Food and Recipes Quick and Easy Dinner 53 Easy Freezer Recipes That Reheat Beautifully By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 6, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall 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 best freezer meals. We've gathered our favorite fix-and-freeze dishes to help you get dinner on the table in no time (along with helpful tips and tricks from our Test Kitchen on the best way to freeze food). Cook today and have dinner ready to go all month long. Last-minute hosting? Fool your crowd into thinking you spent all day at the stove with these easy, freezer-friendly dishes. Not all recipes are freezer-friendly, but these dishes—from chicken noodle soup to classic lasagna—are sure to reheat beautifully and taste as good as new. Choose from dozens of delicious freezer meals including casseroles, baked pasta dishes, gumbo, pot roast, slow-cooker soups and stews, and more. You guests will never guess that you just popped that Turkey-Noodle-Poppy Seed Casserole out of the freezer. 01 of 53 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. 02 of 53 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. 03 of 53 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. 04 of 53 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. 05 of 53 Green Chile-Chicken Soup Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Green Chile-Chicken Soup Packed with tasty ingredients like ground cumin, dried thyme, and poblano chiles, this soup is sure to keep you coming back for more. 06 of 53 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. 07 of 53 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 fix and perfect for a make-ahead meal. 08 of 53 Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder 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. 09 of 53 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. 10 of 53 Make Weeknights a Breeze With These Fix-And-Freeze Meals 11 of 53 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 53 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. 13 of 53 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 53 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. 15 of 53 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. 16 of 53 New Tuna Casserole Greg Dupree Recipe: New Tuna Casserole Tuna noodle casserole has been a Southern-favorite for years. 17 of 53 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. 18 of 53 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. 19 of 53 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. 20 of 53 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. 21 of 53 Meatball Pasta Bake Hector Sanchez Recipe: Meatball Pasta Bake Orange juice is the surprising ingredient that gives this pasta dish a bright flavor. 22 of 53 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. 23 of 53 Tangy Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Tangy Slow-Cooker Pork ShoulderKeep this pork shoulder in the freezer so you'll be ready for an impromptu backyard BBQ at any time. 24 of 53 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. 25 of 53 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. 26 of 53 Quick Beef Chili Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Quick Beef Chili We recommend serving with green onions, sour cream, and Cheddar cheese. 27 of 53 Turkey Meatballs Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Turkey MeatballsKeep meatballs on hand to serve over pasta, on a sandwich, or alongside a Caesar salad. 28 of 53 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. 29 of 53 Heavenly Chicken Lasagna Photo: Lee Harrelson Recipe: Heavenly Chicken Lasagna Swap it up from the usual ground beef lasagna with this cheesy, chicken version. 30 of 53 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. 31 of 53 Vegetable Beef Soup Southern Living Recipe: Vegetable Beef Soup Freeze meal-size portions of soup in zip-top freezer bags and you'll thank yourself later. 32 of 53 Buffalo Chicken Casserole Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Casserole Prepare this casserole for your freezer so you can instantly enjoy the flavor of buffalo wings when you're craving them. 33 of 53 Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole Greg DuPree Recipe: Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole After reheating this creamy casserole, top with paprika and basil for a comforting dish the whole family will love. 34 of 53 Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole 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. 35 of 53 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. 36 of 53 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. 37 of 53 Chicken-Andouille Gumbo 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. 38 of 53 Shrimp Fajita Bowls Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Shrimp Fajita Bowls This fast, fresh, healthy supper is ideal for busy weeknights. The recipe includes instructions for enjoying it immediately after you prepare it, freezing it for later, and how to cook it after it's been frozen. 39 of 53 Chicken Casserole D'Iberville Southern Living Recipe: Chicken Casserole D'Iberville This old-school casserole recipe has everything you crave in a comforting casserole—hearty chicken, wild rice, creamy soup, and a crunchy, buttery topping. Cover casseroles tightly with foil, and freeze unbaked up to one month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bake as directed. (Casserole may also be baked frozen. Plan to double the baking times.) 40 of 53 Southern Wedding Soup Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Southern Wedding Soup These flavorful meatballs come together with a combination of ground beef and ground pork for flavor. You can make and freeze the meatballs in advance. If you want to freeze the soup as well, just leave out the pasta. You can prepare that when you're ready to serve the soup. 41 of 53 Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole Southern Living Recipe: Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole This filling casserole will be your new favorite way to use that ground beef from the freezer. Freeze assembled, unbaked casserole up to one month. Thaw in fridge overnight. Let stand 30 minutes; bake as directed. 42 of 53 Chicken Tamales with Roasted Tomato-and-Dried Chile Sauce Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Chicken Tamales with Roasted Tomato-and-Dried Chile Sauce "For many Southerners of Latin American heritage, Christmas means tamales: tender dumplings wrapped in leaves, like little presents," writes Sandra A. Gutierrez, author of four cookbooks, including The New Southern-Latino Table. Start your own tradition this holiday season with her recipe, which comes with a make-ahead freezer option. 43 of 53 Cajun Shrimp Casserole Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Casserole This easy casserole is an old-fashioned, cozy way to get a seafood supper on the table. To freeze unbaked casserole, prepare as directed, omitting Parmesan cheese. Cover tightly, and freeze. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking. Bake, covered, at 350° for 50 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese and bake 10 more minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. 44 of 53 Cottage Pie with Potato Crust Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr Recipe: Cottage Pie with Potato Crust Store-bought, prepared mashed potatoes are the secret to making this classic comfort food in a snap. Simply prepare through Step 3, then wrap the top of the casserole dish in aluminum foil before popping into the freezer. You'll want to allow it to thaw completely in the fridge, which you can do overnight before you plan to serve it. To avoid excessive browning, add a shield of aluminum foil to the top for the last 25 minutes of baking. 45 of 53 Pizza Spaghetti Casserole Beth Dreiling; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey Recipe: Pizza Spaghetti Casserole Can't decide between pizza night and pasta night? Have the best of both worlds with this kid-friendly supper! Freeze the unbaked casserole up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator; let stand 30 minutes at room temperature and bake as directed. 46 of 53 Hamburger Steak With Sweet Onion-Mushroom Gravy Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Hamburger Steak With Sweet Onion-Mushroom Gravy Hamburger steak is the ultimate ground beef Sunday supper. This simple, easy dish brings us right back to Grandma's table. To make ahead, proceed with Step 1 as directed. Wrap each patty individually in plastic wrap, and place in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw frozen patties in refrigerator 8 hours; proceed with Steps 2 and 3. 47 of 53 Ham and Noodle Casserole Jen Causey Recipe: Ham and Noodle Casserole This recipe, published more than two decades ago in our March 2001 issue, still holds up today. Especially convenient to bake when you have leftover ham to throw in a casserole, this dish is easy and delicious. Thaw the frozen casserole in the refrigerator overnight, then bake at 400° for 35 to 40 minutes. 48 of 53 Slow-Cooker Barbecue Beef Sandwiches Southern Living Recipe: Slow-Cooker Barbecue Beef Sandwiches There's no easier way to whip up barbecue for game day than with the help of your slow cooker. Freeze any leftover beef in zip-top bags for up to one month. 49 of 53 Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup Photography and Styling: Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup Put that rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to good use with a big batch of comforting chicken noodle soup. To freeze, simply divide it up into individual portions in zip-top bags and pull them out for quick lunches and dinners on the fly. 50 of 53 Herbed Beef Ragu Southern Living Recipe: Herbed Beef Ragu This slow-cooker pasta sauce is just what the doctor ordered for a cold winter night. Simply freeze leftovers in a zip-top bag and reheat on the stovetop when you're ready to serve. 51 of 53 Turkey-Noodle-Poppy Seed Casserole Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Turkey-Noodle-Poppy Seed Casserole This recipe graced the pages of Southern Living's November 1990 issue, and we're still making it, especially during the busy holiday season, when leftovers are abundant and need a little reinventing. Assemble the casserole and freeze it before baking. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 24 hours, let it stand at room temperature 30 minutes, and continue with the baking instructions in the recipe. 52 of 53 Greek Meatballs with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce and Rice Greg DuPree Recipe: Greek Meatballs with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce and Rice This recipe yields plenty of meatballs to enjoy over rice or in a pita for an easy grab-and-go lunch. You can freeze the meatballs before or after cooking them, too. 53 of 53 Butternut Squash Lasagna Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Butternut Squash Lasagna When the autumn air starts to cool off, your family is going to love this seasonal twist on classic lasagna. No one will even realize a dish this hearty is meatless. Cover and freeze before baking and, if are giving it as a food gift, include a note to add 10-15 minutes to the covered cook time. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit