The Souper Cubes 1-Cup Freezer Tray is the best portioned soup freezer tray, because its sturdy silicone molds freeze soup into perfect one-cup blocks that pop out cleanly and stack flat, turning a pot of soup into grab-and-reheat portions. Freezing soup in bags means leaks and mystery blobs, and big containers force you to thaw everything at once. Portioned trays solve both problems, and Souper Cubes essentially invented the category.
The Souper Cubes 1-Cup Freezer Tray is the best portioned soup freezer tray, with rigid-framed silicone molds and a fitted lid that make freezing and releasing one-cup blocks effortless. The Tovolo King Cube tray is the budget route for smaller two-inch portions of stock and sauce.
- Best overall: Souper Cubes 1-Cup Freezer Tray
- Best value: W&P Cup Cubes Freezer Tray
- Best budget: Tovolo King Cube Ice Tray
- Avoid: Thin dollar-store ice trays, which crack in deep freeze and spill on the way to the freezer
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Quick Picks
- Best overall: Souper Cubes 1-Cup Freezer Tray, Rigid-framed silicone with fill lines and a lid, the category standard.. Check price on Amazon
- Best value: W&P Cup Cubes Freezer Tray, Sturdy one-cup silicone cubes that stack cleanly in tight freezers..
- Best budget: Tovolo King Cube Ice Tray, Big two-inch cubes perfect for stock, sauce, and small soup portions..
Comparison Table
| Freezer tray | Portion size | Best for | Lid included | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Souper Cubes 1-Cup | One cup with half-cup fill line | Soup, stew, chili portions | Yes | Check Price |
| W&P Cup Cubes | One cup | Soup and grain portions | Yes | Check Price |
| Tovolo King Cube | Two-inch cubes | Stock, sauce, small add-ins | Varies by version | Check Price |
| OXO Good Grips Smart Seal Glass 2-Cup | Two cups | Full meals, fridge-to-freezer | Yes, locking | Check Price |
How We Chose These Meal Prep Containers Picks
We compared silicone thickness, frame rigidity, lid design, and portion sizes across the popular freezer-tray brands, then checked owner feedback on cracking in deep freezers, ease of release, and off-odors. Trays that carry full of liquid without spilling scored highest.
Key Takeaway: Freeze soup in one-cup blocks, pop them out once solid, and store the blocks in a labeled freezer bag. The tray goes back into rotation and your freezer stays stackable.
Best Overall: Souper Cubes 1-Cup Freezer Tray
Best for: Batch cooks who make soup, stew, chili, or stock regularly and want portions that thaw one serving at a time. Why it made the list: Souper Cubes reinforced the silicone with a rigid rim, so a tray full of hot soup carries to the freezer without folding or sloshing, and the engraved half-cup and one-cup fill lines make portioning automatic.
- Key specs: Food-grade silicone with a rigid steel-reinforced rim, four one-cup wells with half-cup fill lines, fitted lid, freezer, oven, and dishwasher safe per the maker.
- What we like: Frozen blocks release with one twist, the lid prevents freezer burn and spills, and the uniform blocks stack like bricks in a crowded freezer.
- What we do not like: Each tray only holds four cups, so a big stockpot needs several trays or multiple freezing rounds, and the trays take up real freezer shelf space while contents solidify.
- Who should buy it: Meal preppers, parents freezing kid-size portions, and anyone who makes stock or beans in bulk.
- Who should avoid it: Cooks who freeze entire family-size batches to reheat all at once, who are better served by two-cup rigid containers like the OXO Smart Seal glass line.
- Common complaints: Some owners note silicone can pick up tomato and curry odors over time, and a few wish the lids sealed tighter for stacking unfrozen trays. Baking-soda soaks handle the odors.
- Size note: Measure your freezer shelf clearance, since a filled tray with lid needs a flat spot roughly the size of a sheet of paper.
- Cleaning note: Dishwasher safe on the top rack, though a warm soapy hand wash preserves the silicone longer. Sun-dry occasionally to clear lingering odors.
- Alternative: For smaller flavor portions like concentrated stock, herbs in oil, or tomato paste, the Tovolo King Cube two-inch tray is the perfect companion size.
Meal Prep Container Buying Guide for Freezing Soup
Portion size drives everything
One-cup blocks suit lunches and single servings, two-cup portions feed a hungry adult dinner, and two-inch cubes are right for stock and sauces you add to pans. Buy the size that matches how you actually eat, since a wrong-size portion means thawing too much or too little every single time.
Silicone trays versus rigid containers
Silicone trays win because you pop out frozen blocks and reuse the tray immediately, storing blocks in flat freezer bags. Rigid containers like glass stay with the food, eating freezer space and your container supply. The trade-off is that silicone needs a rigid rim to carry liquid, so cheap floppy trays fail exactly when full.
Look for lids, fill lines, and freezer-safe ratings
A fitted lid prevents spills, freezer burn, and odor transfer. Fill lines turn portioning into measuring. And check that the material is rated for deep-freeze temperatures, since thin plastics crack and shatter below zero. Dishwasher-safe materials keep the batch-cooking workflow sustainable.
Safety Notes
- Cool soup before filling trays, since loading hot liquid raises freezer temperature and can stress the silicone and neighboring foods.
- Label and date frozen blocks, and use most soups within three months for best quality.
- Thaw soup in the refrigerator or reheat frozen blocks directly in a pot, not on the counter overnight.
- Reheat soups to a full boil, and never refreeze soup that has been fully thawed at room temperature.
What to Avoid
- Floppy trays with no rigid rim, which fold and spill on the way to the freezer.
- Overfilling past the fill line, since liquids expand as they freeze and lift the lid.
- Freezing dairy-heavy soups expecting perfect texture, as cream separates slightly and needs whisking on reheat.
- Leaving blocks in the tray for months, which invites freezer burn. Pop them into sealed bags once solid.
FAQ
How do I freeze soup in portions without freezer burn?
Freeze soup in a lidded portion tray until solid, then transfer the blocks to a freezer bag, press out the air, and label with the date. The double protection of solid freezing plus an airtight bag keeps soup tasting fresh for about three months.
Can I put hot soup directly into silicone freezer trays?
Quality silicone tolerates hot liquid, but it is smarter to cool soup to warm first. Hot fills warm up the freezer, slow the freeze, and can degrade cheap silicone. An ice bath under the pot cools a batch in fifteen minutes.
How do I reheat a frozen soup block?
Drop the frozen block straight into a saucepan with a splash of water over medium-low heat, covered, stirring as it loosens. For the microwave, use a covered bowl at medium power, stirring every couple of minutes, then heat until fully steaming.
Final Verdict
The Souper Cubes 1-Cup Freezer Tray is the best portioned soup freezer tray thanks to its rigid frame, fill lines, and clean-releasing blocks, with the W&P Cup Cubes Freezer Tray as a sturdy stackable alternative and the Tovolo King Cube Ice Tray covering stock and sauce portions on a budget.
