Freezer Meals 101

Less time cooking, more time living

beef

Instant Pot Asian Beef Noodle Soup

By

One of my sons loves those instant noodle soups. As a mom, I don’t want him eating them often. I wanted to find a healthier alternative. This Instant Pot Asian Beef Noodle Soup recipe is exactly what I was looking for. Instant Pot Asian Beef Noodle Soup #instantpotrecipes #instantpot #freezermeals101 #makeaheadsoup #asiannoodlesoupBeing able to make this ahead and keep it in the freezer until cooking it quickly in the Instant Pot is so easy. Asian noodle soups just have an inherent comfort food quality to them.

Usually, a good broth takes many hours to meld the flavours and get to the desired depth. By using a pressure cooker, you can get the same depth of flavour in less than an hour.

Instant Pot Asian Beef Noodle Soup Recipe:

  • 2 lbs. stew meat
  • 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 cups chicken or beef broth
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp. ginger

For the cooking day:

  • 8 oz. long rice noodles

Add the diced onion, beef, mushrooms, broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, and ginger into a large resealable freezer bag. Squish to mix everything together. Take out the extra air from the bag, seal, and freeze.

On the day you want to serve the soup, take the bag out of the freezer to thaw.

Set the Instant Pot to high pressure and set for 15 minutes.

Lock the lid and be sure the vent is closed.

Vent the pressure from the Instant Pot.

Add the noodles, making sure that they are completely submerged. Close and lock the lid on the Instant Pot, ensuring that the vent is closed. Set the Instant Pot to 2 minutes. collage of beef, rice noodles and Asian beef noodle soup in a bowlOnce the 2 minutes is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Afterwards, open the vent to release the remaining pressure. close up of Asian beef noodle soup in a bowlIf you use gluten-free soy sauce and hoisin sauce, then this soup recipe is gluten-free.

You can top the soup with sesame seeds or sliced green onions to make it “extra fancy”.

Print
Instant Pot Asian Beef Noodle Soup Recipe
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: beef, noodle
Servings: 6
Calories: 401 kcal
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs. stew meat
  • 2 cups mushrooms sliced
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 3 cups chicken or beef broth
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp. ginger
For the cooking day:
  • 8 oz. long rice noodles
Instructions
  1. Add the diced onion, beef, mushrooms, broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, and ginger into a large resealable freezer bag. Squish to mix everything together. Take out the extra air from the bag, seal, and freeze.
  2. On the day you want to serve the soup, take the bag out of the freezer to thaw.
  3. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure and set for 15 minutes.
  4. Lock the lid and be sure the vent is closed.
  5. Vent the pressure from the Instant Pot.
  6. Add the noodles, making sure that they are completely submerged. Close and lock the lid on the Instant Pot, ensuring that the vent is closed. Set the Instant Pot to 2 minutes.
  7. Once the 2 minutes is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Afterwards, open the vent to release the remaining pressure.

Check out these other make-ahead Instant Pot recipes:

Instant Pot Beef Taco Soup close up of beef taco soup in a bowl made from the Instant Pot

Instant Pot Italian Chicken and Veggies Italian Chicken and Veggies in the Instant Pot

Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Beef Taco Soup

By

This colorful beef taco soup freezer meal can be cooked in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. It is so easy to throw together. Hearty soups are great for cold winter days or drizzly summer ones.

It’s nice to have a few bags of this soup in the freezer. It’s such a simple but filling meal and I always love a meal that has multiple cooking options.

Freezer to Crock Pot Beef Taco Soup #freezermeals101 #instantpot #crockpotBeef Taco Soup Recipe:

  • 1 cup ground beef, browned
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 12 oz. can kernel corn
  • 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 14 oz. can pinto or black beans
  • 3 tsp. taco seasoning
  • salt, pepper
  • 1 cup water or beef broth*
Print
Beef Taco Soup
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: beef, soup, taco
Servings: 4
Calories: 395 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 cup ground beef, browned
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 12 oz canned kernel corn
  • 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
  • 14 oz canned pinto or black beans
  • 3 tsp taco seasoning
  • 1 cup water or beef broth
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper
Instructions

  1. Place all the ingredients into a large resealable freezer bag.

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

Instant Pot® cooking instructions:

  1. Add the bag contents thawed or frozen into the Instant Pot. Add 1 cup water or beef broth. Saute for 5 minutes. Lock the cover into place and seal the steam nozzle. Choose the soup setting and set it for 10 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure.

Slow Cooker Cooking Instructions:

  1. Take the bag out of the freezer and thaw. Add at least one cup of water or beef broth. Cook in the crock-pot on low for 4-5 hours.

You may also want to check out these delicious freezer meal soups:

Sausage and Zucchini Soup close up of sausage and zucchini soup Italian Wedding Soup close up of Italian wedding soup with meatballs and spinach

Corn Chowder with Bacon close up of corn chowder with bacon

Beef Curry Freezer Meal

By

Making freezer meals with beef stir fry strips is so fast. This Beef Curry recipe takes advantage of the speed that buying pre-cut meat enables, but packs a big flavour punch. It heats up in no time flat. This lets you get supper on the table so you can get on with the more important things in life…

…like watching reruns of Friends or catching up on that book you’re supposed to read for Book Club or check out the latest Netflix show everyone has been talking about!

As you can tell, my priorities are getting my family fed so that I can move on to things that are more fun. I like to cook, but don’t want to have to spend hours in the kitchen every day.

After that brief commercial plug for sedentary pursuits, back to the beef curry!Beef Curry freezer to skillet or crock pot meal #crockpot #slowcooker #freezermeals101 #skilletmeals #freezertoskillet #beefrecipes

Beef Curry Freezer Meal Recipe:

  • 1 lb. beef stir fry strips
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 cup red and yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup curry paste*
  • 3 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

*I prefer the Madras or Spicy curry paste, but use whichever one is your favourite.

Place the stir fry strips, chopped onion, diced peppers, can of tomatoes, curry paste, sugar, and cream in a large resealable bag. Squish together to combine the ingredients. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

On the day of cooking, thaw the bag. Either stir fry the bag contents on high heat until the beef is cooked through or cook in the slow cooker for 4-6 hours on low.

collage of beef curry in the freezer bag, the crock-pot and finished in a bowl

I love rich flavours and for me, the spicier, the better so I add more curry paste than the recipe calls for. Adjust the spice level according to your own preferences by adding more or less curry paste or by using a spicier or milder curry paste.

You can serve the beef curry alongside or on top of rice, wrapped up in flour tortillas or on its own. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired. close up of beef curry in a bowl with peppers

This beef curry recipe is one of many in the Beef Dump Recipes cookbook. Using the dump cooking method, you can easily make 10 meals in less than one hour. It’s super-efficient. The cookbook includes meal plans, shopping lists, and printable labels.

Print
Beef Curry Freezer Meal Recipe:
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: beef, curry
Servings: 4
Calories: 471 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 lb beef stir fry strips
  • 1/2 cup onion chopped
  • 1 cup red and yellow bell pepper diced
  • 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup curry paste
  • 3 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions

  1. Place the stir fry strips, chopped onion, diced peppers, can of tomatoes, curry paste, sugar, and cream in a large resealable bag.

  2. Squish together to combine the ingredients. 

  3. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. On the day of cooking, thaw the bag.

  2. Either stir fry the bag contents on high heat until the beef is cooked through or cook in the slow cooker for 4-6 hours on low.

Serving ideas:

  1. You can serve the beef curry alongside or on top of rice, wrapped up in flour tortillas, or on its own. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired. 

 

Check out these recipes:

Make-Ahead Ground Beef Stroganoff  collage of ground beef stroganoff in the freezer bag, the slow cooker and on a plate with pasta

Hearty Crock Pot Beef Stew collage of beef stew in bowls

Beefy Rice Slow Cooker Casserole

By

This beefy rice casserole is an easy family friendly freezer meal. It’s great for taking out and cooking in the slow cooker on busy weekdays.white bowl filled with a beef and rice mixture with fork next to it

Beefy Rice Crock Pot Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, browned
  • 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 cup uncooked long grain converted rice

Assembly instructions:

  1. Place the uncooked rice in a medium sized resealable freezer bag. Seal.
  2. Brown the beef.
  3. Chop the onion and green pepper.
  4. Add the cooled ground beef, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and seasonings to a large resealable freezer bag. 
  5. Squish to combine.
  6. Remove the excess air and seal.
  7. Staple the bag containing the rice to the larger bag above the seal.
  8. Freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Remove the staples (carefully). 
  3. Dump the contents of both bags to the slow cooker. 
  4. Add one cup of water and stir. 
  5. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.

Print
Beefy Rice Slow Cooker Casserole
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef, rice, slow cooker
Servings: 6
Calories: 367 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1.5 lbs cooked ground beef
  • 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1 cup uncooked long-grain converted rice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp chili powder
Instructions

  1. Place the uncooked rice in a medium-sized resealable bag and seal.

  2. Chop the onion and green pepper.

  3. Add the browned ground beef that you cooked the night before, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and seasonings to a large resealable bag. Squish everything in that bag together.

  4. Remove the excess air from the bag and seal.

  5. Staple the medium bag of uncooked rice to the large bag above the seal.

Cooking Instrucitons:

  1. On the day of cooking, take the meal out of the freezer and thaw it.

  2. Carefully take out the staples and add the contents of both bags to the slow cooker. Add 1 cup of water and stir.

  3. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.

This family-friendly freezer meal is included in our Slow Cooker Freezer Meal Plan which has recipes, shopping lists, and printable labels. 

Check out these other family-friendly crockpot freezer meals:

Beef Stroganoff Freezer Meal 

Freezer to Crock Pot Beef Stew 

Freezer to Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe

By

Some meals just have that home-cooked, hearty comfort food feel to them. This freezer to crock pot beef stew recipe is one of those meals. It’s an easy weeknight family meal.This hearty beef stew recipe can go from the freezer to the crock pot. #freezermeals101 #recipes #freezercooking #easyfamilymeals

This beef stew is a great one-dish meal full of chunky vegetables. It is especially nice to have on a cold winter’s night. There is just something about a soup or stew that brings that warm comfortable feeling.

Freezer to Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe:

  • 2 lbs. stew meat, cubed
  • 1 cup onions, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce*
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • dash salt

*Be sure to use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce if you are wanting to make this stew gluten-free.

Before putting together this freezer meal, chop the onions, peel and dice the carrots, peel and cube the sweet potato, and dice the celery so that everything is ready to toss into the bag. I like to make the veggies in bigger chunks than what I would do for a soup, but this is a preference thing. Feel free to cut them in the size that works best for you. 

To assemble this crockpot beef stew recipe, dump the beef stew meat into a large resealable bag and then add the other ingredients. Remove the excess air from the bag, seal, and freeze.

On the day of cooking, take the meal out of the freezer to thaw. Cook in the slow cooker for 5-7 hours on low. 

You can serve this slow cooker beef stew with buns or on its own.

This crockpot beef stew recipe is one of the recipes included in our popular Beef Dump Recipes book. 

Print
Crockpot Beef Stew
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef, crockpot, stew
Servings: 4
Calories: 481 kcal
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs stew meat cubed
  • 1 cup onions chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 cups sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1/2 cup celery diced
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 dash salt
Instructions

  1. Chop the onions, peel and dice the carrots, peel and cube the sweet potato, and dice the celery so that everything is ready to toss into the bag.

  2. Dump the beef stew meat into a large resealable bag before adding the other ingredients. Remove the excess air from the bag, seal, and freeze.

Meal Preparation:

  1. On the day of cooking, take the meal out of the freezer to thaw.

  2. Cook in the slow cooker for 5-7 hours on low. 

  3. You can serve this slow cooker beef stew with buns or on its own.

You may also like these freezer meal recipes:

BBQ Shredded Chicken in the Crock Pot

Tex Mex Pasta Bake Freezer Meal