vegetarian

Baked Manicotti Freezer Meal

Baked pasta dishes are always a hit with the family, which means they’re great for adding to your weeknight meal plan. With the help of this easy baked manicotti recipe, you can prep your pasta dinner ahead of time and freeze it until you’re ready to start cooking. Your family will love these cheesy stuffed noodles covered in sauce, and you’ll love how simple this no boil dish is to prepare!To make this dish into individual freezer meals, divide it among smaller foil containers. It is a great one for making as a freezer meal for one.

We also enjoy this Mexican Manicotti Bake recipe for a bit of a change. It’s packed full of flavour.

Baked Manicotti Recipe

Ingredients:

3 cups cottage cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 (8 ounce) box manicotti, uncooked
6 cups pasta sauce

Assembly Instructions:

Start by spreading one cup of pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
In a large bowl, mix the cottage cheese, egg, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Using a piping bag, a spoon, or your fingers, stuff the cheese filling mixture into the center of the manicotti shells.
Place stuffed manicotti on top of the pasta sauce that’s in the pan. Then pour the remaining sauce over the top of the pasta.
Wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap and top the pan with foil. Label the pan and place it in the freezer until you’re ready to bake.
Be sure to write a reminder to remove the plastic wrap before baking.

Cooking Instructions:

Transfer the pan to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the foil and plastic wrap from the pan and replace the foil. Bake for 45 minutes.
The dish can also be baked from frozen if you increase cooking time to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Remove the foil from the pan and continue baking until noodles are tender.

Is it Better to Freeze Manicotti Before or After Cooking?

Preparing pasta for freezer cooking can sometimes be confusing. While some pasta dishes require that you cook the noodles before freezing the dish, others don’t need to be boiled or baked before freezing. So how do you know whether you should cook the manicotti noodles before stuffing and freezing them?

The best way to figure out if your pasta needs to be cooked before freezing is to check the box. If you use no boil manicotti noodles, there is no need to pre-cook the pasta before placing the stuffed shells in the freezer. All you have to do is make sure the pasta is fully covered in sauce and they’ll soften as they bake in the oven.

But if your pasta is not no boil, you will need to prepare the noodles before you freeze them. No boil manicotti should be boiled until they are al dente. After that, allow the pasta to cool until it’s safe to touch and add the cheese filling before freezing your pasta dish.

How Long Does Manicotti Stay Fresh in the Fridge?

After your family enjoys your baked manicotti, you might have a few leftovers when dinner is over. Any leftover pasta should be stored in the refrigerator. You can cover the pan with plastic wrap and store it directly in the fridge. Or transfer the leftover pasta to an airtight container. When stored properly, your pasta will stay fresh for up to four days.

What is the Best Way to Reheat Manicotti?

When you’re ready to enjoy your leftover pasta, there are a couple of different ways you can reheat it. The best way to warm up your manicotti is to bake it in the oven. Place your leftover pasta in an oven-safe dish and cook it at 350° for 10 to 15 minutes, until the pasta is heated and the cheese is melted.

You can also reheat the leftover manicotti in the microwave. Heat the pasta for around one minute and check the temperature of the filling. If the center is still cold, return the pasta to the microwave and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Baked Manicotti Recipe Variation Ideas:

This quick and easy vegetarian lasagna is a great option for a meatless meal. But you can easily adjust the recipe to create a delicious dinner for your family with these simple additions.

Use a meat sauce. If your family prefers to have meat with their pasta, you can easily add cooked ground beef or Italian sausage to the pasta sauce. Simply stir one pound of prepared meat into the sauce before adding it to the pan.
Mix in some spinach. An easy way to add flavor and veggies to your pasta dinner is by mixing some spinach leaves into your cheese filling. You can use fresh or frozen spinach, depending on what you have on hand. If you plan to use frozen spinach, make sure to allow the vegetables to defrost before mixing them into the filling.
Boil the pasta. To help speed up the prep work on this baked pasta dish, try using no boil pasta. But if you can’t find that type of pasta in your grocery store, traditional manicotti noodles will work, too. To prepare this baked pasta dish with traditional noodles, make sure to boil the pasta before adding the filling. You’ll want to cook it to slightly underdone so that when reheating, the noodles don’t get mushy.

Baked Manicotti

Ingredients

3 cups cottage cheese
1 egg lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 oz manicotti uncooked
6 cups pasta sauce

Instructions

Assembly Instructions:

Spread one cup of pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
In a large bowl, mix the cottage cheese, egg, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Using a piping bag, a spoon, or your fingers, stuff the cheese filling mixture into the manicotti shells.
Place stuffed manicotti on top of the pasta sauce in the pan. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the pasta.
Wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap and top the pan with foil. Label the pan and place it in the freezer until you’re ready to bake.

Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Remove the foil and plastic wrap from the pan and replace the foil. Bake for 45 minutes.
The dish can also be baked from frozen if you increase cooking time to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Remove the foil from the pan and continue baking until noodles are tender.

Crock Pot Chana Masala

By Sharla

Enjoying a meatless meal every once in a while is a great way to save money and eat healthier. But just because your dinner isn’t made with meat doesn’t mean it has to lack flavour. This simple slow cooker chana masala recipe features a spicy tomato sauce over protein packed chickpeas, making it a delicious vegetarian dish everyone in the family will love.I was vegetarian for many years so I amassed a good variety of tasty meatless recipes. Some of my other freezer friendly meatless meals include Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas, African Thai Stew, and the Asian Rice Bowl.

Slow Cooker Chana Masala Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cans (19 oz. each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon ginger
3 Thai chilies
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons garam masala
5 oz. can tomato paste
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups vegetable broth

Freezing instructions:

Combine the chickpeas, onion, garlic, ginger, Chilies, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, tomato paste, lemon juice, and vegetable broth in a large freezer bag.
Seal the bag and squish to mix all the ingredients together.
Open the corner of the bag and squeeze to remove excess air, then reseal. Store the bag flat in the freezer until ready to serve.

Serving instructions:

Thaw the chana masala ingredients in the refrigerator.
Pour the contents of the bag into the slow cooker and cook on low for four to six hours.
Serve with basmati rice or naan.

Can I Freeze Homemade Chana Masala?

Preparing the ingredients for your chana masala (sometimes called chole masala or channay) ahead of time is a great way to speed up the prep work on your day of cooking.

So, if you’re wondering whether you can freeze this dish, the answer is yes!

You have two options when it comes to making your slow cooker chana masala ahead of time:

Freezing the ingredients, then cooking the chana masala. This is a good option if you’re hoping to speed up the preparation process on your meal planning day. Simply combine all the ingredients in a freezer bag and store in the freezer until you’re ready to cook your meal.
Cooking the chana masala, then freezing it. If you want to speed up the preparation time on your cooking day, precooking the chana masala is a great choice. Prepare the recipe in the slow cooker, then allow the ingredients to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. Keep in mind that you should not refreeze the chana masala after thawing it because the chickpeas and sauce will quickly become mushy.

Can You Reheat Chana Masala?

Reheating your chana masala is simple. The process depends on how you prepared your ingredients for freezing. If you opted to freeze the ingredients, just pour the contents of your freezer bag into a slow cooker and cook until the chickpeas have softened.

But if you precooked your meal and then stored it in the freezer, the chana masala can be reheated in a skillet over medium heat.

Either way, make sure to thaw the ingredients completely before cooking them. The safest way to thaw your frozen ingredients is to transfer the bag to the refrigerator the night before you plan on cooking the meal. This will give your chana masala plenty of time to thaw before you’re ready to cook it.

How Long Does Chana Masala Last in the Freezer?

When it’s stored properly, this chickpea stew will stay good for up to three months in the freezer. To keep the meal fresh for as long as possible, make sure to remove as much excess air from your container as you can.

After transferring the ingredients into the freezer bag and removing the air from the bag, lay it flat to optimize space in your freezer. And don’t forget to label the bag with the name of the recipe, date of freezing, and expected expiration date so you’ll know exactly when you need to reheat your meal before the ingredients go bad.

Chana Masala Recipe Tips & Tricks

My favourite thing about this slow cooker recipe is how easy it is to customize. On top of easily adjusting the heat of the sauce, you can also add ingredients to create a unique dish for your family. Try these recipe adjustments and additions to create a whole new dinner every time you make this crock pot meal.

Mix in some veggies. One of the simplest ways to customize this dish is with the addition of some vegetables. Simple greens, like kale or spinach, are a great way to mix some more vitamins into your dinner. Or add some frozen peas, corn, or carrots to the bag before freezing to make the dinner even more filling.
Add some jalapeños. The Thai chilies in this recipe give this Indian dish a little bit of heat. But if you want to take the spice level up a notch, you can also mix in some finely chopped jalapeños. For a milder flavour, remove the seeds before chopping. Otherwise, keep the seeds attached to create a spicy dish.
Stir in sour cream when serving. To give your chana masala a creamier texture, try mixing sour cream into the dish when you serve it. The cream will help thicken the sauce and balance out the heat of the peppers.

Slow Cooker Chana Masala

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

4 hrs

Course: Main Course

Keyword: vegetarian

Servings: 6

Ingredients

38 oz. chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 Tbsp. ginger
3 Thai chilies
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. garam masala
5 oz. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cups vegetable broth

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Combine the chickpeas, onion, garlic, ginger, chilies, seasonings, tomato paste, lemon juice, and vegetable broth in a large freezer bag.
Squish to combine.
Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Pour the contents of the bag into the slow cooker and cook on low for four to six hours.
Serve with basmati rice or naan.

Easy Cabbage Soup (freezer meal)

By Sharla

Perfect for cold days, this make ahead cabbage soup is easy to make and has nice light flavours. You can freeze this cabbage soup before cooking it or after. Or of course, if you can’t wait to try it, you can cook it and eat it right away!

If you like, you can double the recipe to use up your whole head of cabbage and ensure that none goes to waste. Then, simply freeze in family sized portions or even single servings. Cabbage touts many health properties including being high in vitamin C, vitamin K, and improving digestion. Adding this easy soup to your diet is a simple way to eat healthier. It’s also budget conscious as this costs very little to make.

To make this soup vegetarian or even vegan, just use vegetable broth. The recipe is also dairy free and gluten free, so it’s appropriate for many types of diets.

For this recipe, you can use savoy, Napa, or green cabbage.

Can you freeze cabbage?

This seems to be a common question. I can see where the confusion comes in as lettuce does not freeze well at all and cabbage and lettuce look similar. Cabbage, however freezes beautifully. We use it in recipes such as our Cabbage Roll Casserole and this Cabbage Soup.

If you want to freeze cabbage that isn’t in a recipe, cut the cabbage into wedges and pat dry. Place it in freezer bags, being sure to take out all the air you can before sealing. Freeze for up to 18 months.

Cabbage Soup Recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 head cabbage chopped in about 1 1/2″ chunks*
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
14 1/2 oz. can stewed tomatoes

Assembly instructions:

Chop the vegetables.
Place the vegetables and other ingredients into a large resealable freezer bag or silicone bag.
Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Place bag contents in a large stovetop pot. Heat over medium until it comes to a low boil.
Turn down to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

*note: if you want to use up the whole head of cabbage, simply double the recipe and separate into two large freezer bags or into single serving containers

That’s it! It’s simple to make homemade cabbage soup ahead so that you can pull it out to cook on those cold dreary days that scream for soup.

What to serve with this soup:

Serve this soup on its own, with crackers, or with dinner rolls.

You might also like these freezer soup recipes:

Cabbage Soup

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Course: Soup

Keyword: cabbage, cabbage soup, soup

Servings: 6

Calories: 192 kcal

Ingredients

1/2 onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 head cabbage chopped in 1 1/2" chunks
4 medium carrots peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery thinly sliced
14 1/2 oz. can stewed tomatoes

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Chop the vegetables.
Place the vegetables and other ingredients into a large resealable freezer bag or silicone bag.
Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Place bag contents in a large stovetop pot. Heat over medium until it comes to a low boil.
Turn down to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Vegan Chili (Freezer Meal)

By Sharla

Whether your diet is entirely plant based or you are just looking for an occasional meatless dish, you’ll appreciate this vegan chili recipe. It can be made ahead as a freezer meal.

This recipe combines three different beans, giving it lots of protein. It has a bit of a kick with the jalapeños and southwestern seasoning.

The medley of beans makes this vegetarian chili a hearty and filling meal.

Vegan Chili Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup black beans
1 cup kidney beans
1 cup pinto beans
1 onion, diced
2 jalapeños, diced (deseed if you don’t like spicy food)
4 cloves garlic, smashed and sliced
2-3 Tbsp. southwestern seasoning
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3-4 cups vegetable broth or water
32 oz. can diced tomatoes

Note: if desired, you can soak the beans overnight before assembling this recipe.

Assembly Instructions:

Rinse the beans and combine them in a large stockpot. Cover with water and bring to a boil on the stovetop over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the beans for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until beans are tender.
Drain and rinse the beans.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Place cooled cooked beans in a large resealable freezer bag. Add diced onion, diced jalapeños, garlic, seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, vegetable broth or water, and diced tomatoes.
Squish the bag to combine. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Place in a large stovetop pot. Heat on medium-high and bring to a boil.
Reduce to medium-low and cover, simmering for 1 hour until all liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.

You might be interested in some of our other vegetarian freezer meals:

Vegan Chili

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chili, vegan

Servings: 4

Calories: 320 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup black beans
1 cup kidney beans
1 cup pinto beans
1 onion diced
2 jalapeños diced (deseed if you don't like spicy food)
4 cloves garlic smashed and sliced
2-3 Tbsp. southwestern seasoning
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3-4 cups vegetable broth or water
32 oz. can diced tomatoes

Instructions

Assembly Instructions:

Rinse the beans and combine them in a large stockpot. Cover with water and bring to a boil on the stovetop over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the beans for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until beans are tender.
Drain and rinse the beans.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Place cooled cooked beans in a large resealable freezer bag. Add diced onion, diced jalapeños, garlic, seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, vegetable broth or water, and diced tomatoes.
Squish the bag to combine. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Place in a large stovetop pot. Heat on medium-high and bring to a boil.
Reduce to medium-low and cover, simmering for 1 hour until all liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.

Recipe Notes

Note: if desired, you can soak the beans overnight before assembling this recipe.

Easy Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

By Sharla

Lunch doesn’t get any easier than this 3 ingredient Instant Pot vegetable soup recipe. There are lots of ways to personalize this simple vegetarian soup.

Easy Instant Pot Vegetable Soup Recipe:

Ingredients:

3 cups mixed frozen vegetables (your favorite mixture)
1/2 cup tomato passata
3 cups water, or more if you like it more liquidy

Assembly instructions:

Place all the ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Squish to combine well.
Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Instant Pot cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Place the bag ingredients into your Instant Pot.
Secure the lid and set it to the soup setting for 8 minutes.
Use the natural or quick release.
Serve. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and chili flakes if desired.

You can adapt this recipe in so many different ways. It’s extremely versatile!

Here are just some ideas of things you can add to this recipe:

caramelized onions
minced garlic
sundried tomatoes
diced tomatoes
macaroni noodles (be sure to add more water if you add noodles or cook them separately before adding)
seasonings (paprika, Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, etc.)

What is tomato passata?

Tomato passata is essentially strained tomatoes. It’s a tomato puree that has had the seeds and skins strained out. If you can’t find any passata in your local grocery store, you can purchase it here or you can substitute canned tomato puree.