Freezer To Stovetop In 30 Minutes: 12 Easy Recipes Slideshow
Freezing meals is easy as long as you remember a few simple tricks. First, cool food completely before freezing. To speed up the process, set up an ice bath to quickly cool pots of meatballs or stews. Once the food is completely cool, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, freezer bags, or an airtight container. Then, freeze. When you are ready to reheat your meal, gently heat on the stovetop at a slightly lower temperature than the recipe called for to keep the food from drying out.
Try these easy-to-freeze recipes, and dinner will no longer be another thing on your to-do list that you have to dread.
All-American Cheeseburger Soup
Don't have time to make cheeseburgers? This soup, made with ground beef and cheese and topped with your favorite burger toppings, is easy to cook, cool, freeze, and heat up on the stove when you need it.
Beef and Mushroom Stew
Make a large batch and freeze in portioned freezer bags or airtight containers to make heating up a serving of this stew simple.
Chicken and Dumplings
These chicken and dumplings just need a quick thaw to go from the freezer to the dinner table in no time.
GardenMeatballs
Slightly thaw these meatballs in the refrigerator before you heat them up on the stove in your favorite spicy marinara sauce.
Healthy Mac and Cheese with Butternut Squash
Incorporate vegetables into your mac and cheese for a more balanced meal. To reheat this dish, add a little milk in the pan with the frozen mac and cheese and stir as needed.
Click here for the Healthy Mac and Cheese with Butternut Squash recipe.
Lemon Basil Turkey Tenderloins
Reheat these turkey tenderloins on the stovetop on a low setting and add a little stock if they seem dry.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Add extra vegetables to this lemon soup or swap the orzo for rice if you prefer. When you want to thaw, just gently heat up on the stove.
Shrimp and Chicken Etouffee
This New Orleans classic with shrimp and chicken makes a perfect dinnertime treat. Add more spice if you like it extra hot — the way it was intended. Just gently heat on the stovetop after freezing and stir to incorporate all the flavors of the Big Easy.
Shrimp Pasta with Spicy Tomato Sauce
Cook once, eat twice with this pasta dish that you can easily throw in the freezer for a second meal on those busy weeknights.
Click here for the Shrimp Pasta with Spicy Tomato Sauce recipe.
Turkey Meatloaf
Try using lean ground turkey for this meatloaf. Pre-slice before you freeze if you want more portion control, and heat up with extra tomato sauce or ketchup on the stove to keep the meatloaf from drying out.
Vegetarian Chili
This hearty vegetable chili is perfect for nights when you just don't have the time to cook a full meal. Simply reheat on the stove on medium until the chili is piping hot.
Very Easy Vegetarian Thai Curry
This curry is simple and delicious. Just heat up on the stove and serve alongside rice or noodles.
Lamb, Rosemary, and Garlic Meatballs
The great taste of a rack of lamb in meatball form means you can quickly take this dish from freezer to stovetop in no time.
For the Lamb, Rosemary, & Garlic Meatballs recipe, click here.
Eggplant Curry
This eggplant curry makes for an easy freezer-to-stovetop vegetarian dish. Simply thaw over medium heat in a heavy pan.
Brunswick Stew
This hearty stew will be a life saver on those nights when you just don't have the time to start from scratch. Just pull out of the freezer and heat gently on the stove or in a Crock Pot to thaw.