A Must-Try Kitchen Hack for Soup Lovers
I make soup year-round, and several times a week in the cooler months. My kids even love it as an after-school snack! As a bona fide soup lover, trust me when I tell you this frozen mirepoix hack is a GAME CHANGER. Combine chopped fresh carrots, celery, and onions in freezer bags, then freeze for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to make soup or stew, add a couple of cups to a pot and you’re off to a quick and easy start – no chopping required.
What is Mirepoix?
Mirepoix (pronounced meer-pwah) is a classic French cooking base made from carrots, celery, and onion. The vegetables are chopped then softened in butter or extra virgin olive oil to create a flavorful starting point for soups, stews, and sauces.
Most of the soup recipes in my robust collection start with mirepoix, and being able to scoop some from the freezer, versus chopping vegetables every time I want to make a batch, is a such time saver!
Why You’ll Love Make-Ahead Mirepoix to Cut Soup Prep Time
- Make-ahead: Prep time is slashed when your mirepoix is ready and waiting in the freezer.
- Great for smaller batches: Making soup for only a few people, or just yourself? Use only the amount of mirepoix you need.
- Versatile: I use frozen mirepoix as a soup and stew starter, but I also add it to many dishes that start with browning ground meat, to add veggies and flavor. For example, I’ll add a scoop to my ground beef while it cooks for spaghetti night, or anytime I’m making goulash.
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Ingredients Needed
Traditional French mirepoix uses a 2:1:1 ratio of onion to carrot to celery by weight. Personally, I like an even-steven ratio of 1:1:1 – you can use more or less of any of the three ingredients to make this freezer mirepoix your own.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Carrots: I take this shortcut one step further by using bagged, shredded carrots. They’re quicker and easier than peeling and chopping whole carrots.
- Celery: You’ll need 1 whole stalk/bunch of celery, which weighs around 1-3/4 pounds before trimming, and around 1 pound after trimming. Feel free to keep the leaves on the tender center stalks, as they add lots of flavor.
- Onion: Use a jumbo yellow onion, or a few smaller ones, for the onion portion of the freezer mirepoix.
How to Freeze Mirepoix
- Chop: Add the celery and onion to a large food processor, then process until finely chopped.
- Freeze: Divide the vegetables between two Ziploc freezer bags then add the shredded carrots. Shake to combine then press out the air, seal, and freeze flat.
- Break up: Use the flat side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin to gently break up the frozen mirepoix. The vegetables will separate, making it easy to scoop out what you need. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
How to Use Frozen Mirepoix
- Steam: Add frozen mirepoix to a soup pot over medium heat, then add a splash of water and place a lid on top. Let the mirepoix steam for a couple of minutes, then remove the lid and break it up with a spoon or spatula.
- Saute: Let the water cook off then add butter or extra virgin olive oil, plus salt and pepper, and saute per usual.
How Much Frozen Mirepoix Should I Use?
A general rule of thumb is to use 1-1/2 – 2 cups of frozen mirepoix in any soup or stew recipe that calls for 6-8 cups of liquid. Feel free to use more or less depending on the recipe, and your tastes.
Also, I typically add a cup or so to ground beef when I’m browning it for spaghetti sauce or when making goulash. There are SO many uses for this make-ahead mixture!
Use Frozen Mirepoix in Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
How to Make Freezer Mirepoix
Step 1: Chop the celery.
Start by trimming a stalk/bunch of celery then cut it into hunks and place them in the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse until the celery is finely chopped, then scoop it into a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Chop the onion.
Next, trim a jumbo yellow onion (or a couple of smaller ones) then cut it into hunks and pulse in the food processor until finely chopped.
Step 3: Combine then divide.
Scoop the onions into the bowl with the celery then stir with a spatula to combine.
Use a 1 cup measuring cup to divide the veggies between two gallon-size Ziploc freezer bags. You should get about 3 heaping cups per bag.
Step 4: Add carrots then freeze.
Next, add 3/4 of a bag of shredded carrots to each Ziploc bag, then seal and shake to combine. Press out the air then freeze flat for up to 6 months.
That’s all there is to it! I hope this make-ahead hack for all your favorite soups and stews makes you as happy as it has made me. From one soup lover to another, enjoy!
Use Freezer Mirepoix in these Soup Recipes
- Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Ham and Bean Soup
- Hamburger Soup
- Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle Soup
- Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Sweet Corn, Kielbasa and Potato Soup
Freezer Mirepoix (Make-Ahead Soup Starter)
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 celery stalk/bunch ~1-3/4lb
- 1 jumbo yellow onion OR 2 medium-sized yellow onions ~1lb
- 2, 10 oz bag shredded carrots
Instructions
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Open 2 gallon-size Ziploc freezer bags then set them aside. Get out a large mixing bowl then set it aside.
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Trim the celery – keep the leaves on the tender center ribs – then roughly chop. You should have ~1lb celery after trimming. Add the pieces to the bowl of a food processor then pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed. Scrape the celery into the mixing bowl.
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Trim then slice the onion in half. Peel then roughly chop each half and add to the food processor. Pulse until the onions are finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed. Scrape the onions into the mixing bowl then stir with a spatula to combine with the celery. Use a 1 cup measuring cup to divide the mixture between the two Ziploc bags. Each bag should get ~3 cups.
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Add 3/4 of a bag of shredded carrots (~3 cups) into the first Ziploc bag, then add the remaining shredded carrots plus half the second bag of shredded carrots into the second Ziploc bag. Seal the bags keeping the air inside then shake to mix all the ingredients.
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Shake the mirepoix into a flat layer then remove the air, seal, and freeze flat. Once the mirepoix is completely frozen you can break it up gently with a meat mallet or rolling pin on the outside of the bag, and the vegetables will remain loose inside the bag. Freeze the mirepoix for up to 6 months.
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To use: Add a portion of frozen mirepoix (see notes) into a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat then add a splash of water and place a lid on top. Steam until the mirepoix can be broken up with a spatula, 3-4 minutes, then remove the lid and let the water cook off. Add oil or butter, plus salt and pepper, then soften as normal.
Notes
- Use 1-1/2 – 2 cups prepared frozen mirepoix for any standard soup recipe calling for 6-8 cups of liquid. Use ~1 cup (or more or less) for any recipe that calls for 1lb ground meat (for example goulash or spaghetti sauce).
Nutrition
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
READ: Freezer Mirepoix (Make-Ahead Soup Starter)