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Can I freeze this?

18 years ago

I made this soup last fall for our soup party, and I love it, but Tim is not a bean lover. I'd like to make it and freeze it in individual containers. Do you see any reason this would not freeze well?

Navy Bean Soup

From Food Network Kitchens

1 lb navy beans, picked over, rinsed and drained

10 sprigs parsley

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

2 large smoked ham hocks, about 1-1/2 lb

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped

8 c cold water

1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Butter for garnish

Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let sit for one hour. Drain and reserve. Tie parsley, thyme and bay leaf together with kitchen twine.

In large soup pot or dutch oven, combine the beans, herb bundle, hocks, onions and garlic with the water. Bring to a boil, cover and adjust the heat so that the soup cooks at a gentle simmer. Cook until the beans and hocks are completely tender, about 1-1/2 hours.

Turn off heat and remove hocks. Cool slightly. Remove meat from hocks, discarding the bones, fat and skin. Cut meat into small cubes. Remove herb bundle from soup and discard.

Puree about 3 cups of the beans with some of the liquid in a blender. (For a smooth soup, you may puree all the beans). Stir the puree and diced meat into the soup. Heat the soup and adjust seasoning as needed with salt & pepper.

Ladle into heated bowls, place a small pat of butter on top of each bowl of soup, serve.

Linda

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Comments (8)

azzalea
18 years ago
I, too, am the only bean (and pea) soup eater in my family. So when I make a big pot of either, I freeze the leftovers in half pint containers for my future lunches. The beans may break down a bit, but the soup will be fine.
wizardnm
18 years ago
I've frozen bean soups without any problem. It's nice to be able to POOF!

Nancy
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If i have a 1/4 pint of a similar sauce leftover from a meal, i do not hesitate to freezer for another meal. If i'm prepping garden harvest for the freezer i leave out any dairy so i have options later. I have a dozen+ sauces and soups for the Fall/Winter and like to make and some have small or more dairy that i add before serving. Stired in off the heat or blendered for a bisque. It is easier to reheat a sauce without the dairy. No need to watch it like a hawk. I have a small dairy drawer in my freezer. Cheeses, parm rinds, yogurt, butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, ricotta, sour cream, etc. Like mentioned, re-heating a sauce with dairy it needs to be tended carefully to not hit above a boil. Without dairy it can be left alone a bit. Roasted peppers, garlic, tomatoes, stocks...flat packed separately can become many dishes. I'm making a roasted corn/veg/tomato chowder this week. Easy with so many choices. If you have a favorite recipe, make it to the point before adding dairy. Then freeze. Add your dairy fresh, or freeze 1/4 pints of dairy to add, once thawed, as the recipe states...usually at the end of cooking off the heat. I've been roasting for weeks now when i have time. Usually when the oven is on for something else---sharing the heat. We have a few favorites like Leek, veg, garlic, potato soup. Veg/tomato soup. A few pasta dishes. I just roast, then pulse in my food processor a bit chunky that also give me options to later puree, or leave a bit chunky for a salsa...adding something fresh like lime, cilantro, red onion, etc.
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sheesh
18 years ago
I've frozen plenty of bean soups, too. Never a problem.

Sorry to hijack, but can I freeze a rice dish? I made way too much piella (sp?) last night. It's rice, chicken, mushrooms, shrimp, mussels, etc. Thanks.

Sherry
rachelellen
18 years ago
I freeze bean soup all the time. As azzaelea said, the beans might break down a bit, but that only makes bean soups better anyhow. I find that letting them defrost on their own instead of zapping them helps keep it to a minimum.

As for the paella, I'd probably just eat it as leftovers, but if you really have too much to eat, it's worth a try. I would use my foodsaver on it, to create a vacuum seal, but if you don't have one, try a zip lock bag with as much air pressed out as you possibly can.
Carol Schmertzler Siegel
18 years ago
I'd definitely freeze the soup!

Rice I've frozen but it got freezer burn. Try it, worse happens you throw it out!
doucanoe
Original Author
18 years ago
Great! I have my navy beans cooking as we speak.

Thanks, guys, I knew you all would have the answer!

Linda
jcrowley99
18 years ago
I freeze bean soup all the time and it is fine. I just tried freezing some jambalaya a couple weeks ago, but I have not taken any out of the freezer yet. It looks fine though.

Joanne
Lars
18 years ago
I made a double batch of minestrone soup at Christmas at my parents' house, and my mother is still POOFing it! I believe it has both red beans and white navy beans, and so it is essentially a bean soup. I freeze beans all the time - including hummus and my bean dips.

Lars

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