Soy sauce has a lot of uses, including as a cooking ingredient and as a condiment. When you want to make an Asian-styled dish, you might want to freeze soy sauce to give it more flavor. This is especially true if you don’t have time to make the dish from scratch.
If you have a bottle of soy sauce at home, you may wonder if you can freeze it.
Yes, you can freeze soy sauce. If you’re planning to store them in the freezer, you can either freeze the sauce in an airtight container or as ice cubes. Properly stored, soy sauce will last for up to 1 year in the freezer.
Does Soy Sauce Freeze Well?
Soy sauce freezes well and tastes the same, only taking up a little more space in the freezer. One tip is to pour soy sauce into ice cube trays and freeze them for easier access.
Freezing soy sauce is a great way to preserve this condiment. It prevents the soy sauce from losing its flavor and texture, allowing you to enjoy a jar of this flavorful dipping sauce for many months.
How To Freeze Soy Sauce
Soy sauce is made by fermenting soybeans, water, and salt. The fermentation process turns the soybeans into a thick liquid with a mild flavor. Soy sauce needs to be refrigerated when it is opened. It will last for a couple of weeks before it starts to go bad.
If you need to keep soy sauce longer, you can freeze it. Soy sauce freezes at a temperature of -15 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it the perfect choice for freezer storage.
Freezing soy sauce can be done by freezing them in an airtight container or frozen as ice cubes.
For large portions, I recommend freezing it in an airtight container. Simply pour the soy sauce into the container. Leave about an inch of space at the top. This will allow room for the liquid to expand. Then secure the lid to the container, label it with the date of freezing, and place it into the freezer.
For smaller portions, you should freeze the soy sauce as ice cubes. This is great when you just need a small amount for making a dipping sauce or a small meal.
Below are the steps to freezing soy sauce as ice cubes:
Step 1: Get out the ice cube tray and clean them thoroughly.
Step 2: Pour the soy sauce into each slot. Keep a small amount of space at the top to allow for the sauce to expand.
Step 3: Wrap the tray with plastic wrap.
Step 4: Place it into the freezer. Let it sit for about 1-2 hours to freeze.
Step 5: Once completely frozen, remove it from the freezer.
Step 6: Immediately transfer the soy sauce cubes to a freezer bag.
Step 7: Press on the bag to remove any excess air before sealing.
Step 8: Label the bag with the date of freezing and place it into the freezer.
How Long Can You Freeze Soy Sauce?
Soy sauce comes in many varieties, such as tamari, shoyu, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and more.
Generally, the shelf life of the soy sauce can be up to 12 months in the freezer. After that time, the sauce will start to deteriorate in quality. The flavors will slowly start to become bland and the texture of it will thicken.
However, soy sauce stored beyond that point will still be safe to use. The only thing though is that it will not taste very good.
How Do You Defrost Soy Sauce?
When it comes to thawing soy sauce, there are different methods of doing so. The best method is to pre-soaking the container in hot water for about 20 minutes, place it in the refrigerator for about 10 hours, and then heat up the sauce for a couple of minutes before using it.
To defrost soy sauce faster, place it in a bowl of cold water with ice cubes and change the water every few minutes. Also, put the bottle on its side to prevent condensation from dripping back into the sauce.
Can You Refreeze Soy Sauce?
Freezing soy sauce again is possible, but it’s not recommended to do so. Freezing soy sauce more than once will cause the quality to deteriorate even further.
If you have any leftovers after thawing, simply keep them in the fridge. You have a couple of days to use it before it has to be thrown out.
Other Questions about Soy Sauce
Can you freeze soy sauce marinade?
Yes, you can freeze soy sauce marinade. Soy sauces are typically added to a marinade and left on the counter at room temperature, which means they can start to oxidize and lose some of their flavors in as little as an hour or two.
Freezing soy sauce will stop this process from happening, allowing you to enjoy your dishes for longer periods of time without worrying about them.
Can you freeze Kikkoman soy sauce?
Kikkoman soy sauce can be frozen. It should not be frozen for a long time. Doing so will cause the texture to change. After it’s thawed, it will not taste as fresh as it should.