Here's How Long French Onion Soup Will Last In The Fridge

French onion soup — that delectable mix of carmelized onion and meaty broth topped with toasted bread and gooey gruyere — is a favorite among soup enthusiasts. Despite its simple ingredients, French onion soup is quite hearty. A piping-hot bowl of this French classic makes for a dense side dish; top it with a hearty helping of cheese and bread, and it becomes a main entrée.

After making a large batch of this traditional savory fare, you'll want to save all the leftovers you can. However, like anything else, French onion soup won't last forever. Once they've gone bad, leftovers will lose their quality and are at risk of spreading harmful bacteria. After it's been stored correctly, a container of French onion soup will safely last three to four days in the refrigerator. If you need to preserve your extra soup for longer, you can freeze it for three to four months.

Before your three-to-four-day freshness countdown begins, you should make sure you store your leftover soup correctly. According to the USDA's food safety guidelines, the soup should be refrigerated within two hours of coming off the burner. Leaving food out for too long is one of the two "main causes of foodborne illness," according to the agency. Food should be chilled rapidly, which requires a specific step when dealing with hot liquids like soup. Instead of putting leftover French onion soup in a large container, the USDA recommends splitting the leftovers into multiple smaller containers so that the soup can cool to a safe temperature faster. If kept in one container, a large amount of soup will take much too long to cool down, potentially becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. 

If you follow these steps, you can enjoy this tasty soup for another three to four days out of the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can freeze the soup for a longer period. Technically, foods kept in the freezer will remain safe to eat indefinitely; however, they will begin to lose their quality after three to four months. Make sure to label the soup before freezing it so you know how long it's been in the freezer.

When you're ready to bring your refrigerated or frozen leftovers back to life, you'll have to follow a few steps to ensure safe handling. Assuming proper storage, you can simply reheat your refrigerated soup in a microwave or on the stove. If you're thawing a frozen batch of soup, you have three tools at your disposal: the refrigerator, cold water, and a microwave. According to the USDA, letting your soup thaw in the refrigerator before reheating is the safest method because the food stays cold the entire time. The agency also approves thawing your leftovers in cold water, which is much quicker than a refrigerator, but requires that the packaging stays completely sealed to prevent the introduction of bacteria.

All leftovers should be reheated to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit, per the USDA. However, it notes that soups should be reheated to a "rolling boil" before consuming. If using a microwave to reheat, make sure to stir the dish to ensure that all pockets of food are evenly heated. If you can't finish all the leftovers after thawing a frozen batch, fear not! The USDA states that it is perfectly safe to refreeze leftovers that were already frozen and thawed.