Freezer Meals 101

Spinach and Sausage Pasta Bake

Pasta dinners are always a hit with my family. And since noodle dishes are always easy to freeze, they’re perfect for meal prep! This flavorful Italian sausage pasta bake makes the perfect freezer friendly dinner. It’s a delicious dinner that’s perfect for a busy weeknight meal. And since it’s made with veggies, it’s also a healthy one pot meal that’s sure to be a hit with everyone in the family.Our family loves our pasta meals! This one has a nice contrast of flavours with the sausage, spinach, and tomatoes. If you’re also a pasta fan, you may also enjoy our Alfredo Tortellini Bake, Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Bake, and Johnny Marzetti Casserole.

Italian Sausage Pasta Bake Recipe

Ingredients:

12 oz. bow tie pasta
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1/2 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
28 ounce can Italian style plum tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups whipping cream or heavy cream
1 cup spinach leaves, sliced into strips

Freezing instructions:

Cook pasta according to the package directions in a large pot of boiling water. Drain the water from the pasta and rinse under cold water. Set the pan aside.
Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. When the meat is cooked through, drain the fat from the pan and remove the pan from heat.
Allow the sausage to cool slightly, then transfer it to a large freezer bag.
Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, cream, and spinach to the bag. Use your fingers to squish the ingredients inside the bag to break the tomatoes into smaller pieces and combine the sauce ingredients.
Add the cooked pasta, then seal the bag and shake to combine.
Open the corner of the bag to release the excess air. Reseal and freeze.

Serving instructions:

Thaw the pasta in the refrigerator.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Transfer the thawed pasta to the casserole dish and cover the pan with foil.
Bake for 40 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly.

Is Pasta Freezer Friendly?

The trick to freezing pasta is cooking it slightly under what is called for in the package directions so that it doesn’t get mushy when you reheat it. You can easily freeze cooked pasta and reheat it in the oven for a delicious dinner any night of the week.

When you’re freezing pasta for dinner, there are two methods for storing your noodles in the freezer:

Freezer bags. Using freezer bags to store your pasta is great for saving space in your freezer. Simply add your cooked pasta and sauce to the bag, remove excess air from inside the bag, and flatten it before placing it in the freezer.
Casserole dish. If you’re making a freezer pasta bake, you might want to store your prepared dinner in a dish for easier cooking. After preparing your pasta bake ingredients, just transfer everything to a freezer-friendly dish and store it in the freezer. When you’re ready to cook, transfer the dish to the refrigerator to thaw and bake according to the recipe instructions.

Should I Use Spicy or Sweet Sausage?

There are a variety of different sausage flavors to choose from, which means you can easily create a customized pasta bake for your family depending how spicy they like their dinner! You can use spicy sausage in this pasta dish to add a kick of spice to your meal. Or use sweet sausage if your family doesn’t like too much spice. You can even use a combination of the two sausage varieties for even more flavor!

Italian Sausage Pasta Bake

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Course: Main Course

Keyword: pasta

Servings: 6

Ingredients

12 oz. bow tie pasta
1 pound ground Italian sausage browned
1/2 cup onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
28 ounce can Italian style plum tomatoes drained
1 1/2 cups whipping cream or heavy cream
1 cup spinach leaves sliced into strips

Instructions

Assembly Instructions:

Cook pasta according to the package directions in a large pot of boiling water. Drain the water from the pasta and set the pan aside to cool.
Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. When the meat is cooked through, drain the fat from the pan and remove the pan from heat.
Allow the sausage to cool slightly, then transfer it to a large freezer bag.
Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, cream, and spinach to the bag. Use your fingers to squish the ingredients inside the bag to break the tomatoes into smaller pieces and combine the sauce ingredients.
Add the cooked pasta, then seal the bag and shake to combine.
Open the corner of the bag to release the excess air. Reseal and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Transfer the thawed pasta to a greased casserole dish and cover the pan with foil.
Bake at 350° for 40 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly.

Make Ahead Beef and Barley Stew

By Sharla

Soups and stews are always a popular dinner choice in our house. That’s because they’re quick and easy to prepare and to cook. With the help of this make ahead beef and barley stew, you can prepare and freeze a full meal for your family with just a few minutes of prep work. And when you’re ready to serve your stew, just thaw the ingredients and dump them in the slow cooker to get dinner started in a flash!I find that soups and stews are comforting, especially in the winter. Some of our favourites are Corn Chowder, Chicken Paprikash Stew, Hamburger Soup, and Rustic Beef Stew.

Beef and Barley Stew Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds round steak, cubed
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 onion
1 green pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered
3/4 cup pearl barley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon basil
1 bay leaf
4 cups beef broth

Freezing instructions:

Place all the ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag.
Remove excess air from the bag, then seal and place in the freezer.

Serving instructions:

Transfer the stew ingredients to the refrigerator to thaw.
Pour the ingredients into the bowl of a slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours.
To cook on the stovetop, pour the ingredients into a large stockpot or Dutch oven and cook over medium heat for one hour. If the soup begins to boil, reduce the heat to low to simmer until the cook time is up.

Can I Make Beef Stew and Freeze It?

While precooking your meals and freezing them is a great way to speed up the cooking process of many make ahead meals, precooking beef stew before freezing it isn’t a good idea. But that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare make ahead beef stew!

In fact, the prep work for putting together freezer-friendly stew is quick and easy. That’s because you don’t need to cook any of the stew ingredients before freezing them. Simply chop the meat and veggies into bite-sized pieces and transfer everything to a freezer bag.

Store the bag flat in the freezer until you’re ready to heat up your beef stew. After that, all you have to do is allow the ingredients to thaw, then heat them in up in the slow cooker or on the stovetop.

Do I Need to Cook Pearl Barley Before Adding it to Stew?

Using barley in your stew recipe is a great way to create a thick and hearty stew. But whether or not to cook the barley before mixing it with other soup ingredients is a question many cooks have as they’re preparing classic beef and barley stew.

The answer to this question really depends on preference. If you enjoy a thick stew, add the barley at the beginning of the cook time. Using this method, there’s no need to precook the barley before mixing it into the soup. The barley will cook along with the rest of the ingredients, causing the broth in the soup to thicken as the barley cooks.

But if you would rather not have the barley thicken your stew, you can prepare the barley separate from the rest of the stew ingredients. Just boil the barley separately in a pot of water for 20 to 30 minutes. After that, rinse the barley and add it to the stew just before you’re ready to serve it.

Beef and Barley Stew

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Course: Main Course

Keyword: beef

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. round steak cubed
4 carrots peeled and sliced
1 onion chopped
1 green pepper diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms quartered
3/4 cup pearl barley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
½ tsp. basil
1 bay leaf
4 cups beef broth

Instructions

Assembly Instructions:

Place all the ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag.
Remove excess air from the bag, seal and freeze.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

Thaw.
Pour the ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours.

Stovetop Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
To cook on the stovetop, pour the ingredients into a large stockpot or Dutch oven and cook over medium heat for one hour. If the soup begins to boil, reduce the heat to low to simmer until the cook time is up.

Layered Ravioli Bake

By Sharla

There’s nothing better than a dish of hot lasagna for dinner. But if you’re short on time, there’s no reason you have to slave over a stovetop cooking pasta and layering it in a baking dish. With the help of this quick and easy layered ravioli bake, you can enjoy all the flavors of lasagna without all the hard work. And since this casserole is freezer-friendly, you can prepare your dinner ahead of time and thaw it out when you’re ready to cook dinner.We are big fans of pasta bakes in our house. We like to change it up from time to time such as with our Alfredo Tortellini Bake, Pastitcio, or Johnny Marzetti Casserole.

Layered Ravioli Bake Recipe

Ingredients:

16 oz. fresh or frozen ravioli with the filling of your choice
24 oz. jarred or homemade pasta sauce
8 oz. frozen chopped spinach
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Freezing instructions:

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the ricotta, frozen chopped spinach, and Italian seasoning.
Spread a very thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish or 9×13 aluminum tray.
Lay out roughly half of the ravioli in a single layer over the top of the pasta sauce.
Pour half of the sauce over the top of the ravioli, making sure to fully cover the pasta.
Layer half the ricotta mixture.
Then, top the sauce with one cup of the mozzarella cheese.
Layer the remaining ravioli on top of the shredded cheese, then pour on the rest of the pasta sauce and remaining ricotta mixture.
Add the rest of the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Finish by sprinkling the Parmesan cheese all over the top of the casserole.
Place a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the casserole, then cover the entire pan with foil. Freeze the pan until you’re ready to bake.

Serving instructions:

Thaw the ravioli lasagna in the refrigerator.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the foil and take off the plastic wrap, then replace the foil.
Bake covered for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 20-25 minutes uncovered until bubbling.
Let the casserole stand for a few minutes before serving.

You can also choose to bake this dish right from frozen at 375° for an hour and a half.

Can You Bake Frozen Ravioli Instead of Boiling?

While the instructions on the back of your frozen ravioli package may suggest that the pasta be boiled, there’s no reason you can’t bake your ravioli instead. They key to ensuring your pasta gets tender as it bakes is making sure that it’s fully coated in sauce. The pasta uses the moisture in your sauce to cook, allowing you to bake your ravioli without the need for water at all.

As you’re layering your ravioli in your baking dish, make sure each piece is fully coated in sauce. If you notice part of the pasta is sticking up out of the sauce, use the back of your spoon to lightly press it back down to ensure it properly bakes.

Ravioli Lasagna Recipe Tips & Tricks

This quick and easy casserole is perfect for freezer cooking. And since it’s so simple to make, it’s just as simple to customize. Try these ravioli lasagna recipe ideas as you’re putting together your meal plan.

Try different ravioli. One of the simplest ways to change up this recipe is to try different ravioli flavors. Use cheese or beef ravioli for a more traditional lasagna. Or mix in unique ravioli options, like spinach, chicken, or lobster, for a different casserole every time you make this easy recipe.
Add some ground beef. Add even more flavor and a little bit of extra protein to your casserole with the help of ground beef. Cook the beef in a skillet until it’s brown, then mix it into your tomato sauce. After that, you can follow the recipe as written to make a meaty ravioli bake.
Omit the spinach. If you’re not a fan of leafy greens, just leave out the spinach.
Swap tomato sauce for Alfredo. Give your ravioli bake a creamy texture and flavor with the help of alfredo sauce. Simply swap traditional tomato sauce with Alfredo sauce for a totally new ravioli bake flavor. You can even try using Alfredo and red pasta sauce mixed together to create a Rosé sauce.
Season with fresh herbs. Another simple way to add tons of flavor to your lasagna casserole is with the help of fresh herbs. Mix some chopped parsley, oregano, or basil into the sauce in place of the Italian seasoning before you add it to your casserole to enhance the flavors in your marinara sauce. And when you’re ready to serve your casserole, sprinkle fresh herbs over the top for even more flavor.

What Should I Serve with Ravioli Lasagna?

Since this easy freezer casserole has all the flavors of traditional lasagna, there are a variety of easy sides you can serve with your ravioli bake! Try these simple side dish recipes the next time you prepare this lazy lasagna for your family:

chopped salad with Italian dressing
Caesar salad
breadsticks
toasted garlic bread
steamed vegetables
roasted broccoli and cauliflower

Layered Ravioli Bake

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Course: Main Course

Keyword: pasta

Servings: 6

Ingredients

16 oz. ravioli fresh or frozen with your choice of filling
24 oz. pasta sauce
8 oz. spinach frozen, chopped
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese shredded

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the ricotta, frozen chopped spinach, and Italian seasoning.
Spread a very thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish or 9x13 aluminum tray.
Lay out roughly half of the ravioli in a single layer over the top of the pasta sauce.
Pour half of the sauce over the top of the ravioli, making sure to fully cover the pasta.
Layer half the ricotta mixture.
Then, top with one cup of the mozzarella cheese.
Layer the remaining ravioli on top of the shredded cheese, then pour on the rest of the pasta sauce and remaining ricotta mixture.
Add the rest of the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Finish by sprinkling the Parmesan cheese all over the top of the casserole.
Place a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the casserole, then cover the entire pan with foil.
Freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Preheat the oven to 400°. Remove the foil and take off the plastic wrap, then replace the foil.
Bake covered for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 20-25 minutes uncovered until bubbling.
Let the casserole stand for a few minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Alternately, you can bake this dish from frozen at 375° for 1 1/2 hours.

Freezer Friendly Pierogi Casserole

By Sharla

Finding simple dinner ideas for meal prepping isn’t always easy. But when it comes to freezer cooking, you can’t go wrong with a casserole! And when you combine pre-made ingredients with flavorful additions, like cheese and bacon, you can whip up a delicious and hearty dinner with just a few minutes of prep work! This freezer friendly pierogi casserole is one of those simple dinner ideas that’s perfect for meal prep because you can put it together in under 10 minutes.Pierogies have been part of my life since I was a little girl. My mom grew up in a predominantly Ukrainian community here in Canada and my brother married a girl of Ukrainian decent, so the cuisine from that region has always been common for us. Whether it was perogies, nalyshnyky (Ukrainian crepes – yum!), or cabbage rolls, these foods are a regular occurrence in our home.

While I don’t plan to stop making regular perogies anytime soon, it’s nice to change things up once in awhile too. That’s what first intrigued me when I heard people talking about pierogy casserole. We tried it and liked it, so I found a way to make the recipe freezer friendly.

Pierogi Casserole Recipe

Ingredients:

16-20 frozen pierogies
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup cooked bacon, chopped
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 can condensed mushroom soup
salt, pepper
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

*Note that you can make this a meatless casserole if you omit the bacon or substitute imitation bacon bits.

Freezing Instructions:

Place pierogies, onion, red pepper, bacon, salt and pepper in large freezer bag.
Add the cream of mushroom soup and evaporated milk to a bowl. Whisk together the two ingredients until well combined.
Pour the sauce over the other ingredients in the freezer bag. Squish the bag with your hands to combine the sauce and other ingredients. Remove excess air from the bag and seal it.
Put the shredded cheese in medium freezer bag and seal.
Staple the bag of cheese to large bag above the seal and place in the freezer.

Oven Cooking Instructions:

Thaw the ingredients in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Dump the ingredients in the larger freezer bag into the casserole dish. Top with the shredded cheese.
Bake the casserole for 45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese on top is melted.

What are Pierogies Made of?

If you’ve never tried pierogies before, you may be wondering what the fuss is all about! Pierogies are dumplings filled with different filling ingredients. You can find perogies with both savory and sweet fillings, which means you can use them in a variety of recipes.

That might make you wonder, what kind of perogy is best for this recipe? Since this casserole is made with other savory ingredients, it’s important to pick a filling option that isn’t sweet. But you still have a variety of filling flavors to choose from. You could try adding these different frozen pierogi flavors to your casserole:

classic cheddar
4 cheese medley
classic onion
loaded baked potato
cheddar and bacon

Can You Cook Pierogi Casserole in the Slow Cooker?

Baking this lazy casserole in the oven is a great way to prepare your freezer meal. But it’s not the only method of cooking you can use to heat up your dinner. After allowing your perogy casserole ingredients to thaw, place the contents of the large bag in the bowl of your slow cooker. Top the ingredients with the cheese and place the lid on top of the crockpot.

Allow the ingredients to cook on low for 4 hours or high for 3 hours. You’ll know your casserole is finished cooking with the sauce is hot, the perogies are cooked through, and the cheese on top is melted.

Is It Better to Freeze a Casserole Cooked or Uncooked?

Figuring out the best way to store your freezer meals is one of the biggest problems new cooks face. So, if you’re wonder whether you should cook your casserole before you freeze it, you’re not alone. The good news is that you can freeze your casserole cooked or uncooked.

For faster prep work, freezing the casserole ingredients before the dish is cooked is my favorite preparation method. You can simply combine all the ingredients into a freezer bag, freeze it, and transfer everything to a baking dish when you’re ready to start cooking.

You can also cook your casserole before it goes into the freezer for quicker preparation on cooking day. If your casserole is already cooked before it’s placed in the freezer, all you have to do is reheat the meal when you’re ready to enjoy it.

Can You Put a Casserole Dish in the Freezer?

Although I love storing my freezer meals in large freezer bags because they’re great for conserving space in the freezer, it may be easier for you to store your meal right in the dish you plan on using for baking.

Whether you’re using a metal or glass baking dish, you can most likely store your dish in the freezer. Both materials are freezer-safe, making them great for freezer cooking.

But it’s important to keep in mind that you should never put a glass dish into the oven directly from the freezer. The drastic change in temperature will cause the glass to break! If you store your casserole in the freezer in a glass dish, always allow the dish to thaw before you start cooking.

How Do You Store Cooked Pierogies?

After you cook your perogie casserole, I’d be surprised if you have any leftovers! But if you do have some extra servings left after dinner is over, you can store your cooked pierogies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll stay good for up to four days. When you’re ready to reheat the casserole, simply place it in the microwave until it’s heated through.

Pierogi Casserole

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Ukrainian

Keyword: casserole

Ingredients

16-20 pierogies frozen
1 onion chopped
1 red pepper chopped
1/2 cup bacon cooked and chopped
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 can condensed mushroom soup
dash salt
dash pepper
1/3 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

Assembly Instructions:

Place pierogies, onion, red pepper, bacon, salt and pepper in large freezer bag.
Add the cream of mushroom soup and evaporated milk to a bowl. Whisk together the two ingredients until well combined.
Pour the sauce over the other ingredients in the freezer bag. Squish the bag with your hands to combine the sauce and other ingredients. Remove excess air from the bag and seal it.
Put the shredded cheese in medium freezer bag and seal.
Staple the bag of cheese to large bag above the seal and place in the freezer.

Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Dump the ingredients in the larger freezer bag into the casserole dish. Top with the shredded cheese.
Bake the casserole for 45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese on top is melted.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

Thaw.
Dump the large bag contents into a Crock Pot and top with cheese.
Cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 3 hours.

Recipe Notes

You can make this casserole vegetarian by using imitation bacon bits or omitting the bacon from the recipe.

Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole Freezer Meal

By Sharla

Chicken noodle soup is a classic comfort food that’s delicious any time of year. But if you’re looking for a change, you can enjoy all the flavors of your favorite soup in a baking dish with this chicken noodle soup casserole recipe. And the best part is that you can make this simple recipe ahead of time, freeze it, and enjoy it on a busy weeknight without any extra prep work!

We love a good freezer friendly casserole! Some of our other comfort food favourites include Beef and Veggie Tater Tot Casserole, Southern Style Ground Beef Casserole , and the super easy Ham and Potato Casserole.

Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole Recipe

Ingredients:

170 g egg noodles (that’s half of one 340 g package)
1-2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
3/4 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup frozen corn
10 ounce can condensed mushroom soup

Freezing instructions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles. Cook the egg noodles one minute less than the package directions call for.
Drain the noodles from the water and transfer them to a large bowl. Allow the noodles to cool slightly.
Add the cooked chicken, frozen peas, frozen corn, and condensed mushroom soup. Stir all the ingredients together until they’re well combined.
Transfer the mixture to a large resealable freezer bag.
Seal the bag, leaving a small opening on the end of the zipper, then squeeze out the extra air. Reseal the bag and place in the freezer.

Serving instructions:

Allow the casserole to thaw completely in the refrigerator.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 325° and transfer the casserole mixture into a greased baking dish.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the ingredients are heated through.

Can You Freeze a Chicken and Noodle Casserole?

Since the ingredients in this make ahead chicken noodle casserole are all freezer-friendly, it’s a great option for freezer cooking. That’s because you can easily prepare it ahead of time and store it in your freezer until you’re ready to start cooking.

To ensure your chicken noodle casserole tastes amazing when you’re ready to eat it, consider these simple freezing tips:

Cook the ingredients before freezing. Combining cooked noodles with cooked chicken is the best way to get your chicken casserole ready for the freezer. On top of cutting down on the prep time you’ll need at dinner time, this method also ensures your chicken doesn’t transfer bacteria to the other ingredients in your casserole.
Store flat for easy storage. Once you transfer your casserole ingredients to the freezer bag, flatten it before placing it in the freezer. This will make it easier to store your make-ahead meals in your freezer without taking up too much space.
Always label the bag. After this chicken casserole is fully frozen, it will be difficult to tell what’s inside the bag. That’s why it’s a good idea to always label your freezer bags with the name of the recipe, date it was frozen, and the date it expires. You can also make note of the cooking instructions so you know exactly how to reheat your casserole when you’re ready to start cooking.

Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Course: Main Course

Keyword: casserole, chicken

Servings: 6

Ingredients

170 g egg noodles
1-2 cups chicken cooked and cubed
3/4 cup peas frozen
3/4 cup corn frozen
10 oz condensed mushroom soup

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles. Cook the egg noodles one minute less than the package directions call for.
Drain the noodles from the water and transfer them to a large bowl. Allow the noodles to cool slightly.
Add the cooked chicken, frozen peas, frozen corn, and condensed mushroom soup. Stir all the ingredients together until they’re well combined.
Transfer the mixture to a large resealable freezer bag.
Squeeze out the extra air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Preheat the oven to 325° and transfer the casserole mixture into a greased baking dish.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the ingredients are heated through.