Freezer Meals 101

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Freezer Meal Instant Pot Recipes

Instant Pot Shrimp Boil (Freezer Meal)

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Years ago, a friend of mine from Maryland brought me a package of Old Bay Seasoning Mix. Although I had seen it on store shelves, I had never tried it before. I soon researched what type of recipes one makes with this type of seasoning and discovered that it’s perfect for seafood dishes such as this Instant Pot Shrimp Boil.

a pressure cooker and green herbs in the background and a jar of Old Bay seasoning with a bowl of corn, shrimp, and sausage and text reads "Instant Pot Shrimp Boil"A magical pairing is freezer meals with the Instant Pot such as with our Breaded Red Curry Shrimp, Easy Italian Chicken and Vegetables, and Beef Taco Soup. With this shrimp boil recipe, I’ve included instructions both for making it directly in the pressure cooker or for making it ahead of time as a freezer meal and then cooking it in the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Shrimp Boil Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 tsp. garlic, minced
  • 4 cobs corn, split in three pieces each
  • 6 sausage links, chopped
  • 2 cups water or beer
  • 3 Tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 2 cups shrimp, peeled and deveined

For cooking day:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 6 medium potatoes, diced

Make Ahead Assembly Instructions:

  1. Place chopped onion, garlic, corn cob pieces, sausage chunks, seasoning, and water or beer into a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air and seal.
  2. Put the shrimp in a medium freezer bag. Remove air and seal. Staple above the seal to the large bag.
  3. Freeze.

Make Ahead Cooking Instructions:

  1. Take the bags out of the freezer to thaw.
  2. Place the oil in the Instant Pot.
  3. Dump the contents of the large bag in. Add the potatoes.
  4. Secure the lid and select the manual setting for 9 minutes.
  5. Do the quick release.
  6. Add the shrimp and cook for another minute on the manual setting.
  7. Quick release.

This video shows how to make this meal if you want to make it straight into the Instant Pot rather than doing it as a freezer meal.

Straight to the Instant Pot Instructions:

  1. Place the oil in the Instant Pot and set to the sauté setting.
  2. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and cook for two minutes.
  3. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute before turning off the Instant Pot.
  4. Add the sausages, followed by the potatoes and corn.
  5. Sprinkle in the Old Bay seasoning and the water or beer.
  6. Secure the lid and select the manual setting for 8 minutes. Quick release.
  7. Add the shrimp and cook for an additional minute on manual setting. Quick release.
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Instant Pot Shrimp Boil
Course: Main Course
Keyword: shrimp, shrimp boil
Ingredients
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 tsp. garlic minced
  • 4 cobs corn split in three
  • 6 sausage links chopped
  • 2 cups water or beer
  • 3 Tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 2 cups shrimp peeled and deveined
For cooking day:
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 6 medium potatoes diced
Instructions
Make Ahead Assembly Instructions:
  1. Place chopped onion, garlic, corn cob pieces, sausage chunks, seasoning, and water or beer into a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air and seal.
  2. Put the shrimp in a medium freezer bag. Remove air and seal. Staple above the seal to the large bag.
  3. Freeze.
Make Ahead Cooking Instructions:
  1. Take the bags out of the freezer to thaw.
  2. Place the oil in the Instant Pot.
  3. Dump the contents of the large bag in. Add the potatoes.
  4. Secure the lid and select the manual setting for 9 minutes.
  5. Do the quick release.
  6. Add the shrimp and cook for another minute on the manual setting.
  7. Quick release.
Straight to the Instant Pot Instructions:
  1. Place the oil in the Instant Pot and set to the sauté setting.
  2. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and cook for two minutes.
  3. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute before turning off the Instant Pot.
  4. Add the sausages, followed by the potatoes and corn.
  5. Sprinkle in the Old Bay seasoning and the water or beer.
  6. Secure the lid and select the manual setting for 8 minutes. Quick release.
  7. Add the shrimp and cook for an additional minute on manual setting. Quick release.

Check out these easy make ahead Instant Pot meals:

Hawaiian Chicken in the Instant Pot

White Chicken Chili

Pizza Casserole

Spicy White Bean and Chicken Soup

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This make ahead Spicy White Bean and Chicken soup recipe uses leftover chicken. This makes it both easier and more frugal. It has a nice amount of kick to it. It’s spicy, but not overpowering.

a blue bowl filled with white beans, pieces of chicken, topped with shredded cheese and with a spoon in it sits in front of an Instant Pot, an avocado, and a small yellow bowl of shredded cheese. The text reads "Spicy White Bean and Chicken Soup -freezer meal-Instant Pot-crock pot"I love that this recipe is so versatile in that it can be cooked in either the Instant Pot, Crock Pot, or on the stovetop. This allows you to use whatever cooking method best fits your plans for that day. If you’re going to be out running around until just before eating, throwing it in the slow cooker is a great option. If you’re needing it to be ready quickly, you can choose the Instant Pot.

Spicy White Bean and Chicken Soup Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups of leftover rotisserie chicken, diced or shredded
  • 19 oz. can of white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups of salsa verde
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper to taste

For serving:

  • shredded cheese (optional)
  • avocado, diced (optional)

Assembly instructions:

  1. Place the diced or shredded chicken, beans, salsa verde, cumin, chicken broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper in a large resealable freezer bag.
  2. Remove the excess air, seal, and freeze.

Instant Pot instructions:

  1. Remove from freezer to thaw.
  2. Dump the bag contents into the Instant Pot.
  3. Close the lid and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
  4. When done, manually release the pressure.
  5. Remove the bay leaf. Stir and enjoy.
  6. If desired, you can top with shredded cheese and diced avocado.

Slow cooker instructions:

  1. Remove the bag from the freezer to thaw.
  2. Place the bag contents into the Crock Pot.
  3. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours.
  4. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
  5. If you want, you can top the soup with shredded cheese and diced avocado.

Stovetop instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Place in a large pot on the stovetop.
  3. Bring to a simmer on medium heat and then turn heat to low.
  4. Simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally, or until beans are tender and flavours are blended.
  5. Remove the bay leaf and serve, topping with shredded cheese and diced avocado if desired.

If you prefer to use dry beans as opposed to canned, you will need to soak 1 1/2 cups of dry beans in cold water for at least 8 hours first. Allow them to sit at room temperature in the water for 8 hours, then rinse and drain the beans before adding them to the rest of the ingredients.

Other freezer soup recipes:

Spinach and Sausage White Bean Soup

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

Print
Spicy White Bean and Chicken Soup
Course: Soup
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 3 cups of leftover rotisserie chicken diced or shredded
  • 19 oz. can of white beans rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups of salsa verde
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper to taste
For serving:
  • shredded cheese optional
  • avocado diced (optional)
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Place the diced or shredded chicken, beans, salsa verde, cumin, chicken broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper in a large resealable freezer bag.
  2. Remove the excess air, seal, and freeze.
Instant Pot instructions:
  1. Remove from freezer to thaw.
  2. Dump the bag contents into the Instant Pot.
  3. Close the lid and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
  4. When done, manually release the pressure.
  5. Remove the bay leaf. Stir and enjoy.
  6. If desired, you can top with shredded cheese and diced avocado.
Slow cooker instructions:
  1. Remove the bag from the freezer to thaw.
  2. Place the bag contents into the Crock Pot.
  3. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours.
  4. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
  5. If you want, you can top the soup with shredded cheese and diced avocado.
Stovetop instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Place in a large pot on the stovetop.
  3. Bring to a simmer on medium heat and then turn heat to low.
  4. Simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally, or until beans are tender and flavours are blended.
  5. Remove the bay leaf and serve, topping with shredded cheese and diced avocado if desired.
Recipe Notes

If you prefer to use dry beans, soak 1 1/2 cups of dry beans in cold water for at least 8 hours first. Allow them to sit at room temperature in the water for 8 hours, then rinse and drain the beans before adding them to the rest of the ingredients. 

Hawaiian Chicken in the Instant Pot

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Another day, another easy Instant Pot recipe! This Hawaiian Chicken has some unique flavours. It can be served on its own or over top of rice or pasta.

a white bowl sits on a marble surface. In the bowl is an orangey red stew with chunks of red pepper, pineapple, and chicken visible. The text reads "Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken"Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, and cut into pieces
  • 20 oz. can pineapple chunks in juice, reserving 2 Tbsp. of the juice
  • 1 red bell pepper, cubed into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 purple onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • ⅓ cup soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp. ground ginger
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ⅓ cup hoisin sauce

For day of cooking:

  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Assembly Instructions:

  1. Cut the chicken, red pepper, and onion.
  2. Place all the ingredients EXCEPT the 2 Tbsp. pineapple juice (and cornstarch) into a large resealable freezer bag. Squish to mix. Remove the excess air and seal.
  3. Pour the pineapple juice in a small or medium resealable freezer bag. Seal and staple the bags together above the seals.
  4. Freeze.

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Take the bags out of the freezer to thaw. Dump the contents of the large bag into the Instant Pot.
  2. Cover the pressure cooker and set the valve to sealing. Cook on “manual” or “pressure cook” for 5 minutes. Allow it to release naturally for 10 minutes before doing a quick release to remove the remaining pressure.
  3. Remove the lid and turn the pressure cooker to “sauté.”
  4. In a small bowl, stir together the pineapple juice from the smaller bag and 2 Tbsp. of cornstarch to create a slurry. When well mixed, pour into the pressure cooker and stir gently to combine. Allow the chicken to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
  5. Serve over rice or noodles.

Be sure to check out some of our other Freezer to Instant Pot Recipes:

Instant Pot Italian Chicken and Veggies

Country Style Ribs in the Pressure Cooker

Instant Pot Turkey Sloppy Joes

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Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs. chicken thighs boneless, skinless, cubed
  • 20 oz. can pineapple chunks in juice reserving 2 Tbsp. of the juice
  • 1 red pepper cubed into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 purple onion cut into 1 inch pieces
  • ⅓ cup soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ tsp. ground ginger
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
  • ⅓ cup hoisin sauce
For day of cooking:
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
Instructions
Assembly Instructions:
  1. Cut the chicken, red pepper, and onion.
  2. Place all the ingredients EXCEPT the 2 Tbsp. pineapple juice (and cornstarcinto a large resealable freezer bag. Squish to mix. Remove the excess air and seal.
  3. Pour the pineapple juice in a small or medium resealable freezer bag. Seal and staple the bags together above the seals.
  4. Freeze.
Cooking Instructions:
  1. Take the bags out of the freezer to thaw. Dump the contents of the large bag into the Instant Pot.
  2. Cover the pressure cooker and set the valve to sealing. Cook on “manual” or “pressure cook” for 5 minutes. Allow it to release naturally for 10 minutes before doing a quick release to remove the remaining pressure.
  3. Remove the lid and turn the pressure cooker to “sauté.”
  4. In a small bowl, stir together the pineapple juice from the smaller bag and 2 Tbsp. of cornstarch to create a slurry. When well mixed, pour into the pressure cooker and stir gently to combine. Allow the chicken to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
  5. Serve over rice or noodles.

Country Style Instant Pot Ribs

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When you think of making ribs, it usually involves the barbecue grill, lots of foil, bottles of barbecue sauce, hours of prep work and meticulous planning for just the right temperatures and time. The opposite is true with these ribs. The Instant Pot is your magic weapon. These fall off the bone ribs are delicious!saucy ribs sit in a white bowl on a white background. The words "Country Style Instant Pot Ribs" are overlaid on the image.

What will save you even more time than the Instant Pot with this recipe is that it can be made ahead and then cooked in the Instant Pot. Have this ready to go in your freezer any time of the year.

Country Style Instant Pot Ribs Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 2 racks of pork ribs*
  • 2 Tbsp. coarse ground garlic salt
  • 2 Tbsp. seasoning salt
  • 2 Tbsp. seasoned pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
  • 2 Tbsp. paprika
  • 1 Tbsp. onion powder
  • 1 small bottle of liquid smoke

For day of cooking:

  • 1 large bottle of Country Bob’s all purpose sauce (if you can’t find Country Bob’s, you can substitute your favourite BBQ sauce)
  • 1 cup honey (local if possible)

Assembly instructions:

Ribs have a membrane on the back side of the rack that needs to be removed. It is on the opposite side of the meaty part of the ribs. It’s a silvery white colour and may look like fat at first glance.

  1. Take a sharp knife, and start at one corner on the back side of the ribs. Run the knife under the membrane to loosen it. Pull it back just a little bit and use a paper towel to get hold of the loosened membrane and pull it off.  You may have to do this in 2 or 3 segments as some racks will have a membrane that comes off easily and others will take a little more work.
  2. Once the membrane is removed, place the ribs in a flat bottomed dish (like an 11 x 14 pan) and sprinkle with liquid smoke. Let the ribs sit for 30 minutes and absorb the liquid smoke.
  3. After 30 minutes, lift the ribs up to allow any liquid remaining to run off into the dish.
  4. In a large resealable bag, place the garlic salt, seasoning salt, seasoned pepper, chili powder, dry mustard, paprika, and onion powder. Close the bag and shake vigorously to blend all the dry ingredients. Add the ribs into the bag. Press the seasonings into the ribs.
  5. Remove the excess air from the bag, seal, and freeze. 

Cooking instructions:

  1. Take the bag out of the freezer to thaw.
  2. Place the Trivet in the Instant pot and add 1 cup of water, and 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce.
  3. Place the ribs on the trivet circled around or leaning against the inside liner of the Instant pot.
  4. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn it until it beeps and locks. Make sure the pressure valve is set to ‘SEALING’ and press the Manual button. Set the time to 30 minutes.
  5. Allow the Instant Pot to automatically build and release the pressure. Once the Instant Pot has released all the pressure (about an hour), make sure the pressure valve button is down and gently, and with a pot turn the valve to VENTING with a pot holder to make sure that all the pressure has been released.
  6. Remove the lid and place the ribs in an oven safe dish.
  7. In a separate dish, pour half the bottle of Country Bob’s sauce, add the cup of honey, and stir well. Pour the honey BBQ sauce over the ribs.
  8. Place the ribs in the oven at 350° for 30 minutes. This will crisp the ribs and all the BBQ sauce to melt into the ribs. Yum! It will get a little gooey in the oven, which blends the dry rub and BBQ flavours together. Once ribs have browned a little and the sauce is gooey, remove them from the oven and serve immediately.

*Note: You may want to double the dry rub recipe for 2 full racks of ribs. The dry rub mix given will make enough for about 2 – 3 pounds of ribs, which is approximately 1 rack.

Check out some of our other make ahead Instant Pot recipes:

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Instant Pot Turkey Sloppy Joes 

Instant Pot Red Curry Shrimp 

Print
Country Style Instant Pot Ribs Recipe
Ingredients
  • 1 - 2 racks of pork ribs*
  • 2 Tbsp. coarse ground garlic salt
  • 2 Tbsp. seasoning salt
  • 2 Tbsp. seasoned pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
  • 2 Tbsp. paprika
  • 1 Tbsp. onion powder
  • 1 small bottle of liquid smoke
For day of cooking:
  • 1 large bottle of Country Bob's all purpose sauce if you can't find Country Bob's, you can substitute your favourite BBQ sauce
  • 1 cup honey organic or local if possible
Instructions
Assembly Instructions:
  1. Take a sharp knife, and start at one corner on the back side of the ribs. Run the knife under the membrane to loosen it. Pull it back just a little bit and use a paper towel to get hold of the loosened membrane and pull it off.  You may have to do this in 2 or 3 segments as some racks will have a membrane that comes off easily and others will take a little more work.
  2. Once the membrane is removed, place the ribs in a flat bottomed dish (like an 11 x 14 paand sprinkle with liquid smoke. Let the ribs sit for 30 minutes and absorb the liquid smoke.
  3. After 30 minutes, lift the ribs up to allow any liquid remaining to run off into the dish.
  4. In a large resealable bag, place the garlic salt, seasoning salt, seasoned pepper, chili powder, dry mustard, paprika, and onion powder. Close the bag and shake vigorously to blend all the dry ingredients. Add the ribs into the bag. Press the seasonings into the ribs.
  5. Remove the excess air from the bag, seal, and freeze.
Cooking instructions:
  1. Take the bag out of the freezer to thaw.
  2. Place the Trivet in the Instant pot and add 1 cup of water, and 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce.
  3. Place the ribs on the trivet circled around or leaning against the inside liner of the Instant pot.
  4. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn it until it beeps and locks. Make sure the pressure valve is set to 'SEALING' and press the Manual button. Set the time to 30 minutes.
  5. Allow the Instant Pot to automatically build and release the pressure. Once the Instant Pot has released all the pressure (about an hour), make sure the pressure valve button is down and gently, and with a pot turn the valve to VENTING with a pot holder to make sure that all the pressure has been released.
  6. Remove the lid and place the ribs in an oven safe dish.
  7. In a separate dish, pour half the bottle of Country Bob's sauce, add the cup of honey, and stir well. Pour the honey BBQ sauce over the ribs.

  8. Place the ribs in the oven at 350° for 30 minutes. This will crisp the ribs and all the BBQ sauce to melt into the ribs. Once the ribs have browned a little and the sauce is gooey, remove from oven and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

*Note: You may want to double the dry rub recipe for 2 full racks of ribs. The dry rub recipe given will make enough for about 2 - 3 pounds of ribs, which is approximately 1 rack.

Freezer Friendly Instant Pot Borscht Recipe

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My mom grew up in Vegreville. It’s a small town in Alberta, Canada that has a rich Ukrainian culture. Although my mom’s heritage is not Ukrainian, she grew up familiar with the food and culture. She then brought those into our home. I was familiar with all kinds of traditional Ukrainian food, including this Borscht recipe.Instant Pot Borscht Recipe #freezermeals101 #freezercooking #souprecipesBorscht is a classic beet soup. I’ve adapted the original recipe to make it faster to make thanks to the Instant Pot and freezer friendly. Now, I can make this ahead of time and have it ready anytime.

Beets give this soup its vibrant red colour. It has a unique look and an even more unique flavour. My favourite way to eat it is topped with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.

Freezer Friendly Instant Pot Borscht Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 8 medium-sized beets, peeled and chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 6 cups water or broth
  • salt and pepper, to taste

For cooking day:

  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • optional: sour cream
  • optional: fresh dill

Directions:

Instant Pot and Assembly Instructions:
  1. Prepare all vegetables and ingredients before starting the recipe.
  2. Set the Instant Pot to sauté and add the oil.
  3. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and beets. Stir occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic and stir for one minute.
  5. Turn off the sauté setting and add in broth or water and salt and pepper seasoning.
  6. Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and cook on the soup setting for 20 minutes.
  7. Natural release then either use an immersion blender to purée the soup or wait until it has cooled and use a blender.
  8. When the soup has somewhat cooled, ladle it into a large resealable freezer bag or two medium resealable freezer bags.
  9. Seal, remove excess air, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Remove the bag from the freezer to thaw.
  2. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.
  3. Taste and adjust seasoning – adding in lemon and topping with sour cream and dill, if desired before serving.

Adaptations to this beet soup recipe:

  • Borscht can be served hot or cold (as a gazpacho).
  • You can replace some of the beets with parsnips or carrots. This produces a milder flavour.
  • For adults only: you can add a shot of iced vodka to the soup when serving.

Many recipes for Ukrainian borscht call for grating the beets, which is obviously time consuming and leaves you with very stained hands! You will be amazed at how much time you’ll save using the Instant Pot for this soup.

This isn’t the first traditional Ukrainian dish that I’ve adapted for freezer cooking. You can also check out our Cabbage Roll Casserole Freezer Meal.

Print
Freezer Friendly Borscht Recipe
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion minced
  • 8 medium sized beets peeled and chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic smashed
  • 6 cups water or broth
  • salt and pepper to taste
For cooking day:
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • optional: sour cream
  • optional: fresh dill
Instructions
Instant Pot and Assembly Instructions:
  1. Prepare all vegetables and ingredients before starting the recipe.
  2. Set the Instant Pot to sauté and add the oil.
  3. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and beets. Stir occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic and stir for one minute.
  5. Turn off the sauté setting and add in broth or water and salt and pepper seasoning.
  6. Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and cook on the soup setting for 20 minutes.
  7. Natural release then either use an immersion blender to purée the soup or wait until it has cooled and use a blender.
  8. When the soup has somewhat cooled, ladle it into a large resealable freezer bag or two medium resealable freezer bags.
  9. Seal, remove excess air, and freeze.
Cooking instructions:
  1. Remove the bag(s) from the freezer to thaw.
  2. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.
  3. Taste and adjust seasoning - adding in lemon and topping with sour cream and dill, if desired before serving.
Recipe Notes

Borscht can be served hot or cold (as a gazpacho).

Check out some of our other freezer friendly Instant Pot soups:

Instant Pot Tomato Soup 

Keto Bone Broth in the Instant Pot