
Bouillon and broth
Stock, broth, and bouillon are all the same thing and are categorized as clear soups. They are made by heating bones, meat(chicken, beef, fish), and different vegetables like tomatoes, leeks, celery, onions, mushrooms, and carrots. Broths thicken when the temperature drops due to the gelatin that leeches into the water from the bones.
Consomme
Consomme is a classic type of clear soup that is made by heating minced meat, tomatoes, and egg whites in a broth. This soup has a bright amber color. During simmering, the fat and impurities are skimmed off the surface. The proteins in the egg whites form a raft over the surface of the clear broth.
Bisque
Bisque is made by extracting the flavor from crabs, lobsters, and shrimp by simmering. When it is made by the classic method, ground shellfish are used to thicken the liquid and enhance the flavor. Rice can also be used for thickening. The starch released from rice thickens the broth.
Cream
The base of a cream soup is the roux which is later combined with milk or cream for a thinner consistency. Tomato soup, mushroom soup, and chicken soup are the famous cream soups.
Potage
Potage is made by simmering meat with vegetables until all the ingredients come soft, mushy, and palatable and the broth is thickened. Just like potage, pottage is made by simmering vegetables with grains.
Conclusion
In this article, we answered the question “How long can soup last in the fridge?”, and how to store soup safely?
References
https://www.marthastewart.com/7591870/how-long-store-soup-reheat
