The video below demonstrates how to vacuum seal liquids into flat packages using a basic vacuum sealer. I use a FoodSaver vacuum sealer; the rolls of plastic and bags are BPA free. I assume that other brands would work equally well.
Over the years I’ve used this technique when freezing soups, stews, sauces, tomato puree, and more. Because the liquids are frozen into flat packages, they stack nicely in the freezer and conserve space.
Some people suggest first freezing liquid into cubes, then vacuum sealing the cubes. I find that extra step to be completely unnecessary, and the resulting packages are bumpy and don’t stack as well. Freezing the liquid directly into flat packages is faster, easier, and more efficient.
I recently noticed that there are expensive vacuum sealers for sale made specifically for liquids. Again, I find my method works perfectly well without investing in a larger, more expensive machine.
Tips for Vacuum Sealing Liquids
- The edges of your packages may become wet if liquid is drawn out during the vacuum sealing process. Simply wipe with a dish cloth and then blot dry.
- Before freezing, be sure your packages are dry, otherwise they may stick together in the freezer. As an option, you can layer a paper towel between each package.
- The packages will stack better if they are all the same size.
If you like this tutorial on how to vacuum seal liquids, you may also enjoy another one I created, How to Make and Freeze Tomato Puree.
41 Comments
Anonymous
May 28, 2021 at 3:35 pmThank you, Judy!
Patti R.
1
Judy DeLorenzo
May 29, 2021 at 12:31 amYou’re very welcome!
Cathy
January 15, 2023 at 1:17 pmThank you!! Going to use my the Foodsaver for my RV fridge. Space is limited. Glad to know I will be able to freeze liquids in one step.
Judy DeLorenzo
January 15, 2023 at 1:20 pmYou’re so very welcome!
Hannah J Parrish
November 8, 2021 at 11:26 pmThank you! Well explained!
Judy DeLorenzo
November 9, 2021 at 8:46 amGlad to be of help!
Lisa M Wright
December 28, 2021 at 4:11 pmyou’re a lifesaver Thank-you for sharing. i like to buy in bulk so much easier than canning and saves so much room
Judy DeLorenzo
December 29, 2021 at 12:18 pmYou’re welcome Lisa 🙂
Crystal Monet
January 28, 2022 at 12:57 pmI have a basic Ziploc vacuum sealer without the ‘Moist’ option. I added a little liquid with the food and it sucked out a lot of liquid so that it over flowed in the trough.
Judy DeLorenzo
January 29, 2022 at 3:25 pmHi Crystal,
Hummmm. Next time, try pressing “seal” if you notice liquid is being sucked out. Every so often that happens to me, and I press “seal” to stop any more from being drawn out.
I hope this helps,
Judy
mary
September 28, 2024 at 2:46 pmI use my FOOD SAVER all the time. I usually put two seals at each end of the bag in case there is leakage. I do find that over time sone of the seals do leak air but contents is frozen so not an issue.
Judy DeLorenzo
September 30, 2024 at 10:29 amHi Mary. I usually only seal each end once, and I don’t have problems with the seals breaking. I wonder if your machine isn’t working properly? Mine recently stopped working and I called FoodSaver. It was still under the 5 year warrantee so they sent me a new unit. The great part is that I didn’t need to find the receipt, and I hadn’t filled out a warrantee card. They could tell the manufacture date by the letters/numbers etched into one prong of the electrical plug.
Deborah Uzzell
February 1, 2022 at 7:59 pmI just purchased my very first Food Saver after wanting one for a long time. I am so happy to have found your tutorial on freezing liquids since that was one of the main reasons I bought it for. Your instructions were clear and easy to follow. Thank you.
Judy DeLorenzo
February 2, 2022 at 10:28 amHi Deborah. Thanks for your kind words and welcome to the vacuum sealer club! Let me know if you have any questions.
David
May 25, 2022 at 8:53 amits hard to see but sounds like you are not only sealing but vacuuming out the excess air correct? How does it not suck the liquid up and prevent the seal? I have a nutrichef and the liquid gets sucked up past the seal line and it doesn’t fully seal. it would be helpful to see the sealing and vacuuming by filming the video right above the sealer instead of from the side. Thank you
Judy DeLorenzo
May 25, 2022 at 11:21 amHi David. Yes, after nudging out any trapped air bubbles, the air from the edge of the bag is sucked out before being sealed. Most of the time the machine starts sealing before any liquid is sucked out. Occasionally a bit of liquid is sucked out, but not enough to prevent a seal. Afterwards I just wipe the edge.
Sandy J
September 26, 2022 at 9:07 pmI love my food safer but my freeze dryer has been a life changer. You should look into one.
Judy DeLorenzo
September 30, 2022 at 10:44 amHi Sandy,
I did a quick google search. Wow they’re expensive – about twice as expensive as my 10 tray Excalibur with stainless steel shelves.
Are you saying that you freeze dry sauces and soups?
Anonymous
October 27, 2022 at 9:27 ama freeze dryer will run you about $2,500+ and yes it will preserve soups, sauces, and most other foods for 25 years without loosing nutrition like we see with other methods.
Anonymous
March 3, 2023 at 9:03 amHi Judy!,
I enjoyed this video and found it very useful. I appreciated your natural presence while doing this versus a performance video. I took a look at your recipes, Yummy! Will definitely be following you for more words of wisdom and delicious flavor profiles.
Be well,
Patty
Judy DeLorenzo
March 5, 2023 at 8:21 pmHi Patty,
Thanks so much and welcome!
Virginia Juarez
June 1, 2023 at 11:35 amThank you- I am going to try it . I have the exact same model.
Judy DeLorenzo
June 1, 2023 at 7:28 pmYou’re welcome 🙂 Let us know how it goes!
Donna
June 21, 2023 at 1:20 amHow do you make sure liquid isn’t sucked out? I froze some food stuff that had a little liquid and it sucked it all out, the little tray overflowed.
Judy DeLorenzo
June 22, 2023 at 10:28 amHi Donna. If it starts to suck out liquid, hit the seal button, and the machine will stop vacuuming and seal the bag.
Sergey Davydov
June 24, 2023 at 9:05 pmWhat name of your vacuum device? I’d like to purchace the same for packing vegitable juices
Thank you in advance
Judy DeLorenzo
July 23, 2023 at 10:56 amHi Sergey,
We have the base model FoodSaver and also the next step up from the base model.
Becky McIntyre
July 7, 2023 at 7:01 pmI’m going to try refrigerating my bean soup rather than sealing it warm and then frigging/freezing. I found that I could use my machine but had to do the manual method (where you can control it) and that worked reasonably well. When I tried to just use the automatic method, it tried to suck ALL of the liquid out; it would not seal in time. Disaster. I’m going to try your canning jar/canning funnel method, too — beats measuring it in a liquid measuring cup and pouring it. Also, you’ve probably seen the method of folding over the top of the bag to prevent it from getting wet. Have you tried that? Thanks for your video.
Judy DeLorenzo
July 23, 2023 at 10:52 amHi Becky,
Yes it’s always better to let soup cool down at least to room temperature before bagging/sealing/freezing. And refrigerating cooled down soup before bagging/sealing/freezing is even better. Yes, whenever I’m vacuum sealing, if the machine starts to suck the product into the machine I immediately hit seal, as you did.
I’m not sure I understand what you mean by folding over the top of the bag to prevent it from getting wet.
You’re welcome 🙂
EJ
September 18, 2023 at 8:38 pmAre you using 8 inch or 11 inch bags in your process?
Judy DeLorenzo
September 19, 2023 at 11:44 pmHi EJ,
I use 11-inch bags when packaging 1-quart of liquid.
Susan
December 3, 2023 at 7:00 pmThe best video I have seen yet! I am a beginner to Food Saver and you explained things very simply. When opening the bag to heat the soup, do you take it out of the bag in the frozen state and heat it?.
Judy DeLorenzo
December 5, 2023 at 11:18 amHi Susan – I’m glad to be of help!
I thaw the soup, or at least partially thaw it, so I can pour it into a pan.
If I’m in a time crunch, I soak the bag for a few minutes in warm water to expedite the thawing process.
Kathy Marco
February 2, 2024 at 1:38 pmI have the same model vacuum sealer. I’ve always had bad luck sealing any food that is moist. Always gets sucked up into the tray and doesn’t always seal properly. Is it possible that I’m curing the bags to small? Any help much appreciated.
Judy DeLorenzo
February 2, 2024 at 4:16 pmI guess that’s possible. Are you cutting them a lot smaller than what I use?
Also, if the machine starts to suck liquid, just hit the “seal” button.
Anonymous
April 20, 2024 at 6:37 pmSo before sealing, the soup should be refrigerated and cooled completely before sealing?
Judy DeLorenzo
April 20, 2024 at 6:47 pmCooled or at least down to room temperature.
Henry
August 26, 2024 at 3:00 amJudy
Many thanks for your experience, openness and taking the time.
I have used this approach more than 50 times on a liquid mix and it has worked really well.
Looking at some of the comments above I did put the bag on a slight slope and raised the machine an inch.. which helps the bubbles know where they should go toward the machine and the liquid stays lower in the bag.
Best
Henry
Judy DeLorenzo
August 26, 2024 at 9:33 amHello Henry. Glad it’s working out for you and thanks for sharing.
Tia Conard
September 22, 2024 at 8:14 pmHas anyone had any problems with the expansion of the liquids once they seal damaging the seal? I am going to seal some soup but don’t want it to expand and damage my seal. Not sure if it is even a concern.
Thanks in advance!
Judy DeLorenzo
September 24, 2024 at 9:56 amHi Tia. That’s never happened to me. If you’re worried, seal twice.