The 10 best freezer-friendly recipes for meal prepping
Pack your freezer full of tasty pre-made meals.
Credit:
Maria Makes
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Pinterest is a treasure trove of recipes, with everything from tried-and-true classics to crazy outside-the-box experiments, and one of the most popular recipe categories on the site is freezer-friendly meals. These meals make dinnertime so much easier after a long, crazy day, saving you from ordering takeout—again.
With these freezer-friendly recipes, you’ll be able to make meals, pop them in the freezer, then simply reheat them when you’re hungry (without sacrificing taste). It’s no wonder the following 10 recipes are so popular on Pinterest!
1. Frozen ziti you can pop right in the oven
This classic recipe is a perfect make-ahead meal.
It’s meaty. It’s cheesy. It’s super easy to make. This recipe for Freezi Ziti (aka Freezer Baked Ziti) by Macheesmo is about to become an instant classic in your home. Just prep in advance, then pop it in the oven after a long, busy day for a no-fuss home cooked meal. Pro tip: Freeze them in disposable trays, like this set of 10 ($17.26 on Amazon) to minimize dishes at dinner.
2. Whole30 soup that makes perfectly freezable leftovers
This soup recipe complies with Whole30 guidelines.
This Whole30-approved recipe might be too pretty to eat… but it will taste even better than it looks. Once you whip up this Stuffed Pepper Soup by Maria Makes, you’ll probably be tempted to eat it all!
But if you make a big batch, you can pop your leftovers in the freezer for easy storage. Just make sure to keep the cauliflower rice separate so it doesn’t get mushy. You'll need a stock pot for the soup and a baking pan, like our favorite from NordicWare ($9.97 on Amazon), to cook your cauliflower rice to perfection.
3. A savory stromboli made with homemade dough
You can easily customize the filling of this recipe.
Some people baulk at the prospect of making dough from scratch, but this recipe by Happy Money Saver makes it so easy. Just combine the ingredients in a stand mixer and let it do all the work. The award-winning KitchenAid mixer ($279.71 on Amazon) is perfect for this. Then, you’ll have delicious dough to make this freezer-friendly Ham and Cheese Stromboli.
4. Single-serving pancake muffins for on-the-go breakfast
Top your muffins with berries, chocolate chips and more.
Freezer meals aren’t just for dinner! This recipe for Pancake Muffins by Forks and Folly is a perfect make-ahead breakfast option, especially because you can customize them to your family’s tastes. Once they're cooked, pop them into a resealable container, like our favorite glass containers ($38.69 on Amazon) and keep them in your freezer. On hectic mornings, you can grab a muffin from the freezer, warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds, and hit the road.
5. Vegetarian lasagna for those night when you want comfort food but also want to be healthy
This vegetarian lasagna will be a hit with the whole family.
Vegetarians in the crowd, this one's for you! This mouth-watering Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna from Life as a Strawberry is a definite crowd-pleaser. You'll want a good chef's knife handy to chop the veggies for this tasty dish, and Victorinox makes the best lower-cost blade ($44.36 on Amazon) we've ever tested. When you have one on standby in the freezer, it’s the perfect way to feed the whole family on short notice.
6. A decadent main course that's gluten- and dairy-free
This pork roast recipe is gluten and dairy free!
Who said gluten-free meals have to be boring? This Gluten-Free Stuffed Pork Road by Once a Month Meals would be a wonderful meal to bust out of your freezer on an impromptu special. Be sure to follow the second set of directions if you want to freeze it, and when it's time to eat, let the meat rest on our favorite bamboo cutting board (starting at $10.80 on Amazon) that can double as an artisanal serving platter.
7. Chicken pot pies that you don't have to share
It's easy to make these pot pies in bulk!
Chicken pot pies are a dish that seems hard to make, but is really quite simple! This recipe for Mini Freezer Pot Pies by Butter Your Biscuit makes five adorable dishes that you can stack in the freezer to enjoy at a later date, and you can easily customize the filling to suit your tastes. Like with your lasagna and ziti, use disposable foil pie pans ($10.99 for 50 on Amazon) to make cleanup a breeze.
8. Vegetarian enchiladas so tasty you won't miss the meat
Who doesn't love a cheesy enchilada?
Here’s another vegetarian option that’s sure to please everyone. This Black Bean and Spinach Enchilada Casserole by Kiwi and Bean is amazingly cheesy with a kick of Mexican spices, and you can make it ahead of time for those weeks when you’re too busy to think straight. Since enchiladas tend to be saucy, you might want something sturdier than foil, such as this Pyrex baking dish ($11.07 on Amazon).
9. Breakfast burritos perfect to take along when you're running late
These hearty burritos contain eggs, sausage and more.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but so many people skimp on this meal when they’re rushing out the door in the morning. If this sounds like you, check out this recipe for Breakfast Burritos by The Country Cook. With a stash of these in the freezer, you’ll have a hearty, nutritious breakfast that you can grab on hectic mornings. Keep them wrapped individually in foil, and you can toss one on your bag and heat it up at the office. Reynolds makes precut sheets ($5.88 for a 2-pack on Amazon) that are super convenient when you're prepping a big batch of burritos.
10. A stash of frozen meatballs for quick but hearty dinners
Meatballs are a versatile meal to have tucked in the freezer.
Every busy household should have a stash of meatballs in the freezer. They’re versatile, easy to make, and most importantly, delicious. If you want to fill your freezer with pre-made meatballs, use this recipe from The Cook’s Pyjamas, which is super popular on Pinterest. You can even make and freeze spaghetti sauce to go with them, and when it's time to reheat them, you can bake them, reheat them right in the sauce on the stove, or throw everything in a multicooker like our favorite from Crock-Pot ($69.99 on Amazon).
Prices are accurate at the time of publication, but may change over time.
