Freezer Meals 101

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beef

Mongolian Beef Skillet Freezer Meal

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If you’re a fan of Mongolian beef, you’re going to love how easy it is to make from scratch. This Mongolian Beef freezer meal recipe is as delicious as it is simple.bag filled with beef strips and sauce and white bowl filled with rice, cooked rice strips, and green onions with chopsticks #freezermeals101 #mongolianbeef #beefdinner #beeffreezermeal #makeahead #AsianfreezermealThis easy make ahead Mongolian beef is so fast to assemble and almost just as fast to cook up. There’s no need to order from an Asian restaurant when you can just pull this out of the freezer and have it at home!

We love asian flavours so they often make their way into our freezer meals such as in our Easy Kung Pao Chicken, Asian Rice Bowl, and Ginger Soy Salmon, and Asian Meatballs. white bowl filled with rice topped with Mongolian beef strips and sliced green onions. Chopsticks rest of top.

Time saving tips:

  • I use the squeeze tubes of ginger because it still has that fresh taste but saves me having to grate the ginger myself.
  • Purchase the beef strips pre-sliced.
  • If you slice the steak yourself, putting it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes right before slicing makes it easier to cut.

Can you freeze Mongolian Beef?

Yes! You can absolutely freeze Mongolian beef. In fact, this recipe is designed for just that, although you can also eat this straight away if you prefer. You can double or triple the recipe to freeze several dinners at a time. Then, just pull out a bag on the day you have a craving for Asian take-out and instead, quickly cook up your own!bag full of Mongolian beef strips and sauce

Mongolian Beef Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lb. package beef strips*
  • 1/2 tsp. ginger 
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup carrots, cut into tiny matchsticks
  • 2 green onions, sliced

For the day of cooking:

  • 1/3 cup cornstarch

beef strips, green onions, bowls of ingredientsAssembly instructions:

  1. Peel the carrots and cut them into matchsticks.
  2. Slice the green onions.
  3. Add the beef strips to a large resealable freezer bag.
  4. Toss in the ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, carrots, and green onions to the bag.
  5. Squish to combine.
  6. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Skillet cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Heat in skillet.
  3. Whisk 1/3 cup cornstarch into the sauce as it cooks.
  4. Cook until beef is cooked. This will be quick, 3-5 minutes.
  5. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with some sliced green onions if you like.

*If you can’t find the beef cut into strips already, you can ask the butcher at your grocer to slice some flank steak for you or you can slice it yourself against the grain. You can substitute sirloin steak for flank steak if you prefer.collage of photos of making Mongolian beef as a freezer meal

What to serve with Mongolian beef:

Rice is a natural choice to serve under or beside the Mongolian beef to soak up some of that delicious sauce. White rice, jasmine rice, sticky rice, or any rice will do. You can also add a side veggie.

Here are some suggestions for great side dishes for this meal:

white bowl with rice, Mongolian beef strips, green onions, and chopsticks

white bowl with rice, beef strips, green onions, and chopsticks
Print
Mongolian Beef
Prep Time
8 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Keyword: beef, Mongolian
Servings: 6
Calories: 268 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 lb. package beef strips*
  • 1/2 tsp. ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup carrots cut into matchsticks
  • 2 green onions sliced
For the day of cooking:
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Peel the carrots and cut into small matchsticks.
  2. Slice the green onions.
  3. Add the beef strips to a large resealable freezer bag.

  4. Toss in the ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, carrots, and green onions to the bag.

  5. Squish to combine.

  6. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Skillet cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.

  2. Heat in skillet over medium.

  3. Whisk 1/3 cup cornstarch into the sauce as it cooks.

  4. Cook until beef is cooked. (about 5 minutes)

  5. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with some sliced green onions

Recipe Notes

*If you can't find the beef cut into strips already, you can ask the butcher at your grocer to slice some flank steak for you or you can slice it yourself against the grain. You can substitute sirloin steak for flank steak if you prefer.

Check out these other Asian inspired freezer meals:

Easiest Kung Pao Chickenclose up of kung pau chicken on riceAsian Rice Bowlclose up of Asian rice bowl with vegetables and chopsticks

Asian Beef Noodle Soup for the Instant Potbowl of Asian beef noodle soup with sesame seeds

Moo Shu Beef Lettuce Wraps (freezer to Instant Pot)

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You won’t believe how easy it is to make restaurant-tasting food in your own kitchen with these Moo Shu Beef Lettuce Wraps. Using the Instant Pot makes it so much easier. And there are freezer instructions included in case you want to make the filling ahead of time.

lettuce with strips of beef in it. Text reads "Moo Shu Beef lettuce wraps" #freezermeals101 #mooshubeef #lettucewraps #beeflettucewrap #freezerbeef

There used to be a Chinese restaurant in the city near us that made the best Moo Shu Pork. It was melt-in-your-mouth tender and so flavourful. Another restaurant makes these amazing lettuce wraps. This recipe kind of combines both of those concepts into one delicious meal. 

Instant Pot Moo Shu Beef Lettuce Cups Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 2 lbs. beef round or chuck roast
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
  • 1/4 rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1-pint mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 1/2 cups coleslaw mix
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
  • lettuce cups or one head of lettuce
  • salt and pepper to taste

close up of moo shu beef lettuce wrap ready to eatInstant Pot cooking instructions:

  1. Set Instant Pot to sauté.
  2. Add the butter and allow it to sizzle.
  3. Add the eggs and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the eggs begin to firm.
  4. Flip the eggs and cook for about 30 seconds.
  5. Remove cooked egg, cut into thin strips, and set aside.
  6. Give the Instant Pot a quick wipe.
  7. Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Add olive oil and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  8. Add the beef and brown on each side.
  9. In a small bowl, add vinegar, hoisin and soy sauces, ginger, and brown sugar. Whisk together and reserve 1/4 cup.
  10. Pour remainder of sauce into Instant Pot, covering the beef.
  11. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow to naturally release for 15 minutes.
  12. Using two forks, shred the beef.
  13. Add the mushrooms and 2 cups of the coleslaw mix.
  14. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 3 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot.
  15. Add 2 Tablespoons of Moo Shu Beef to a lettuce cup. Add a few slices of egg and a bit of the coleslaw mix. Drizzle with sauce. 

collage of ingredients and steps to make moo shu beef

Freeze Ahead Instructions:

If you’re wanting to make the beef ahead of time, skip cooking the eggs but complete the other Instant Pot steps. Place the cooked beef and vegetable mixture into a resealable freezer bag, seal, and freeze. On the day of cooking, take out to thaw. Reheat in the microwave. Fry an egg up on the stove and assemble the lettuce wraps by adding the beef and vegetables, fried egg, and sauce to lettuce leaves.

two moo shu beef lettuce wraps on a cutting board with sauce in a bowl on the side

Print
Instant Pot Moo Shu Beef Lettuce Cups
Cook Time
1 hr 2 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: beef, lettuce wrap, moo shu
Servings: 8
Calories: 477 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 eggs slightly beaten
  • 2 lbs. beef round or chuck roast
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
  • 1/4 rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 pint mushrooms sliced
  • 2 1/2 cups coleslaw mix
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
  • lettuce cups or one head of lettuce
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions

  1. Set Instant Pot to sauté.

  2. Add the butter and allow it to sizzle.

  3. Add the eggs and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the eggs begin to firm.

  4. Flip the eggs and cook for about 30 seconds.

  5. Remove cooked egg, cut into thin strips, and set aside.

  6. Give the Instant Pot a quick wipe.

  7. Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Add olive oil and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.

  8. Add the beef and brown on each side.

  9. In a small bowl, add vinegar, hoisin and soy sauces, ginger, and brown sugar. Whisk together and reserve 1/4 cup.

  10. Pour remainder of sauce into Instant Pot, covering the beef.

  11. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow it to release naturally for 15 minutes.

  12. Using two forks, shred the beef.

  13. Add the mushrooms and 2 cups of the coleslaw mix.

  14. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 3 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot.

  15. Add 2 Tablespoons of Moo Shu Beef to a lettuce cup. Add a few slices of egg and a bit of the coleslaw mix. Drizzle with sauce.

Recipe Notes

Freeze Ahead Instructions:

Skip cooking the eggs but complete the other Instant Pot steps. Place the cooked beef and vegetable mixture into a resealable freezer bag, seal, and freeze. On the day of cooking, take it out to thaw. Reheat in the microwave. Fry an egg up on the stove and assemble the lettuce wraps by adding the beef and vegetables, fried egg, and sauce to lettuce leaves.

Try out these Instant Pot freezer meals:

Buffalo Ribsclose up of buffalo ribs with hot sauce in the background

Chicken Paprikash Stewbowl of chicken paprikash stew

Country Style Instant Pot Ribsplate with country-style ribs that have lots of sauce on them

Family-Friendly Beef Hash (freezer meal)

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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.

pot with ground beef and hash browns. Text reads Beef Hash freezer meal casserole" #freezermeals101 #beefhashcasserole #freezercasserole #makeaheadI 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.collage of beef hash casserole in a freezer bag, in the skillet with a spoon lifting some out and on a plate with cheese and ketchup on top

Assembly instructions:
  1. Brown beef.
  2. Place cooked beef in a large resealable freezer bag. Add the frozen hash browns, minced onions, dry onion soup mix, beef broth, and pepper.
  3. Squish to combine. Remove excess air and seal.
  4. Put the shredded cheese in a medium freezer bag. Seal. Staple the bags together above the seal and freeze.
Oven Cooking Instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Bake at 350° for one hour, topping with grated cheese for the last 10 minutes.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:

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

beef hash casserole close up with cheese and ketchup on it

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.

Print
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:
  1. Brown beef.

  2. Place cooked beef in a large resealable freezer bag. Add the frozen hash browns, minced onions, dry onion soup mix, beef broth, and pepper.

  3. Squish to combine. Remove excess air and seal.

  4. Put the shredded cheese in a medium freezer bag. Seal. Staple the bags together above the seal and freeze.

Oven Cooking Instructions:
  1. Thaw.

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

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:
  1. Thaw.

  2. 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 Veggiesclose up of tater tot casserole with beef and veggies, topped with cheese

Easy Cheesy Tater Tot Chicken Casseroleclose up of cheesy tater tot chicken casserole being scooped from a dish

Taco Sloppy Joesplate of taco sloppy Joe's with side dishes of salsa and sour cream

Hearty Hamburger Soup (freezer meal)

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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. bright orange bowl filled with chunky soup. Text reads "Hamburger Soup freezer meal" #freezermeals101 #hamburgersoup #freezermeal 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!

collage of hamburger soup in the freezer bag, in a ladle coming out of the crock pot and in a bowlAssembly instructions:

  1. Brown ground beef.
  2. Chop vegetables.
  3. 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:

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

close up of hamburger soup with carrots, peas and tomatoes in a bowlCrock Pot Cooking Instructions:

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

Print
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:
  1. Brown ground beef.
  2. Chop vegetables.

  3. 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:
  1. Thaw.

  2. 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:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Cook in the slow cooker on low for 3-5 hours.

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

Enchilada Soupclose up of enchilada soup garnished with parsley

Corn Chowder with Baconclose up of corn chowder with bacon soup

Spicy White Bean and Chicken Soupclose up of spicy white bean and chicken soup with cheese melted on top

Moist Meatloaf Muffins (freezer meal)

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Looking for a family-friendly ground beef freezer meal? These moist meatloaf muffins are sure to be a hit with the whole family. muffin tin tray filled with cooked meatloaf on top. Blue plate on bottom with two meatloaf muffins and orange peppers #freezermeals101 #meatloafmuffins #easyfreezermealThere’s a little parenting trick that I learned many years ago. Kids are more likely to eat anything that looks like a muffin! Thus the muffin tin meatloaf!

This cute way of serving mini meatloaf also serves another purpose as well. It allows you to take out only as many as needed. Kids can take out their own and reheat as a lunch or snacks like the make-ahead burritos, English muffin pizzas, or ham and cheese roll-ups. This also makes them good when cooking for yourself or cooking for two.

How long to cook muffin tin meatloaf:

Cook meatloaves in a regular-sized muffin tin at 425° for 23-25 minutes. If using a mini muffin tray, you’ll need to reduce the cooking time. I don’t recommend using a mini muffin tray though as it’s too easy for them to be dry or hard.

How do you freeze meatloaf?

When I make meatloaf whether it’s full-sized or muffin-sized, I generally cook it before freezing and then reheat it, but meatloaf can also be frozen raw and then thawed and cooked.

For meatloaf, wrap it in plastic wrap before placing it in a resealable freezer bag. For meatloaf muffins, allow them to cool before removing them from the pan and placing them in a resealable freezer bag. Be sure to thaw before cooking or reheating.close up of meatloaf muffins in a pan

Meatloaf Muffins Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
  • 1/2 onion, minced
  • 1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. ketchup
  • 1 Tbsp. chili sauce
  • 1 egg
  • salt, pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. parsley

collage of meatloaf muffins being put together in a bowl and in the muffin pan before and after being cookedAssembly instructions:

  1. Mix everything together in a bowl. I find using my hands works best. This is a great step to have the kids help out with.
  2. Grease muffin cups.
  3. Put the meat mixture into the muffin tin tray.
  4. Bake at 425° for 23-25 minutes.
  5. Cool the mini meatloaves completely before placing them in a freezer bag.
  6. Remove excess air. Seal and freeze.

Reheating instructions:

  1. Thaw. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.
  2. You can serve it with ketchup if you want.

plate with meatloaf muffins, one cut up and the other with BBQ sauce on it, orange peppers on the side

Print
Meatloaf Muffins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef, meatloaf
Servings: 12
Calories: 138 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
  • 1/2 onion minced
  • 1/2 green pepper finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. ketchup
  • 1 Tbsp. chili sauce
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbsp. parsley
  • salt
  • pepper
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Mix everything together in a bowl.
  2. Grease muffin tin.
  3. Put into muffin tin tray.

  4. Bake 23-25 minutes in a 425° oven.

  5. Cool muffins completely before placing them in a freezer bag. Remove excess air. Seal and freeze.

Reheating instructions:
  1. Thaw. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.
Recipe Notes

Suggestions for hiding extra veggies in this meatloaf:

grated carrots
grated zucchini
vegetables such as broccoli, green pepper, red pepper, and/or spinach blended in the food processor 

So let’s chat about kids who will eat meatloaf (especially in muffin tin form!), but won’t eat them if they can see the vegetables in them. This recipe is great for picky eaters because it allows you to hide all those veggies. Your kids won’t even have to know how healthy they’re eating!

Suggestions for hiding extra veggies in this meatloaf:

  • grated carrots
  • grated zucchini
  • vegetables such as broccoli, onion, green pepper, red pepper, and/or spinach blended in the food processor

What to serve with your mini meatloaves:

  • raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, orange or yellow pepper slices, broccoli, cucumber, radishes
  • french fries
  • mashed potatoes
  • wilted spinach
  • sautéed mushrooms
  • green salad
  • peas
  • cooked broccoli

You may also be interested in these family-friendly freezer meals:

Easy Cheesy Tater Tot Casseroleclose up of a scoop of tater tot casserole with strings of cheese

Homemade Hamburger Helperbowl of creamy tomato beef skillet meal on lots of noodles

Instant Pot Pizza Casserolea fork is lifting some instant pot pizza casserole from a plate that's garnished with cheese