Freezer to Crock Pot

Family-Friendly Beef Hash (freezer meal)

Looking for a family-friendly easy recipe? This Beef Hash is so easy to make and a big hit with kids. It uses frozen hash browns, so it saves a step on prepping the potatoes and is so fast to throw together.

I know this recipe is super simple, but the best-tasting recipes usually are. I think that’s what makes this such a big hit with kids.

Beef Hash Recipe:

1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
500 grams frozen hash browns*
1 onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix
1 cup beef broth
dash pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

*This amount is the equivalent of half of a 1 kg bag, so if you are making two of these recipes at once, just buy one large bag and split it between the two bags.

Assembly instructions:

Brown beef.
Place cooked beef in a large resealable freezer bag. Add the frozen hash browns, minced onions, dry onion soup mix, beef broth, and pepper.
Squish to combine. Remove excess air and seal.
Put the shredded cheese in a medium freezer bag. Seal. Staple the bags together above the seal and freeze.

Oven Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Bake at 350° for one hour, topping with grated cheese for the last 10 minutes.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Cook in the slow cooker on low for 2-4 hours, topping with cheese in the last 20 minutes.

Most of my kids like to top their beef hash with ketchup. I prefer hot sauce or salsa. Either way, this is sure to be a family-friendly meal everyone will enjoy.

This recipe is included in our More Family Favourites Freezer Meal Plan along with other recipes, prep lists, and printable shopping lists and labels.

Beef Hash

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef, casserole

Servings: 6

Calories: 368 kcal

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
500 grams frozen hash browns
1 onion finely chopped
3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix
1 cup beef broth
dash pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Brown beef.
Place cooked beef in a large resealable freezer bag. Add the frozen hash browns, minced onions, dry onion soup mix, beef broth, and pepper.
Squish to combine. Remove excess air and seal.
Put the shredded cheese in a medium freezer bag. Seal. Staple the bags together above the seal and freeze.

Oven Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Bake at 350° for one hour, topping with grated cheese for the last 10 minutes.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Cook in the slow cooker on low for 2-4 hours, topping with cheese for the last 20 minutes.

You may be interested in these other family-friendly freezer to crockpot meals:

Tater Tot Casserole with Beef and Veggies

Easy Cheesy Tater Tot Chicken Casserole

Taco Sloppy Joes

Southern-Style Ground Beef Casserole (freezer meal)

By Sharla

Not only is this southern-style ground beef casserole an all-in-one dish, but it’s also a freezer meal so this is about as easy as dinner gets! It includes ground beef and vegetables and if you want, you can top it with cheese. I love a good all-in-one casserole. As a busy mom, it’s so nice for supper to be as easy as possible. One dish means fewer dishes! And I’m all about making clean-up as fast as possible.

Southern-Style Ground Beef Casserole Recipe:

1 lb. browned ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup green pepper, chopped
15 oz. can kernel corn, drained
14 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce*
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
optional: shredded cheese (cheddar or tex mex)

*Use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce if you want to make this gluten-free.

Assembly Instructions:

Brown ground beef. Cool slightly and then add to a large resealable freezer bag.
Add the chopped onion, diced green pepper, corn, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings.
Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.
If you want to serve with cheese, place shredded cheese in a medium freezer bag, seal, and staple above the seal to the larger bag.

Stovetop Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Heat in a pan until the desired temperature is reached.
If you want, you can top with shredded cheese before serving.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Cook on low in Crock-Pot® for 3-5 hours.
If desired, top with cheese before serving.

If you want, you can set out salsa, hot sauce, Thai Sweet Chili sauce, or ketchup. Some of us like to eat this plain while others (ahem…my kids!) like to slather it in the sauce of their choosing.

Southern Style Ground Beef Casserole

Prep Time

12 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef, casserole

Servings: 6

Calories: 214 kcal

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef browned
1/2 cup onion chopped
3/4 cup green pepper chopped
15 oz. can kernel corn drained
14 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
optional: shredded cheese cheddar or tex mex

Instructions

Assembly Instructions:

Brown ground beef. Cool slightly and then add to a large resealable freezer bag.
Add the chopped onion, diced green pepper, corn, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings.
Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.
If you want to serve with cheese, place shredded cheese in a medium freezer bag, seal, and staple above the seal to the larger bag.

Stovetop Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Heat in a pan until the desired temperature is reached.
If you want, you can top with shredded cheese before serving.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Cook on low in Crock-Pot for 3-5 hours.
If desired, top with cheese before serving.

Check out some of our other make-ahead casseroles:

Chicken Cordon Bleu Slow Cooker Casserole

Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Beefy Rice Casserole

Hearty Hamburger Soup (freezer meal)

By Sharla

Is there anything better on a cold day than homemade hamburger soup?! This soup has all your protein, barley, and veggies in one place, making it a simple family meal. This hamburger soup recipe actually came about accidentally. Sometimes when my neighbor and I do our massive freezer meal marathons, we have some of our prepped ingredients left over at the end. Not wanting to have anything go to waste, we invent recipes at the end. Our Tex Mex Pasta Bake and Asian Rice Bowl are examples of recipes that came about the same way.

And now every time we are left with hamburgers and vegetables, we make this hamburger soup recipe. It’s become such a staple that we often cook up extra ground beef just for this. It’s also a really economical meal.

Hearty Hamburger Soup Recipe:

1 lb. browned ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup barley
1 cup carrots, peeled and finely diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup celery, diced
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
3 cups beef broth*

*Be sure to add the beef broth last and hold the bag well while pouring to prevent spills!

Assembly instructions:

Brown ground beef.
Chop vegetables.
Place cooked beef, vegetables, and other ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Be sure to add the beef broth last and hold the bag securely or have someone else hold the bag for this step so that it doesn’t spill.

Stovetop Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Heat in a large pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for an hour.
Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Cook in the slow cooker on low for 3-5 hours.
Remove the bay leaf prior to serving.

Serve soup with crusty bread or buns. If you want, you can also offer a side salad as well, but it has enough vegetables to be served without a salad.

Hearty Hamburger Soup

Course: Soup

Keyword: beef, hamburger soup, soup

Servings: 6

Calories: 107 kcal

Ingredients

1 lb. browned ground beef
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup barley
1 cup carrots peeled and finely diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup celery diced
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. parsley
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 cups beef broth

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Brown ground beef.
Chop vegetables.
Place cooked beef, vegetables, and other ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Be sure to add the beef broth last and hold the bag securely or have someone else hold the bag for this step so that it doesn't spill.

Stovetop Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Heat in a large pot on stovetop over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for an hour.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Cook in the slow cooker on low for 3-5 hours.

You may be interested in these other make-ahead soup recipes:

Enchilada Soup

Corn Chowder with Bacon

Spicy White Bean and Chicken Soup

Delicious Enchilada Soup (freezer meal)

By Sharla

This delicious enchilada soup can be made either in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker. It’s hearty and healthy. I’ve been on a bit of an enchilada kick lately and this is a nice recipe for keeping that same flavor profile but changing things up a bit.

I love having soups made ahead in the freezer. Whether it’s our vegetarian taco soup, homestyle chicken noodle, or Italian wedding soup, they hit the spot on a cold winter day, but they are also a great meal to cook on hot summer days without needing to turn the oven on.

This recipe is gluten-free. It can fit into a variety of diets.

Soups are also a great way to stretch a dollar as they can feed many and still keep you on budget.

Enchilada Soup Recipe:

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
19 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
12 oz. can kernel corn (not drained)
2 cups enchilada sauce
4 cups chicken broth
salt
pepper

For the cooking day:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Assembly instructions:

Put everything except for the cream, sour cream, and cheddar cheese in a freezer bag.
Remove excess air. Seal and freeze.

Slow Cooker Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Cook for 4-6 hours on low in the Crock-Pot.
Shred the chicken.
Add the cream, sour cream, and shredded cheese in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
If you want, you can serve with tortilla strips and cilantro.

Instant Pot Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Dump bag ingredients in the Instant Pot. Seal.
Cook on manual for 20 minutes.
Use quick release.
Stir in the cream, sour cream, and shredded cheese.
Serve with tortilla strips and cilantro if desired.

If you want, you can top this with shredded cheddar cheese or cubed avocado. Personally, I’m partial to avocado. Serve this soup with a side of bread or buns to create a complete meal.

Enchilada Soup

Course: Main Course, Soup

Keyword: enchilada soup, soup

Servings: 6

Calories: 572 kcal

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
2 tsp. garlic minced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce
1 onion chopped
1 red pepper chopped
19 oz. can black beans rinsed and drained
12 oz. can kernel corn not drained
2 cups enchilada sauce
4 cups chicken broth
salt
pepper

For the cooking day:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Put everything except for the cream, sour cream, and cheddar cheese in a freezer bag.
Remove excess air. Seal and freeze.

Slow Cooker Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Cook for 4-6 hours on low in the Crock-Pot.
Shred the chicken.
Add the cream, sour cream, and shredded cheese in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Serve with tortilla strips and cilantro (optional).

Instant Pot Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Dump bag ingredients in the Instant Pot. Seal.
Cook on manual for 20 minutes.
Use quick release.
Stir in the cream, sour cream, and shredded cheese.
Serve with tortilla strips and cilantro (optional).

Check out some of our other make-ahead soup recipes:

Vegetarian Taco Soup

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Spinach and Sausage White Bean Soup

The Best Freezer Chili

By Sharla

When we do our big freezer meal assembly days, we always try some new recipes and rotate through some of our favorites, but this Chili is one of the recipes that we make every single time. Because it really is the best freezer chili recipe of all time. I would venture to say that it may in fact be the best chili recipe ever. My neighbor Christie and I get together to do our marathon freezer meal prep sessions. I was telling her how good my chili was the first time we got together for meal assembly and I could tell that she was skeptical, but she texted me after her family tried the chili and let me know that this would be the only chili recipe we would use from now on.

I occasionally make other chilis for the freezer such as White Chicken Chili, Taco Chili, and Thick and Chunky Beef Chili, but always in addition to this one, never instead of. It’s just that good!

While I haven’t entered the recipe in a chili contest, over the years, friends and family have all asked me to share the secret to this meal and told me that it’s the best chili they’ve ever had. I often set out a Crock-Pot® of it for birthday parties and family gatherings. I sometimes use vegetarian Mexican Ground Round in place of the beef. The recipe is one that is almost as old as my marriage. It’s the first meal I attempted to make for my new husband. I used a cookbook we had gotten as a wedding gift. Over the years, I’ve adapted it and tweaked it and this is the result.

The Best Freezer Chili Recipe:

1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
1 onion, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
19 oz. can kidney beans with liquid
14 oz. can Heinz chili style beans with liquid*
28 oz. can diced tomatoes with liquid
5 1/2 oz. can tomato paste
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
dash pepper
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (this is my secret ingredient!)

*Note: The chili-style beans can be hard to find. If your grocery store doesn’t carry them, you can substitute pinto beans instead.

Assembly instructions:

Put all ingredients in a large resealable bag and squish them together to combine. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Stovetop Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Heat in a large pot over medium heat until the desired temperature is reached.
Allow it to simmer so that the flavors meld.

Slow Cooker Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Cook in the slow cooker on low for 3-5 hours.

This Chili recipe is one of the meals featured in our Soups and Stews Freezer Meal Plan. The Menu Plans include recipes, prep lists, shopping lists, and printable labels.