Make soup anytime without braving travel in wintry weather. Turn extra veggies, great grocery deals or Farm Market finds into easily stored freezer soup starter kits. What’s nice about this idea is you can use these in soups, casseroles or puree to make a veggie slurry to thicken sauces and soups.
For this particular one I used chicken stock, but water or veggie stock would be fine.
I don’t season the vegetables, that way it gives me more options for meals. If you are not using stock, a little salt and pepper is fine.
Cut your vegetables in sizes according to how fast they cook. You will only be blanching the batch for a few minutes.
I add the vegetables to a saucepan and only use enough liquid to cover by about 1/2 inch.
Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 2 minutes. You want the veggies to be crisp tender. They will cook a little more after you remove them from the heat.
Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate to quick cool.
I like freezer bags over containers. Label and date the bags. I use the same method for filling the bags that I use to fill pastry bags.
Drape the bag over a cup or bowl and fill with cold mix.
I love this ladle with drain holes!
Squeeze out excess air and seal. Lay the bags flat in the freezer until totally frozen.
Viola! Your soup kits are ready for your next culinary masterpiece!
Freezing individual vegetables is also a good idea. You can just take out what you need as you make a meal. I’ll freeze greens as is and throw a few handfuls into dishes to add color, taste and nutrition.
A version of this post was originally published in 2014.
