Food and Recipes Dinner 20 Emergency Freezer Meals for the Holidays By Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon is a Digital Associate Editor and has been on the Southern Living team since 2017. She helps run the brand's social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok, where she's happily behind the scenes. When she's not ruffling feathers with an etiquette poll via Instagram Stories, she's writing content for the website and assisting in various print projects like gift guides and home stories.She grew up in Mobile, Alabama, which she insists is home to the country's first Mardi Gras (not New Orleans) and now lives in Birmingham with her husband and rescue pup Rocky, whose name is unrelated to The University of Tennessee (Roll Tide). Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on August 19, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Iain Bagwell The holiday season is guaranteed to get busy. With school activities, family visits, holiday work parties, and countless other events, your fall and winter schedule will fill up fast. But just because you've had something penciled in for months doesn't mean that plans don't change. These freezer recipes save you when plans shift this holiday season. A surprise visit from the neighbors? Set out some appetizer meatballs you had stocked up in the freezer. Do kids decide to have company spend the night after the football game? Grab some homemade enchiladas or sloppy Joes from the freezer. Dinner plans canceled? No worries—a homemade dinner is in the freezer. These delicious dishes are here, whether you prep make-ahead freezer meals or freeze leftovers from a big dinner. Recipes that freeze well, like hamburger steak, baked ziti, or chicken pot pie, are great to have on-hand all holiday season. Of course, comforting fall soups are some of the best freezer recipes for cold nights, and it wouldn't be winter without a cozy beef stew. Casseroles are always an easy option to freeze. With casseroles that freeze well, like a turkey-noodle-poppyseed casserole and creamy chicken Alfredo casserole, you can feed any crowd that comes through your door. Whether for a dinner-party company or an average weeknight meal, have these freezer recipes waiting when your schedule changes abruptly around this holiday season (and believe us, it will). 01 of 20 Italian Casserole Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Italian Casserole This casserole recipe, sent to us by Mrs. Harland J. Stone from Ocala, Florida, and published in the November 1990 edition of Southern Living, is one of our forever favorites. When you're ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator, and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. 02 of 20 Southern Wedding Soup Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Southern Wedding Soup We added fresh greens and pork meatballs to this comforting soup that's ready in just 45 minutes. Freeze the soup and meatballs easily for this Italian-American dish, and wait to prepare the noodles before serving. Make substitutes for what you have on hand, such as baby spinach leaves or turnip greens for the baby kale. 03 of 20 Sausage-and-Grits Quiche Melina Hammer Recipe: Sausage-and-Grits Quiche Whether you're planning to eat breakfast for dinner, a Saturday breakfast for the family, or brunch for holiday company, a delicious quiche is a staple in the freezer. This quiche will keep for up to a month, so it's the perfect make-ahead dish. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, and bake as directed. 04 of 20 Baked Ziti with Sausage Southern Living Recipe: Baked Ziti with Sausage Even the pickiest eaters will love this baked pasta dish. The three-cheese ziti bake complements the ground sausage and meat sauce for a one-dish meal. Plan to make homemade sausage meat sauce to really add some extra flavor to this meal before freezing. 05 of 20 Hamburger Steak With Sweet Onion-Mushroom Gravy Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Hamburger Steak With Sweet Onion-Mushroom Gravy This hamburger steak recipe is acceptable when guests drop by, but it's easy enough to make for any ordinary weeknight. To save, individually wrap each uncooked patty in plastic wrap, place it in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw frozen patties in the refrigerator for eight hours and proceed with whisking brown gravy mix and cooking patties in a large skillet to serve. 06 of 20 Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole Greg DuPree Recipe: Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole One of your favorite pasta dishes got a comforting casserole redo that's perfect for family dinner. The best part is that this dish comes together in less than an hour, so preparations are simple whether you decide to freeze or eat it immediately. Leave off the fresh basil until you serve. 07 of 20 Turkey-Noodle-Poppyseed Casserole Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Turkey-Noodle-Poppyseed Casserole Published in Southern Living in November 1990, we'll never tire of this casserole recipe made from readily available (and possibly in-your-pantry) ingredients. If you happen to be missing an ingredient, try substituting it with someone on-hand. Thaw assembled casserole in the refrigerator for 24 hours and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before following baking instructions. 08 of 20 Chicken-and-Rice Soup with Mushrooms Southern Living Recipe: Chicken-and-Rice Soup with Mushrooms Slow-cooker soups will always be there for us in the cold winter. The hearty and good-for-you ingredients in this soup are the warm and comforting elements of a meal you crave. Ensure to cool completely post-slow cooker before freezing. 09 of 20 Greek Meatballs with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce and Rice Greg DuPree Recipe: Greek Meatballs with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce and Rice Meatballs are perfect for the freezer because you can take out the exact number you need and still leave more for later. These Greek meatballs are delicious served over rice with our cucumber-yogurt sauce or stuffed into warm pita bread with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and cucumber-yogurt sauce for a yummy, fresh lunch that's better than a plain turkey sandwich. 10 of 20 Chunky Vegetable Beef Soup Southern Living Recipe: Chunky Vegetable Beef Soup We can't make it through the winter months without craving a warm bowl of vegetable beef soup, and this 45-minute recipe is the easiest way to satisfy us. Freeze meal-size portions in large zip-top plastic bags so you can stretch this soup into multiple meals. Fold the top edge down, and place the bag in a large glass measuring cup to stabilize the bag while filling. The soup will freeze for up to one month. To reheat, thaw soup in the fridge overnight, and simmer over low, stirring occasionally. 11 of 20 Chicken-and-Green Chile Enchiladas Southern Living Recipe: Chicken-and-Green Chile Enchiladas With these rich enchiladas, your family can have Mexican food any day or night you crave it. If you have company, enchiladas are perfect for feeding a large crowd without worrying about refilling the chopped lettuce or tomatoes in the taco bar. Don't forget the margaritas! 12 of 20 Skillet-Toasted Gnocchi with Peas Victor Protasio Recipe: Skillet-Toasted Gnocchi with Peas Gnocchi is a great pasta replacement, and this 30-minute recipe is easy. After freezing in a zip-top bag, add the gnocchi to a skillet and reheat. This recipe would be delicious topped with grilled chicken or the pasta sauce of your choice, so customize it to your family's preferences or serving needs. 13 of 20 Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake This 30-minute vegetarian pasta bake is a great option if you're sick of pasta with red sauce. It can stand alone or as a side with a protein. Even picky eaters will agree kale tastes better covered in cheese and crispy breadcrumbs. 14 of 20 Skillet Mac and Cheese with Crispy Breadcrumbs Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Skillet Mac and Cheese with Crispy Breadcrumbs We love to make anything in our cast-iron skillet, especially comfort classics like mac and cheese. This dish is ideal to have in the freezer for the kids. Freeze in lidded bakeware for easy transport between oven, freezer, and fridge. 15 of 20 Quick and Easy Spaghetti Bolognese Greg DuPree Recipe: Quick and Easy Spaghetti Bolognese We never thought we could make a delicious Bolognese in just 25 minutes, but anything is possible with a doctored-up jarred sauce. Spaghetti is a no-fail option for kids and adults alike. Store in airtight containers or zip-top freezer bags. 16 of 20 Peppered Beef Soup Southern Living Recipe: Peppered Beef Soup This beef soup is rich, filling, and just what you need sitting in your freezer for a cold winter night. Freeze in an airtight container for up to three months. Add a bit of canned broth when reheating to reach desired consistency. 17 of 20 Chicken Casserole D'Iberville Southern Living Recipe: Chicken Casserole D'Iberville This casserole is a classic recipe for a comforting make-ahead meal. Add chicken, wild rice, and creamy soup for a hearty mixture. You can leave the crushed crackers and fried onions to sprinkle over the casserole after it defrosts, but before placing it in the oven. 18 of 20 Quick Beef Chili Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Quick Beef Chili Everyone loves a warm, comforting bowl of chili after returning from a windy, cold winter's walk. Making chili in a rush is ideal for this time of year, and having some prepared in the freezer makes things much easier for the entire family. Top this dish with green onions, cheese, or sour cream for an irresistibly crave-able meal. 19 of 20 Tex-Mex Meatballs in Red Chile Sauce Photo: Greg Dupree Recipe: Tex-Mex Meatballs in Red Chile Sauce Spice things up on a cold winter's evening by serving some Southwest-inspired meatballs in a flavorful enchilada sauce. Mix roasted poblano, onion, garlic, and cilantro in a food processor to create a paste. The crushed corn chip and milk mixture helps to make this dish's unique texture. 20 of 20 Easy Chicken and Dumplings Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Easy Chicken and Dumplings Transform classic comfort food into this freezer-friendly meal. Canned biscuits help save you time when preparing this dish, which comes together in less than an hour. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit