28 Easy Freezer Recipes That Reheat Beautifully

By Southern Living
Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Fool your crowd into thinking you spent all day at the stove with these easy, freezer-friendly recipes, tips, and tricks.

Your freezer isn’t just for ice cream, it’s an extension of your pantry. Make the most of this precious space—and get a head start on weeknight dinners—by stocking it with our easy freezer recipes. We’ve gathered our favorite fix-and-freeze dishes along with helpful tips and tricks from our Test Kitchen on the best way to freeze food. Not all recipes are freezer-friendly, but these dishes are sure to reheat beautifully and taste like you spent hours at the stove. Choose from dozens of delicious freezer meals including casseroles, baked pasta dishes, gumbo, pot roast, and slow-cooker soups and stews, and more.

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Smoked-Pork-Stuffed Pasta Shells

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Smoked-Pork-Stuffed Pasta Shells

This hearty recipe calls for a pound of flavorful smoked pork, making the freezer-friendly pasta dish incredibly filling.

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Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Greg DuPree

Recipe: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

This Cajun-inspired dish is sure to be a hit with everyone in your family. It's hearty, flavorful, and oh-so comforting. 

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Curried Chicken Pot Pie

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Curried Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is a Southern favorite. Be sure to let this dish thaw in the refrigerator before baking.

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Green Chile-Chicken Stew

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Green Chile-Chicken Stew

Packed with tasty ingredients like ground cumin, dried thyme, and poblano chiles, this soup is sure to keep you coming back for more.

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Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and dumplings are a Southern favorite. Make an extra batch ahead of time and freeze it for a ready-to-eat weeknight meal. 

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Hearty Beef and Freezer Veggie Soup

Greg DuPree

Recipe: Hearty Beef and Freezer Veggie Soup

Ingredients from the frozen food aisle make this delicious soup recipe incredibly easy to prepare. Serve it in a bread bowl for an extra touch.

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Eggplant Rollups

Greg DuPree

Recipe: Eggplant Rollups

This tasty lasagna-like dish is an excellent low-carb option for satisfying your Italian food craving.

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Southern Pimiento Mac and Cheese

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Southern Pimiento Mac and Cheese

Pimiento cheese takes this Southern mac and cheese recipe to the next level. It's easy to make and perfect for a make-ahead meal. 

 

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Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder

Greg Dupree

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder

Let the slow-cooker do the work. Freezing creamy corn chowder is a great way to preserve summer's fresh corn.

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Deb Wise's Tamale Pie Mix-Up

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Deb Wise’s Tamale Pie Mix-Up

This recipe takes a modern twist on a classic tamale pie. Have it ready to go in your freezer for an impromptu fiesta night.

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Tomato, Cheddar, and Bacon Pie

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Tomato, Cheddar, and Bacon Pie

The bacon-filled crust on this Southern tomato pie makes it a mouthwateringly delicious dish.

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Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos with Fresh Tomato Salsa

Greg Dupree

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos with Fresh Tomato Salsa

Taco Tuesday just got an upgrade with this pork-filled Mexican dish. We recommend serving them with fresh avocado and a margarita.

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Spicy Sausage-and-Chickpea Soup with Garlic Oil

Greg Dupree

Recipe: Spicy Sausage and Chickpea Soup with Garlic Oil

If you're searching for a recipe with a kick, this spicy sausage and chickpea soup is the one for you. It's topped off with garlic oil for the finishing touch. 

 

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Greek Baked Ziti

Greg Dupree

Recipe: Greek Baked Ziti

This classic pasta dished is complete with two cheeses, flavorful seasoning, and ground beef for a well-rounded meal. 

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Classic Chicken Tetrazzini

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Classic Chicken Tetrazzini

This praiseworthy casserole has some of our favorite Southern ingredients: pasta, chicken, and Parmesan cheese. It doesn't get better than that.

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New Tuna Casserole

Greg Dupree

Recipe: New Tuna Casserole

Tuna noodle casserole has been a Southern-favorite for years. Serve it at your next family dinner or bring it to a church potluck for raving responses.

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Tex-Mex Meatballs in Red Chile Sauce

Photo: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Tex-Mex Meatballs in Red Chile Sauce

These zesty meatballs are a true taste of the Southwest, with poblano peppers, corn chips, lime juice, and red chile enchilada sauce. Prepared with ground chuck, these are a rich, delicious way to fill a tortilla full of flavor. Let guests doctor their own plates with crunchy, colorful toppings including Cotija cheese, radishes, and avocado. If you prefer to prepare early, these also freeze beautifully, so you can always have some on hand.  Savor the sensations of Southwest flavors with these Tex-Mex Meatballs in Red Chile Sauce.

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Spiced Beef Kabobs with Herbed Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Photo: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Spiced Beef Kabobs with Herbed Cucumber and Tomato Salad

This recipe is all about how to take premium ground beef, flavor it with subtle herbs and spices, and create a delicious dish. These Spiced Beef Kabobs are delicately seasoned with cumin, coriander, allspice, parsley, and cilantro, then hand-formed on skewers. Grilled to golden-brown perfection, the ground beef remains moist and juicy, to be complemented by creamy toppings like our Yogurt-Tahini Sauce. Serve this zesty beef with warm pita bread and a tangy herb salad.

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Chicken Enchiladas

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: Chicken Enchiladas  

This Tex-Mex one-dish meal is a family-friendly favorite. It's an easy make-ahead meal that can be frozen for up to one month. Think about these enchiladas when time is tight.

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Queso-Broccoli Potato Chowder

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Queso-Broccoli Potato Chowder

Refrigerators and freezers cannot cool soups quickly enough to be food safe. Speed up the cooling process by placing the pot of soup in a bath of ice water in the sink. Stir soup often to help release the heat. Even your kids won't be able to resist this broccoli chowder. Sautéed ham and creamy Cheddar cheese create a savory base.

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"Big Easy" Gumbo

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: "Big Easy" Gumbo

Adding flour to hot oil creates a fast and flavorful roux. Serve this freezer-friendly favorite with scoops of Hoppin' John and a fresh green salad tossed with your favorite vinaigrette.

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Hearty Italian Soup with Parmesan-Pepper Cornbread Biscotti

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Hearty Italian Soup with Parmesan-Pepper Cornbread Biscotti

Small plastic freezer jars are perfect for stocks, gravies, cranberry sauces, or individual portions of soups and stews. Liquids expand when frozen, so leave 1/2 inch of headspace below the rim of the container.

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Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole

Save time (and dirty dishes) with lidded bakeware that goes from oven to freezer to fridge with ease.

Sliced almonds, water chestnuts, cream of mushroom soup, and Cheddar cheese add a depth of flavor and texture to this satisfying casserole.

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Lasagna Roll Ups

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Lasagna Roll Ups

These lasagna rolls are the perfect meal to freeze individually and thaw according to your dinnertime head count.

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Curried Chicken Chowder

Photo: Melina Hammer

Recipe: Curried Chicken Chowder

To preserve the textures of meat and vegetables in soup, it's important to cool hot soups completely before freezing. To quickly reduce the temperature, transfer to large, shallow containers (13- × 9-inch baking dishes). Refrigerate uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cool.

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Sausage-and-Grits Quiche

Photo: Melina Hammer

Recipe: Sausage-and-Grits Quiche

Thaw food in the refrigerator. The science behind a slow, even thaw preserves flavor and texture. Impress your brunch company with this clever, simple spin on a traditional quiche.

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Chicken-Andouille Gumbo

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chicken-Andouille Gumbo

Stock your freezer with this classic Southern dish. Use empty cereal boxes to save space. Line an upright box with a zip-top bag (like lining a trash can). Fill, then seal the bag and freeze flat while still in the box. Once frozen, remove the bag from the box and stack.

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King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese

All the flavors of a favorite casserole come together in the comfort of mac and cheese. Freeze this hearty, cheesy favorite in lidded bakeware for easy transport between oven, freezer, and fridge.

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