Freezer Meals 101

Less time cooking, more time living

Cajun Sausage and Vegetable Sheet Pan Freezer Meal

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Who doesn’t love a one-pan dinner recipe? On top of being simple to prep, these easy meals make dinner clean-up a breeze! And when you make a freezer to sheet pan meal, you can whip up a delicious dinner ahead of time to make prep work at meal time even easier. With this sausage and vegetable sheet pan dinner, your family can enjoy a delicious and healthy meal. And you can enjoy dump and go meal prep on a busy weeknight!

Sheet pan freezer meals are rapidly becoming some of my favourites. I love how easy they are to throw together and how few dishes need to be done afterwards! Some of our staples are the Pesto Chicken and Veggies Sheet Pan Meal and Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas. My husband really likes the Beef and Broccoli one. collage depicting sausage and vegetable sheet pan dinner going from the freezer bag to the baking sheet to the bowl

Cajun Sausage and Vegetable Sheet Pan Dinner Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 smoked garlic sausage ring, sliced (Ukrainian sausage) 
  • 1 small zucchini, very coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 small sweet potato, coarsely cubed
  • 1/4 butternut squash, coarsely cubed 
  • splash olive oil
  • Cajun seasoning
  • salt

Freezing instructions:

  1. Add all the ingredients to a large freezer bag.
  2. Shake the bag to combine the ingredients, making sure all the veggies and sausage are coated in oil and seasoning.
  3. Remove excess air from the bag, then seal and freeze.

sliced sausage and cubed root vegetables in a clear freezer bag

Serving instructions:

  1. Transfer the bag from the freezer to the refrigerator and allow to thaw.
  2. When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  3. Spread the thawed ingredients evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes. 

collage of cubed zucchini, squash, sweet potato, and sausage in freezer bag and then cooked

You can find this recipe along with other recipes in our No Fuss Freezer to Sheet Pan Meal Plan. It is FREE! and comes with everything you need to fill your freezer with tasty sheet pan meals. It includes the recipes, prep list, shopping list, and printable labels.


Once you have your meal plan printed off, grab your groceries, and then come and cook along with us!

Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner Ideas

What I love most about this freezer to sheet pan dinner is how simple it is to customize! Since it’s made with just a handful of ingredients, you can easily adjust the recipe to suit your family’s preferences. Try these recipe ideas when you’re putting together your own freezer meal:

  • Try different sausage flavours. Garlic sausage is a great choice for this simple sheet pan meal because it’s packed with flavour. But there are so many other sausage varieties to choose from, which means you can easily adjust this recipe to include your family’s favourites. Add some smoked sausage for a quick dinner option or mix in some chicken or turkey sausage for a healthier alternative.
  • Mix in different veggies. When it comes to adding veggies to your sheet pan meals, it’s important to consider the cook time of your ingredients. Since you’ll need to roast your meat and veggies for an extended period of time, it’s a good idea to avoid quick-cooking vegetables like peas or corn. Instead, try adding veggies that benefit from slow cooking, like Brussels sprouts, potatoes, onions, broccoli, carrots, and squash.

sliced sausage and vegetable cubes in a bowl

 

Can Sheet Pan Meals Be Frozen?

If you love sheet pan meals and freezer cooking, you’re probably wondering if you can combine the two to create a quick and easy frozen dinner. And I have good news for you! Most sheet pan meals can be frozen!

The key to making freezer to sheet pan meals is taking the time to prep all the ingredients before they’re placed in the freezer. Make sure to clean and chop all your veggies, slice your meat accordingly, and season your sheet pan ingredients before freezing. That way, your entire meal will be ready to cook when it’s time to pop it in the oven!

After your prep work is done, the only thing left to do is freeze. Depending on the space you have in your freezer and how easy you want it to be to heat up your dinner in the evening, you can store your frozen sheet pan meal two different ways:

  1. Freezer bags. My favourite way to store my freezer meals is using bags because they take up less space in the freezer and make meal prep a breeze. That’s because all you have to do is dump all the ingredients into the bag and freeze. When you’re ready to cook, you can transfer your meal to your sheet pan and pop it in the oven to heat it up.
  2. Sheet pan. If you prefer for your dinner to be ready to go straight into the oven when it’s thawed, you can also freeze your sheet pan meal directly on the pan. Since sheet pans are made of metal, they’re naturally freezer friendly. To freeze your meal right on the pan, toss all the ingredients in oil and seasoning and spread them out in an even layer on your pan. Cover the pan with foil, then tightly wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. When you’re ready to cook, all the ingredients to thaw, then remove the cover and bake the dinner according to the recipe instructions.

white sheet pan with sausage, sweet potato cubes, zucchini cubes

How Do You Prepare Oven Ready Freezer Meals?

Freezer cooking is all about making oven-ready dinners that help you cut down on your dinner prep work. But if you’re not sure how to put together a meal that’s ready to cook from the freezer, don’t worry! It’s a pretty easy process.

To prepare oven ready freezer meals, there are four basic steps:

  • Prep all the ingredients. This is often the most time-consuming part of meal prep. Chop up all your vegetables, slice the meat, and take care of any other prep work that needs to be done before your recipe can be cooked.
  • Cook the ingredients. Some ingredients (like ground meats, pasta and rice) should be cooked before they go into the freezer. After all the ingredients are prepped, take the time to precook those ingredients and allow them to cool.
  • Add the seasoning and sauces. Once the ingredients are prepped and cooked, the last step is to add any seasoning and/or sauces that go into the recipe. You can usually combine all those ingredients right in your freezer bag for easy prep work.
  • Freeze the meal. Transfer your ingredients to your container (freezer bag or freezer-friendly container) and place it in the freezer. And don’t forget to write down the name of the recipe and the date it was frozen on the container so you know exactly what’s inside.
white sheet pan with sausage, sweet potato cubes, zucchini cubes
Print
Cajun Sausage and Vegetable Sheet Pan Dinner
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sheet pan
Servings: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 smoked garlic sausage ring sliced (Ukrainian sausage)
  • 1 zucchini very coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 sweet potato coarsely cubed
  • 1/4 butternut squash coarsely cubed
  • splash olive oil
  • Cajun seasoning
  • salt
Instructions
Assembly instructions:

  1. Add all the ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag.

  2. Shake the bag to combine the ingredients, making sure all the veggies and sausage are coated in oil and seasoning.

  3. Remove excess air from the bag, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.

  2. Preheat the oven to 400°.

  3. Spread the thawed ingredients evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes.

Spinach and Sausage Pasta Bake

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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.pasta with sausage and spinach in bag, in casserole dish, and in bowlsOur 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

collage of assembling a pasta freezer meal

Freezing instructions:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Allow the sausage to cool slightly, then transfer it to a large freezer bag.
  4. 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.
  5. Add the cooked pasta, then seal the bag and shake to combine.
  6. Open the corner of the bag to release the excess air. Reseal and freeze.

clear bag with cooked pasta, spinach, and sausage in it

Serving instructions:

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

spinach and sausage pasta in casserole dish and freezer bag

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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!

bow tie pasta noodles with tomatoes, spinach, and sausage

bow tie pasta noodles with tomatoes, spinach, and sausage
Print
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:

  1. 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.

  2. 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.
  3. Allow the sausage to cool slightly, then transfer it to a large freezer bag.
  4. 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.
  5. Add the cooked pasta, then seal the bag and shake to combine.
  6. Open the corner of the bag to release the excess air. Reseal and freeze.
Cooking Instructions:

  1. Thaw.

  2. Transfer the thawed pasta to a greased casserole dish and cover the pan with foil.

  3. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly.

Make Ahead Beef and Barley Stew

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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!plastic bag with stew ingredients, stew in slow cooker and in a bowlI 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:

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

bag filled with liquid and stew ingredients

Serving instructions:

  1. Transfer the stew ingredients to the refrigerator to thaw.
  2. Pour the ingredients into the bowl of a slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours.
  3. 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.

collage of the process of making beef barley stew from freezer to slow cooker to bowl

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.

white bowl with chunks of beef and carrots and bits of barley visible

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, barley, carrots, liquid in slow cooker

white bowl with chunks of beef and carrots and bits of barley visible
Print
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:
  1. Place all the ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag.

  2. Remove excess air from the bag, seal and freeze.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

  1. Thaw.

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

Stovetop Cooking Instructions:

  1. Thaw.

  2. 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

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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.lasagna in red sauce covered in cheese being scooped out of white casserole dishwhite casserole dishWe 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:

  1. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the ricotta, frozen chopped spinach, and Italian seasoning.
  2. Spread a very thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish or 9×13 aluminum tray.
  3. Lay out roughly half of the ravioli in a single layer over the top of the pasta sauce.
  4. Pour half of the sauce over the top of the ravioli, making sure to fully cover the pasta.
  5. Layer half the ricotta mixture. 
  6. Then, top the sauce with one cup of the mozzarella cheese.
  7. Layer the remaining ravioli on top of the shredded cheese, then pour on the rest of the pasta sauce and remaining ricotta mixture.
  8. Add the rest of the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Finish by sprinkling the Parmesan cheese all over the top of the casserole.
  9. 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.

collage of photos of the process of layering ravioli with sauce and cheese in a casserole dish

Serving instructions:

  1. Thaw the ravioli lasagna in the refrigerator.
  2. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the foil and take off the plastic wrap, then replace the foil.
  3. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 20-25 minutes uncovered until bubbling.
  4. 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.

scooping ravioli in red sauce with melted cheese out of dish

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.

baked pasta in a white baking dish

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:

scooping ravioli in red sauce with melted cheese out of dish
Print
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:

  1. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the ricotta, frozen chopped spinach, and Italian seasoning.

  2. Spread a very thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish or 9x13 aluminum tray.
  3. Lay out roughly half of the ravioli in a single layer over the top of the pasta sauce.
  4. Pour half of the sauce over the top of the ravioli, making sure to fully cover the pasta.
  5. Layer half the ricotta mixture.

  6. Then, top with one cup of the mozzarella cheese.

  7. Layer the remaining ravioli on top of the shredded cheese, then pour on the rest of the pasta sauce and remaining ricotta mixture.

  8. Add the rest of the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Finish by sprinkling the Parmesan cheese all over the top of the casserole.

  9. Place a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the casserole, then cover the entire pan with foil.

  10. Freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.

  2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Remove the foil and take off the plastic wrap, then replace the foil.

  3. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 20-25 minutes uncovered until bubbling.
  4. 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

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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.plastic bag with meal, meal in red casserole dish, and perogies with melted cheese in bowlPierogies 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:

  1. Place pierogies, onion, red pepper, bacon, salt and pepper in large freezer bag.
  2. Add the cream of mushroom soup and evaporated milk to a bowl. Whisk together the two ingredients until well combined.
  3. 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.
  4. Put the shredded cheese in medium freezer bag and seal.
  5. Staple the bag of cheese to large bag above the seal and place in the freezer.

bag of perogies and sauce and smaller bag of shredded cheese

Oven Cooking Instructions:

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

perogie casserole in clear bag, in red casserole dish topped with cheese, and served in bowl

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

pierogies smothered in cheese in a brightly coloured bowl

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.

large spoon scooping pierogies out of red casserole dish

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.

pierogies smothered in cheese in a brightly coloured bowl
Print
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:
  1. Place pierogies, onion, red pepper, bacon, salt and pepper in large freezer bag.
  2. Add the cream of mushroom soup and evaporated milk to a bowl. Whisk together the two ingredients until well combined.
  3. 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.
  4. Put the shredded cheese in medium freezer bag and seal.
  5. Staple the bag of cheese to large bag above the seal and place in the freezer.
Cooking Instructions:

  1. Thaw.

  2. Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

  3. Dump the ingredients in the larger freezer bag into the casserole dish. Top with the shredded cheese.
  4. Bake the casserole for 45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese on top is melted.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Dump the large bag contents into a Crock Pot and top with cheese.
  3. 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.

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