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Freezer Meals 101

Less time cooking, more time living

casserole

Freezer Friendly Pierogi Casserole

By Sharla

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.

Filed Under: Freezer Meal Recipes, Freezer to Crock Pot Tagged With: casserole

Hash Brown Casserole (freezer meal version)

By Sharla

Hash brown casserole makes such a nice dish for breakfast or brunch. This make-ahead version is also great for bringing to a potluck. It’s a go-to for our family for Christmas morning or nice Sunday brunches. 

This easy breakfast casserole is nice and cheesy. In our house, if there are any leftovers, everyone tries to be the first one to the fridge the next morning to finish them up. That’s really the sign of a great recipe!clear bag filled with cubed hash browns on top image. Cheesy hash browns on white plate topped with ketchup at bottom. Text reads "Hash Brown Casserole freezer meal" #freezermeals101 #hashbrowncasserole #freezercasserole #makeahead I love a good make-ahead breakfast dish. Make a complete brunch with scrambled egg bites, French toast casserole, this potato side dish, and a fruit platter.

Hashbrown casserole is also sometimes called party potatoes (because it’s perfect for a crowd) or funeral potatoes (because this comfort food is often given to families who’ve lost a loved one). 

Can you freeze hash brown casserole?

You can absolutely make hash brown casserole ahead of time and freeze it. In fact, that’s the way I make mine most of the time. You can freeze it before you bake it or after. I find it is best when you make it without baking, freeze it, and then cook it fresh on the day you want to serve it. 

This recipe freezes beautifully. While potatoes don’t always freeze and reheat well, you can use pre-frozen potatoes such as frozen hash browns without issue.plate of bacon, scrambled eggs, and ketchup topped hash browns

How to Make Hash Brown Casserole:

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 10.5 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 kg bag frozen hash browns (you can use cubed or shredded, but I prefer cubed)

Assembly instructions:

  1. Melt butter in the microwave or a stovetop pot. 
  2. While butter is melting, chop the onion.
  3. Mix everything together in a giant bowl starting with the butter and mushroom soup.
  4. Dump it in a large resealable freezer bag.
  5. Remove the excess air.
  6. Seal.
  7. Freeze.

collage of photos showing making freezer to oven hash brown casseroleOven Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Bake at 350° in a greased casserole dish for an hour. 

Top it with ketchup, salsa, or hot sauce if you want. 

Crock Pot Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Dump bag contents into your slow cooker and cook on low for 3-5 hours.

Note that because of the potatoes and cheese, this casserole tends to stick to the crockpot, so I tend to use a Slow Cooker Liner when I make this dish.

If desired, you can serve with ketchup, salsa, or hot sauce.plate of hash browns topped with ketchup. A bowl of strawberries are nearby.

Recipe Variations:

  • Brown Italian sausage or breakfast sausage and stir it in to add protein and flavor. This is one of our favorite versions. When I add sausage to mine, I also add a can of evaporated milk so that it’s not at all dry. 
  • Change the type of cheese used. Sharp cheddar, jalapeño jack, or a tex mex blend are all nice options. 
  • Add cubed ham or crumbled bacon.
  • Stir in some vegetables such as diced red or green peppers, jalapeños, or diced green chilies. 
  • Top it with a mixture of butter and breadcrumbs or Cornflakes on the day of cooking. 

Find make-ahead breakfast recipes, shopping lists, and printable labels in our Breakfast Freezer Meal Plan.

plate of hash browns topped with ketchup. A bowl of strawberries are nearby.
Print
Hash Brown Casserole
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
 
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: casserole, hash brown
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 622 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter melted
  • 10.5 oz. can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 kg bag frozen hash browns
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Melt butter.
  2. Chop onion.

  3. Mix everything together in a giant bowl starting with the butter and mushroom soup.

  4. Dump it in a large resealable freezer bag.

  5. Remove the excess air.
  6. Seal.
  7. Freeze.
Oven Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Bake at 350° in a casserole dish for an hour.

Crock Pot Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Dump bag contents into your slow cooker and cook on low for 3-5 hours.

Recipe Notes

Serve with ketchup, salsa, or hot sauce if you want.

Some of our other freezer cooking breakfast recipes:

  • Smoothie Bags
  • Everything Bagel Breakfast Muffins
  • Homemade Granola
  • Sausage Hand Pies
  • Pancake Mini Muffins
  • Scrambled Egg Bites
  • Cinnamon French Toast

Filed Under: Freezer Meal Breakfast Recipes, Freezer Meal Recipes Tagged With: casserole, hash brown

Spanish Rice Casserole (freezer meal)

By Sharla

I love it when a meal doesn’t need side dishes. This cheesy all-in-one Spanish Rice casserole freezer meal is so easy to make. Everything is cooked ahead so it can be on the table quickly. multi colored plate heaped with cheesy rice casserole. Text reads "Spanish Rice freezer meal" #freezermeals101 #spanishrice #makeahead #freezerrice #spanishsidesWe’ve been making this recipe for many years. It makes it into about every second freezer meal rotation because it’s just a solidly good recipe. And it’s on the table in 30 or 40 minutes so it’s great for busy weeknights. 

Spanish Rice Recipe:

  • 1 lb. ground beef, cooked
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups pasta sauce
  • 2 cups white or brown rice, cooked and cooled
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 1/2 green pepper, diced
  • 2 1/4 oz. can sliced black olives (or half the can)
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

close up of Spanish rice casserole on a plate, topped with cheeseAssembly instructions:

  1. Brown the beef.
  2. Cook and cool the rice.
  3. Chop the vegetables.
  4. Place the grated cheddar cheese in a medium resealable bag.
  5. Put all the other ingredients in a large resealable bag and squish to mix together. Remove excess air and seal. Staple the bags together above the seal.
  6. Freeze.

freezer bag with ingredients for Spanish rice casserole insideCooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Put the contents of the large bag in a large casserole dish and top with cheese.
  3. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350°.

collage of Spanish rice casserole in a freezer bag, in a pot topped with cheese and being lifted with a spoon to serve

Variations of the Spanish Rice Casserole:

  • Use veggie ground round in place of the ground beef to make this meal vegetarian.
  • Omit the olives if you’re not a fan of black olives or add the full can if you can’t get enough.
  • Use red or orange peppers in place of the green peppers if you want a milder flavour. 
  • Serve with hot sauce if you like things spicy.
  • You can change up the flavours a bit by trying this recipe with different pasta sauces. Use whichever your favourites are.

close up of Spanish rice casserole in a pot topped with cheeseYou can find this easy freezer meal recipe in our Gluten Free Freezer Meal Menu Plan. It also contains other recipes, prep lists, shopping lists, and printable labels.

Print
Spanish Rice
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: casserole, rice, Spanish
Servings: 6
Calories: 570 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. ground beef cooked
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 cups pasta sauce
  • 2 cups (cooked) white or brown rice cooked and cooled
  • 1/2 cup onion diced
  • 1/2 green pepper diced
  • 2 1/4 oz. can sliced black olives or half the can
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Brown the beef.
  2. Cook and cool the rice.
  3. Chop the vegetables.
  4. Place the grated cheddar cheese in a medium resealable bag.

  5. Put all the other ingredients in a large resealable bag and squish to mix together. Remove excess air and seal. Staple the bags together above the seal.

  6. Freeze.
Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Put the contents of the large bag in a large casserole dish and top with cheese.

  3. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350°.

Check out these other freezer meal casseroles:

Chicken Asparagus Casseroleclose up of chicken asparagus casserole with rice

Chicken Wild Rice Casseroleclose up of chicken and wild rice casserole with carrots and celery

Southern Style Ground Beef Casseroleclose up of southern-style ground beef casserole topped with cheese

 

Filed Under: Freezer Meal Recipes Tagged With: casserole, gluten free, rice, Spanish

Easy Tuna Casserole Freezer Meal

By Sharla

I know that tuna isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, a good tuna casserole with noodles is totally comforting food. This make-ahead classic recipe is so easy. steaming hot noodles, sauce, green peas in a baking dish. Text reads "Make Ahead Tuna Casserole"

I know canned tuna sometimes gets a bad rap, but this dish is actually really tasty. And it’s super economical so it’s a great budget meal. I always make several at one time to freeze as that way, I can buy cans of tuna in bulk when they are on sale. This saves even more time and money.

Can you freeze tuna casserole?

Yes, tuna casserole freezes beautifully! Tuna noodle casserole can be frozen 3 ways. 

  1. Freeze the mixture WITHOUT the noodles and then cook the noodles on the day of serving and add them together before baking. This is my preferred method because it ensures the best texture consistency of the noodles.
  2. Cook the noodles to slightly under where you want them cooked, drain and mix into the rest of the mixture before freezing. Then thaw and bake.
  3. Make the full recipe including the noodles and bake and then freeze. Then thaw and reheat. This is my least favorite method as there is the risk of the finished casserole being overcooked or being somewhat dried out. 

Make-Ahead Tuna Casserole Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 2x 6 oz. cans flaked tuna, drained
  • 1/4 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • 2x 10 oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
  • 1 tsp. pepper

For cooking day:

  • package of egg noodles

Assembly instructions:

  1. Mix everything together in a large bowl.
  2. Put mixture into a large resealable bag.
  3. Remove the excess air and seal. Lay flat and freeze.

freezer bag filled with tuna casseroleCooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Cook egg noodles according to package directions to al dente.
  3. Mix the noodles with the contents of the freezer bag.
  4. Put in a casserole dish and bake in a 425° oven for 20-30 minutes.

collage of tuna casserole in a freezer bag and in a casserole dish

Serve on its own or serve alongside a salad or steamed broccoli.

Leftovers can be placed in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 

Variations for tuna casserole:

  • Sprinkle seasoned bread crumbs or Panko bread crumbs combined with a bit of melted butter on top of your casserole. 
  • Top with french fried onions.
  • Use frozen mixed vegetables in place of the peas.
  • Crush potato chips to create a crispy topping. 

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

Print
Make-Ahead Tuna Casserole
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: tuna, tuna casserole
Servings: 6
Calories: 651 kcal
Ingredients
  • 2 6 oz. cans flaked tuna drained
  • 1/4 cup onion chopped
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
  • 2 10 oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup red pepper chopped
  • 1 tsp. pepper
For cooking day:
  • 1 package of egg noodles
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Mix everything together in a large bowl.
  2. Put the mixture into a large resealable bag.

  3. Remove the excess air and seal. Lay flat and freeze.
Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Cook egg noodles according to package directions.

  3. Mix the noodles with the contents of the freezer bag.

  4. Put in a casserole dish.

  5. Bake at 425° for 20-30 minutes.

Some of our other family-friendly freezer meals:

Chicken Asparagus Bakeclose up of chicken asparagus bake with riceCrock Pot Pizza Casseroleclose up of crockpot pizza casserole with pasta

Easy Beef Hashscoop of beef hash casserole with cheese on top

Filed Under: Freezer Meal Recipes Tagged With: casserole, tuna

Ham and Potato Casserole (freezer meal)

By Sharla

Looking for a way to use up a leftover ham? This casserole works beautifully for that. It is a simple and inexpensive ham and potato casserole that’s very family-friendly. And it can be made as a freezer meal. white plate with cheesy potato cubes topped with red ketchup. Text reads "Ham and Potato freezer meal casserole" #freezermeals101 #freezermealcasserole #hamandpotato Tossing this into a freezer bag is so quick. If you have a lot of leftover ham after Thanksgiving or Easter, you can make several of these casseroles to freeze. 

Using frozen hash browns is a much faster way to throw together a meal with potatoes and they work better in a freezer meal. This is a trick I also use in our Beef Hash.

Ham and Potato Casserole Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups frozen hash browns (cubes)
  • 1 1/2 cups cubed ham (I use black forest ham, but you can also use leftover ham from a holiday meal if you have it)
  • 1/2 cup onions, chopped
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 10 oz. can cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • salt and pepper to taste

Assembly instructions:

  1. Cube the ham. Chop the onions. Grate the cheese.
  2. Add all ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag. Squish to combine the ingredients well.
  3. Remove excess air and seal. Freeze.

close up of freezer bag with ham and potato casserole Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.
  3. Dump the bag ingredients in. Bake at 375° for 50-55 minutes.

collage of ham and potato casserole in a freezer bag and in bowlsMost of my kids like to squeeze some ketchup on top of theirs. You can eat it plain, with ketchup, or with hot sauce. 

This is one of those recipes where you can’t really go wrong. You can change it up by adding a different type of cheese, topping it with breading or adding your favorite seasonings.close up of ham and potato casserole with a drizzle of ketchup

Print
Ham and Potato Casserole
Course: Main Course
Keyword: casserole, ham, potato
Servings: 4
Calories: 391 kcal
Ingredients
  • 4 cups frozen hash browns cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups cubed ham
  • 1/2 cup onions chopped
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • 10 oz. can cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Cube the ham. Chop the onions. Grate the cheese.

  2. Add all ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag. Squish to combine the ingredients well.

  3. Remove excess air and seal. Freeze.

Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.

  2. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.

  3. Dump the bag ingredients in. Bake at 375° for 50-55 minutes.

You might want to try these other family-friendly freezer meals:

Easy Beef Hashclose up of a spoon scooping out some easy beef hash with cheese melted on top

Chicken Asparagus Bakeclose up of chicken asparagus bake with rice

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

Filed Under: Freezer Meal Recipes Tagged With: casserole, ham, potato

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