40+ Easy Freezer Recipes That Reheat Beautifully

Iain Bagwell
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, slow-cooker soups and stews, and more.
Start Slideshow

1 of 43

Make Weeknights a Breeze With These Fix-And-Freeze Meals

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 43

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.

3 of 43

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.

Advertisement

4 of 43

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.

5 of 43

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.

6 of 43

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.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 43

Eggplant Rollups

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele

Recipe: Eggplant Rollups

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

8 of 43

Southern Pimiento Mac and Cheese

Photo: 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.

9 of 43

Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder

Photo: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

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.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 43

Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Easy Chicken and Dumplings

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

11 of 43

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.

12 of 43

Tomato, Cheddar, and Bacon Pie

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Tomato, Cheddar, and Bacon Pie

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

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 43

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.

14 of 43

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 perfect finishing touch.

15 of 43

Greek Baked Ziti

Greg Dupree

Recipe: Greek Baked Ziti

This classic pasta dish creates one well-rounded meal complete with two cheeses, flavorful seasoning, and grocery-store favorite ground beef.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 43

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.

17 of 43

New Tuna Casserole

Greg Dupree

Recipe: New Tuna Casserole

Tuna noodle casserole has been a Southern-favorite for years. 

18 of 43

Old-Fashioned Meatloaf

Southern Living

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Meatloaf

Double this recipe so your family can enjoy one loaf now and one later with little additional effort. 

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 43

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. 

20 of 43

Lasagna Roll Ups

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Lasagna Roll Ups

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

21 of 43

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. You'll be impressed by this clever, simple spin on a traditional quiche.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 43

Meatball Pasta Bake

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Meatball Pasta Bake

Orange juice is the surprising ingredient that gives this pasta dish a bright flavor. 

23 of 43

Extra Easy Lasagna

Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Martin

Recipe: Extra Easy Lasagna

Freeze the whole pan or just the leftovers for a hearty meal straight from your freezer. 

24 of 43

Tangy Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Tangy Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder

Keep this pork shoulder in the freezer so you'll be ready for an impromptu backyard BBQ at any time. 

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 43

Baked Ziti with Sausage

Southern Living

Recipe: Baked Ziti with Sausage

Combine homemade meat sauce with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan for the cheesy casserole of your dreams. 

26 of 43

Bacon-And-Cheddar Grits Quiche

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Bacon-And-Cheddar Grits Quiche

Keep this quiche in the freezer for an easy breakfast or dinner in the future. All you'll have to do is thaw it in the fridge and reheat before serving. 

27 of 43

Quick Beef Chili

Becky Luigart Stayner

Recipe: Quick Beef Chili

We recommend serving with green onions, sour cream, and Cheddar cheese.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

28 of 43

Turkey Meatballs

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

Recipe: Turkey Meatballs

Keep meatballs on hand to serve over pasta, on a sandwich, or alongside a Caesar salad. 

29 of 43

Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake

This casserole has all of the components of a full meal—protein, veggies, and carbs—all in one freezable dish. Reserve the cheese, crackers, and pecans until just before serving. 

30 of 43

Heavenly Chicken Lasagna

Photo: Lee Harrelson

Recipe: Heavenly Chicken Lasagna

Swap it up from the usual ground beef lasagna with this cheesy, chicken version.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

31 of 43

Chili Cheese Enchiladas

Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Chili Cheese Enchiladas

Although the original recipe doesn't call for meat, you can easily add ground beef or shredded chicken to the cheese filling to make a heartier meal. 

32 of 43

Vegetable Beef Soup