17 Best Freezable Recipes

January 25, 2011
Photo: Randy Mayor
Freezing is a great make-ahead strategy and certain recipes freeze better than others. Find our picks for healthy freezable recipes.
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Best Freezable Recipes

View Recipe: Thai Butternut Soup

Preparing double or even triple recipes and freezing portions for later means you don't have to cook every night to have a delicious and nutritious meal on the table. And some food is better suited to freezing and reheating than others. For example, casseroles, soups, chilis, and meat loaf all stand up to the freezer well and most cooked dishes will keep for two to three months in the freezer. Here, find our picks for the best freezer-friendly recipes.

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Pork and Herbed White Beans

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Pork and Herbed White Beans

Although this dish takes a while to cook, the majority is hands off. You can easily prepare it over the weekend and reheat during the week. Plus at only $2.37 per serving, it's easy on your budget.

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Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas

Mild sweet potatoes and black beans take on smoky, spicy tastes from cumin and chiles. These pies are great served hot out of the oven at a party; leftovers also make a tasty room-temperature snack.

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Sausage-Stuffed Manicotti

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Sausage-Stuffed Manicotti

One of our Ultimate Reader Recipe Contest finalists, this recipe for Sausage-Stuffed Manicotti was one of our top picks in the Family Dinners category. Says Beverly O'Ferrall, of Linkwood, Maryland, "I developed this recipe many years ago. Since then, I've lightened it with turkey sausage, and I use smaller amounts of flavorful cheeses, where a little goes a long way. Like most baked pastas, this dish requires some time, but it's well worth the effort."

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Bananas Foster Bread

Photo: John Autry and Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Bananas Foster Bread

This adult interpretation switches all of the sugar to brown sugar and cooks the mashed bananas with butter and cognac or dark rum. And it's topped with a slightly boozy glaze. The buttery banana-cognac flavor makes this moist treat feel decadent enough to be a dessert. Like most banana breads, this recipe freezes well. Just be sure to slather on the glaze after you've thawed the loaf.

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Ancho Pork and Hominy Stew

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Ancho Pork and Hominy Stew

This weeknight-friendly stew featuring lean pork tenderloin, chopped bell peppers, and hominy comes together in just 40 minutes. Double the batch and freeze for up to two months to save for busy nights.

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Roasted Chicken Stock

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Roasted Chicken Stock

Beyond soups, stocks are indispensable in the kitchen for a variety of recipes. Here, roasting the chicken and vegetables browns the chicken and caramelizes the vegetables, lending a deeper, richer flavor—and color—to the stock. Freeze extra stock for up to six months.

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Grilled Pepper, Onion, and Sausage Calzones

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Grilled Pepper, Onion, and Sausage Calzones

These kid-friendly stuffed breads offer fabulous make-ahead options starting with the Homemade Pizza Dough. Once your calzones are fully assembled, simply freeze until ready to bake.

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Beef and Guinness Stew

Photo: Victor Prostasio
View Recipe: Beef and Guinness Stew

This reader- and staff-favorite stew, layered with complex flavors from caraway seeds, sweet raisins, and full-bodied Guinness Draught, pays homage to the best of Irish cooking. You may not get a chance to freeze any leftovers; Executive Food Editor, Ann Taylor Pittman, promises “This meaty stew is so good, I sopped up every drop of the gravy-like broth with bread.”

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Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

Whether you're serving up breakfast for dinner or a delicious weekend brunch, make an extra batch and freeze to save for busy mornings. Bonus: Many of our online reviewers have called these fluffy, flavorful pancakes the best they've ever tasted.

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Vegetarian Stocks

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Simple Vegetable Stock

Invest a little time in preparing homemade vegetable stocks. You'll get a huge payoff from the fresh, pure flavors and less sodium than in many supermarket stocks.


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Smokey Turkey Almond Mole

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Smoky Turkey Almond Mole

Serve this saucy dish over rice tossed with chopped green onions. You can also use cooked chicken in place of turkey if you prefer. Because it freezes so well, we suggest doubling the batch and saving half for later.

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Chocolate-Cherry Heart Smart Cookies

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Chocolate-Cherry Heart Smart Cookies

This reader recipe was developed by Marcie Dixon of Arlington Heights, Illinois, who recommends using bittersweet chocolate instead of milk chocolate for these decadent cookies. "Not only does it have less sugar," she said, "but it has a deeper flavor, too." Double the recipe and keep these 94-calorie cookies in the freezer for when you're in need of a healthy treat.

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Green Chile Chili

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Green Chile Chili

At around $2.49 per serving, this tangy chili is both healthy and budget-friendly. Serve with corn bread or corn muffins and garnish with sharp cheddar and sliced green onion.

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Spicy Turkey Meat Loaf with Ketchup Topping

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Spicy Turkey Meat Loaf with Ketchup Topping

To keep this comforting family favorite healthy, we add vegetables for moisture and nutrition. Herbs and spices, including Sriracha for a spicy kick, create flavor without adding fat.

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Vegetable Samosas with Mint Chutney

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View Recipe: Vegetable Samosas with Mint Chutney

Great for parties, this dish uses leftover mashed potatoes to make a big batch of Indian-inspired snacks. Serve warm or at room temperature with the cilantro and mint chutney.

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Cheese and Chive Challah

Photo: Jonny Valiant
View Recipe: Cheese and Chive Challah

The traditional yeasted egg bread is enriched even more by adding cheese to the dough. We love the flavor of fontina, but Gruyère or another Swiss cheese would also work.

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Slow-Roasted Tomato Marinara

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Slow-Roasted Tomato Marinara

Slow roasting concentrates the flavor in the tomatoes, making for a much heartier and somewhat thicker sauce (learn how to make this marinara). Freeze the sauce in pint containers for up to six months.

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