40+ recipes to stash in your freezer for easy supper solutions
Having a tasty meal stashed in the freezer is the ultimate simple supper hack.
Freezing is the ultimate way to make your food go further and is the perfect option when you've had a long day at work and need something hearty and comforting in no time.
We particularly love batch cooking to make sure we always have lots of leftovers on hand, and these are our top picks for the best freezer-friendly meals. Plus, the freezer is just a great way to save any wilting fruit, veg, herbs, dairy and wine (yes you read that right).
A freezer is very useful when it comes to batch cooking recipes as it ensures you can have a varied diet throughout the week, rather than having to eat the same meal everyday before it goes off. On the lookout for a new one? Our GHI best buys have got you sorted.
Here are some of our top freezing tips if you're looking to reduce your food waste and save time.
Top Freezing Tips:
• Freezing things in individual portions is very handy if you are cooking for one or two people more frequently. (If you're looking for more advice on what you can freeze see our feature on 13 foods you didn't know you could freeze.)
• Check the freezing instructions for individual ingredients for advice on how long things will store, so you can make the best of your produce.
• Check what you can actually freeze - the list might surprise you.
• Vegetarian recipes will (generally) keep longer than recipes containing meat and recipes with plenty of liquid (like soups and stews) will freeze better than those without.
• Always safely defrost by slowly thawing in the fridge (forward planning is necessary here).
• Re-usable food bags allow for more space-efficient stacking than freezer-safe boxes. Just fill the bags, remove the air before sealing and freeze them flat so they can be stacked neatly.
• Think about the re-heating of food and if an ingredient is supposed to be eaten cold. If it is, don’t add this to the recipe until you’re ready to serve.
• Label everything clearly with a marker or label maker as all meals starts to look the same when frozen. The Good Housekeeping Institute has advice on 10 tips make the most of your freezer to avoid this happening.
• If you have a big enough freezer, freeze things like lasagnes or gratins in a freezer-safe ovenproof dish, to make it easier to reheat.
Lamb and Orzo Stew
Shaped to resemble grains of barley, orzo is a type of pasta that adds an interesting texture to soups and increases your pasta repertoire. We think this is a great hearty meal and it's great to make in advance and then freeze.
Freeze Ahead
Prepare to end of step 2, then leave to cool completely. Transfer mixture to a freezer-proof container, cover and freeze for up to three months.
Recipe: Lamb and Orzo Stew
Luxury Bisque Fish Pie
A family favourite made extra luxurious for special occasions, this fish pie is particularly good for Christmas.
Freeze Ahead
Allow to cool fully, cover with buttered foil and wrap tightly in clingfilm, then freeze for up to 2 months.
Recipe: Luxury Bisque Fish Pie
Greek-inspired lamb stew
This hearty and warming stew flavoured with cinnamon is packed with slow-cooked vegetables and just the thing for a cold day.
Freeze ahead
Prepare to end of step 3. Cool, transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 1 month.
Recipe: Greek-inspired lamb stew
Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Pasta
Comfort food that's ideal for a vegetarian family meal or sharing with friends.
Freeze Ahead
Prepare up to end of step 5, then cover in foil or clingfilm and freeze.
Mixed Bean Stew with Salsa Verde
This warming stew is packed full of flavour, with a hearty base and fresh salsa verde topping. If you can’t find mixed beans, use any other tinned or combination of tinned of beans you like.
Freeze ahead
Prepare stew up to the addition of the cabbage. Leave to cool completely, then freeze for up to 1 month.
Recipe: Mixed Bean Stew with Salsa Verde
Goan Fish Curry with Garlic and Coriander Naans
Monkfish and prawns make this worthy of a dinner party.
Freeze Ahead
Wrap cooled naan breads individually in clingfilm; freeze for up 3 months. For the curry; after cooking the monkfish and before heating the prawns, cool the curry. Transfer to a freezeable container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Stromboli
The whole family will enjoy these rolled pizza breads, crammed full of flavour and oozing with cheesiness. If you’re cooking for veggies, omit the mortadella and pepperoni and make sure to use vegetarian mozzarella.
Freeze ahead:
Assemble and cook stromboli, then cool completely. Wrap well individually and freeze up to 1 month.
Recipe: Stromboli
Sausage and Fennel Lasagne
The flavours of pork and fennel work wonderfully together - we reckon this lasagne recipe will become a new favourite.
Freeze ahead
Prepare to end of step 4. Cool, wrap well and freeze for up to 1 month.
Recipe: Sausage and Fennel Lasagne
Beef Stew with Dumplings Recipe
There's no need to brown the meat for this beef stew recipe, so it couldn't be easier.
Freeze Ahead
Prepare to end of step 2, then allow to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to a month.
Recipe: Beef Stew with Dumplings Recipe
Keralan-Style Prawn and Coconut Curry
If you want to stretch this dish to feed more mouths, add in another tin of coconut milk and 200g (7oz) more prawns.
Freeze ahead
Prepare to end of step 4. Cool, transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To serve, defrost in fridge, reheat in a pan until piping hot and complete recipe.
Meatless Meatballs
Even meat eaters will be fully satisfied with these morsels.
Freeze Ahead
Fry the meatballs then leave to cool completely. Open freeze on a baking sheet and when solid, bag or box the balls and freeze for up to three months.
Recipe: Meatless Meatballs
Pancetta Chicken Parcels with Brioche Stuffing
A timeless dinner party staple, our recipe uses brioche for a decadent, sweet stuffing and can be cooked from frozen.
Freeze Ahead
Make to end of step 4, then tightly wrap each breast in clingfilm and put into one sealable bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Shepherd's Pie
This shepherd's pie recipe is a classic for good reason, it's cheap and tasty.
Freeze ahead
Assemble the pie in step 6, but don’t cook. Cool, wrap well and freeze for up to 1 month.
Recipe: Shepherd's Pie
Chicken, Pistachio and Ham Pie
This pork-pie style pie is made with ham, chicken and pistachios.
Freeze ahead:
Prepare to end of step 9 and freeze cooked pie whole, or in slices, well-wrapped for up to 1 month.
Recipe: Chicken, Pistachio and Ham Pie
Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
This classic Italian vegetarian main can be prepared ahead and cooked from frozen.
Freeze Ahead
Prepare to end of step 3 (no need to preheat oven), making sure your dish is freezer-safe. Wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.
Recipe: Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
Mini Mushroom Wellingtons
A bit of effort is required to make these oozy mushroom, kale and cheese pastries, but we promise that even the most hardened meat eaters will fall for their charms. Easy to cook from frozen to impress veggie visitors, too.
Freeze Ahead
Make to end of step 5 (no need to chill) and freeze uncooked Wellingtons on trays until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month.
Recipe: Mini Mushroom Wellingtons
Cod and Saag Aloo Fish Cakes
You can swap the cod for another white fish, haddock would work well, too. Up the chilli if you like things a little spicier.
Freeze Ahead:
Prepare to end of step 5. Stack patties into a freezer-safe container, separating each layer with baking parchment. Cover and freeze for up to 1 month.
Recipe: Cod and Saag Aloo Fish Cakes
Pesto Chicken Stew
This stew can be enjoyed as is, or is great for batch cooking and freezing so you always have a home-cooked meal to hand. This stew is wonderful as the base for a mash- or pastry-topped pie or finished with homemade dumplings.
Freeze ahead:
Cool completely, transfer to an airtight container and freeze up to 1 month.
Recipe: Pesto Chicken Stew
Lamb and Lentil Filo Parcels
These parcels are perfect for freezing ahead as they can be cooked form frozen.
Freeze ahead
Prepare to end of step 3. Wrap in clingfilm, trying not to squash the filo too much. Freeze for up to 1 month.
Recipe: Lamb and Lentil Filo Parcels
Luxury Truffle Mac and Cheese
This American classic includes 3 types of cheeses, and is transformed by a drizzle of luxurious truffle oil.
Freeze Ahead
Make recipe up to end of step 3, spoon into serving dishes, then freeze.
Recipe: Luxury Truffle Mac and Cheese
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
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