How To Freeze And Reheat Panera Soups For Later

Soups are one of the key dishes that people love and expect from Panera. But if you want to pick up a few extra orders of soup from the restaurant or even a few containers of premade soup at your local grocery store, it's important to store the soup properly to avoid spoilage. You might, however, be surprised to learn that Panera doesn't recommend keeping its café-bought soups in the fridge. Instead, whether you opt for chicken noodle, creamy tomato bisque, or one of Panera's new soup flavors, you can easily freeze both store- and café-bought soups to be reheated and enjoyed anytime you please. 

When freezing soups bought fresh from Panera's bakeries and cafés, it's important to note that these soups should only be kept in the freezer for two to three months. Unopened premade soups bought from the grocery store can be kept in the freezer much longer — for around nine months. In this case, it's best to freeze the soup before the use-by date in its original packaging. There are other ways of preparing and freezing the soups, though.

To store Panera soups brought home from café locations, start by adding the soup to a clean, airtight container. While you can use a large container, consider using multiple smaller containers to portion out single servings of soup. This allows you to thaw and reheat only the amount you want at one time while preserving the quality of the remaining soup. Keep in mind that it's possible to use resealable plastic bags to freeze the soup flat and save space in your freezer. 

When it's time to enjoy a serving of frozen Panera soup, the chain recommends thawing it slowly in the fridge rather than leaving the soup out at room temperature. Remember that dairy doesn't freeze well. So, if you are reheating a creamy soup, you might see a change in texture. Try warming it up over low heat while stirring the creamy soup to prevent it from separating. It's also important to follow one crucial step after reheating soup: Adding flavor back in by reseasoning it. With these tips and a little know-how, you can enjoy Panera soup anytime at home, right from your freezer.