A well-stocked freezer is always a good idea. This means you can have pre-made meals on hand for busy evenings or whip up a meal when you don't have time to go to the supermarket. Portioned sauces are also very handy when you're craving a comforting bowl of pasta - just defrost and go. Luckily, there are several freezer recipes that are particularly good. Below are some of our favorite freezer meals.
Food Safety Notice – What you should be aware of
If you've cooked something and want to freeze it, you should quickly cool it to room temperature - either in an ice water bath or in a shallow container so it spreads out and cools faster. (Metal is particularly good at conducting high and low temperatures.) Then cover and freeze the dish. Do not place hot foods directly in the refrigerator or freezer. When you do this, the temperature drops - the danger zone for food is 4-60 degrees Celsius, because bacteria grow in this range. If you plan to freeze a lot of food at once, cool it in the refrigerator first so that the temperature in the freezer does not rise.
When defrosting food, ensure that it defrosts evenly and stays below 4 degrees Celsius. You can thaw slowly in the refrigerator or quickly under cold running water.
The best tips for freezing
- Freezing individual portions can be very useful if you frequently cook for 1 or 2 people.
- Vegetarian recipes have a longer shelf life than recipes containing meat.
- Always thaw safely.
- Reusable food bags offer a more efficient storage option than freezer-safe boxes. Remove air from reusable bags before sealing them to free up more space in your freezer.
- Think about reheating food. If an ingredient is to be eaten cold, do not add it to the recipe until you are ready to serve it.
- Label everything clearly because all meals look the same when frozen!
- If you have a large enough freezer, freeze things like lasagna in a freezer-safe baking dish to make it easier to reheat.
Freeze Stock Recipes – Basic Tomato Sauce
Preparing and freezing food –Tomato sauce is one of the products you should always have in the fridge for quick spaghetti and more. The sauce in this pasta recipe can be frozen for up to a month.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- A can of whole plum tomatoes in juice, coarsely pureed (800 grams)
- kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
preparation:
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the carrot, then add the tomatoes and season with salt. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and oregano.
The tomato sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
How to freeze fresh herbs in olive oil? Thefind out here!
Greek-inspired lamb stew
This hearty and warming cinnamon-spiced stew is packed with slow-cooked vegetables and is just right for a cold day.
Recipes to freeze in advance:Prepare the dish until the end of step 3. Allow to cool, transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag, and freeze for up to 1 month.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 250g pack of diced leg of lamb
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 eggplant, cut into 2cm pieces
- 2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 400 g can of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 300 ml chicken broth
- 50g pitted black olives
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 Zimtstange
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 5 mm thick slices (1/4 inch)
- 200 g bulgur wheat
- 50 g Feta, zerkrümelt
- Small handful of dill, chopped
preparation:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven (with a lid) over medium-high heat and brown the lamb pieces on all sides. Place in a bowl. Add the onion to the skillet/stew pan, reduce the heat and cook until softened, 5-10 minutes. Add the eggplant and peppers and cook for another 5 minutes until they begin to brown.
- Stir in the garlic, sauté for 1 minute, then return the lamb to the pan with the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, olives, oregano, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and spices. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
- Remove the lid, stir in the zucchini, cover the pot again and simmer for another 30 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another 15 minutes, until the lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- During the last 15 minutes, bring the bulgur wheat and 400ml water to the boil in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat for 10-12 minutes until the water is absorbed and the bulgur wheat is soft.
- Check the seasoning of the stew, sprinkle with feta and dill, and serve with bulgur wheat.
Pro Portion:
Calories: 427
protein: 26g
Fett: 16g
Sat-Fat: 6g
Carbohydrates: 50g
Zucker: 13g
fiber: 11g
Freezing zucchini – how is it done? Theyou can read here!
Recipes to freeze in advance – Thai-style minestrone
Recipes to freeze in advance: Prepare until the end of step 1. Allow to cool completely, then stir in the sugar snap peas, cannellini beans, and lime zest and juice. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw completely before serving. Empty into a pot. Bring to a boil, add pasta and simmer for 5 minutes until pasta is tender.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 75g green Thai curry paste
- 1.6 liters of vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 200g macaroni noodles
- 150 g sugar snap peas
- 400g can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
- A handful of coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish
preparation:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and fry the onions and carrots until softened, 10 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and soy sauce.
- Bring to a boil, stir in the pasta and simmer for 5 minutes until the pasta is almost tender. Stir in the snap peas and cannellini beans and cook 2 minutes more.
- Stir in the lime zest and juice; check the seasoning. Pour into 4 bowls and garnish with coriander. Serve.
Pro Portion:
Calories: 391
protein: 16g
Total fat: 7g
Saturated fatty acids: 0g
Carbohydrates: 60g
Total sugar: 14g
fiber: 13g
Freeze Stock Recipes – Stuffed Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta
A homely meal ideal for a vegetarian family meal or sharing with friends.
Recipes to freeze in advance: Prepare the pasta to the end of step 5, then cover in foil and freeze.
Ingredients:
- 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 stalk of celery, roughly chopped
- 500g (1lb 2oz) tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 x 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
- A large handful of coarsely chopped basil
- 250g pasta shells, we used conchiglioni
- 200 g Spinat
- 250 g Ricotta
- 100 g Philadelphia
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 No
- 50 g Parmesan
preparation:
- First prepare the tomato sauce and preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Toss onion, garlic, celery and fresh tomatoes with olive oil and plenty of spices in a large roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes.
- Scrape the roasted vegetables into a blender and puree until smooth. Place in a large pot and mix with the chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, sugar and most of the basil. Bring to a boil, turn off and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, 5-7 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water and allow to cool. Place the spinach in a large colander and pour over a kettle full of freshly boiled water. Let it sit until it is cool enough to handle. Pick up a handful at a time and squeeze the liquid out of the wilted spinach. Chop the spinach and place it in a large bowl.
- Mix the ricotta, Philadelphia, egg, nutmeg and half of the Parmesan with the spinach and season to taste.
- Pour the tomato sauce into a shallow 2.3 liter ovenproof dish. Divide the cheese mixture among the cooled pasta shells, being careful not to break them. Place them in the tomato sauce in a single layer. Sprinkle them with the remaining cheese.
- Cover with foil and put back in the oven. Cook covered for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for another 15 minutes.
Pro Portion:
Calories: 600
fiber: 7 g
Total carbohydrates: 59 g
Zucker: 14 g
Total fat: 27 g
Saturated fat: 13 g
protein: 26 g
How can you preserve basil? Thefind out here!
More foods you can freeze
Are you missing a trick when it comes to using your freezer? Here's how to save money and groceries!
Protein:Crack eggs and place them in an airtight container to freeze. Separate the egg yolks and whites if you want to freeze them separately for different dishes. You can freeze the egg whites in ice cube trays, but put them in a freezer bag after freezing (so you don't put ice cubes in drinks!). Freeze them for up to 2 months and thaw them in a covered bowl in the refrigerator overnight.
Risotto:Quickly cool this Italian classic, then portion it into the holes of a silicone muffin tin and freeze. Once solid, press it out of the mold and then place it in a freezer bag. When you're ready to cook, let them thaw in the fridge and then heat them in a pot with a little water or stock to loosen them up.
Meatballs:Making meatballs can be very time consuming. So make them when you have the time, then freeze them on a baking tray, spaced apart, until firm, then pack them up. You can store meatballs in the freezer for up to 2 months.
More delicious dishes to freezeyou can find here!
