13 Make-Ahead Freezer Meals for Nights When You Just Can't
On chilly winter nights, I often find myself craving rich stews and creamy casseroles, and I’m guessing many of you feel the same. The thing is I rarely have time to actually make these kinds of dinners, which are far more involved than the throw-it-together pastas, salads and grain bowls I crave during warmer months. The solution? Make-ahead freezer meals that I can reheat and eat during the week.
You can’t throw any old meal in the freezer, though. The best candidates are casseroles, soups and stews, which all tend to have enough liquid that they’ll freeze in a solid block, then defrost in a uniform enough way that no ingredient will get overcooked and dry while another is still freezer-cold.
The following tasty recipes run the gamut from vegan chilies and stews to meaty, cheese-filled casseroles. All 13 of these make-ahead freezer meals will keep for months in your freezer and can be defrosted in a pot on the stove (the stews), or in the oven (the casseroles). Most recipes yield several servings, but if you want to scale them up, that’s a great way to make sure you have tons of already cooked meals in your freezer for nights when cooking just seems like too much.
Vegan bean chili
This easy vegan bean chili comes together in about 30 minutes. Get a big pot, make a big batch and freeze leftovers for quick veggie-packed dinners.
Garden vegetable lasagna
This spinach-packed garden vegetable lasagna can be cooked, frozen and reheated all in the same dish.
Creamy chicken, quinoa & broccoli casserole
Need something nutrient-packed and delicious? This chicken, quinoa and broccoli casserole is satisfying and extra tasty thanks to a bit of bacon and some Gruyère cheese.
Shrimp & sausage stew
Featuring two flavorful proteins, this shrimp and sausage stew is a meal you’ll be thankful to have in your freezer when the craving for a warm, hearty dinner strikes.
Healthy Mexican casserole with roasted corn & peppers
No energy for taco night? This Mexican casserole with roasted corn and peppers hits all the same sweet spots, and all you have to do is take it out of the freezer and bake it up.
One-pot chicken stew
This one-pot chicken stew is great in the winter, but no worries if you freeze the leftovers and don’t eat them until spring.
Chicken Alfredo lasagna
This chicken Alfredo lasagna is lower-calorie than the original — it’s got less cream and cheese and lots of veggies instead of noodles — but it’s still a creamy, comforting dinner option.
Slow cooker root vegetable stew
Make a batch of this root vegetable stew while the produce is in season, then freeze individual servings, and you’ll have hearty lunch or dinner options around all year.
Dump-&-bake chicken Parm casserole
Everyone loves chicken Parmesan, but nobody loves breading and frying individual pieces of pounded chicken breast. This dump-and-bake chicken Parm casserole cuts out all the tricky steps and freezes perfectly.
Easy spinach casserole with artichokes & quinoa
Love spinach-artichoke dip? You’ll love this easy spinach casserole, which tastes similar but counts as a legit balanced meal.
Beef chili
When it comes to easy, tasty, crowd-pleasing, make-ahead meals, nothing beats classic beef chili.
Seafood casserole
Fish is delicate and often doesn’t freeze well, but this creamy, flavorful seafood casserole will last for months in your freezer. Just make sure it isn’t in the oven for too long when you reheat it, or it’ll dry out.
Easy chicken & dumplings
Chicken stew is great and all, but everything is better with dense, starchy dumplings cooked right in. This chicken and dumplings recipe is simple and won’t get mealy in the freezer.
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