30 Meals to Double and Freeze

It's so nice to come home from a long day, knowing you have a freezer meal ready to reheat and serve! Here are 30 of our favorite recipes to double and freeze.

By
Carrie Havranek
Carrie Havranek
Carrie has 10+ years experience as a food writer, editor, and recipe developer. She is the author of Tasting Pennsylvania and a contributor to Simply Recipes since 2017.
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and
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves is a food and beverage writer.
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Updated May 26, 2022
Meals to Double and Freeze
Elise Bauer and Aaron Hutcherson

There’s something so wonderful and welcoming about coming home after a busy day, knowing you have a well-stocked freezer and can just pull out a casserole to reheat for dinner.

You’ve already done the hard work of making the meal. Now you just get to enjoy the benefits of your prior planning.

Below are 30 recipes that we highly recommend doubling and freezing—one batch for tonight’s meal, one batch for another night. There are several casserole, soup, and stew recipes, here but we've thrown a few surprises in, too.

  • Freezing and reheating casseroles: Casseroles can all be frozen as one large casserole or individual portions, wrapped tightly in foil. Reheat casseroles covered loosely with foil in a 350°F oven; individual portions are best unwrapped and reheated in the microwave.
  • Freezing and reheating soups and stews: Soups and stews can also be frozen in batches or individual servings. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop, or in 1- to 5-minute increments in the microwave, stirring between each increment.

What are your favorite meals to double and freeze?

  • Classic Meatloaf

    How to Make Meatloaf (Classic)
    Elise Bauer

    With a mix of ground beef, pork, sausage, carrots, onions, celery, and garlic, there’s plenty of flavor in this traditional dish. Get out a bigger bowl for the mixing and a second loaf pan to bake the extra, and you’ve got two dinners ready in the time it takes you to set the table and prepare a tossed green salad.

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  • Baked Ziti

    Baked Ziti
    Elise Bauer

    Sometimes it’s nice to have the taste of lasagna without the mess of lasagna. It’s also nice an extra tray of pasta in the freezer for times when you don’t want any mess at all. This baked ziti is for those times.

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  • One-Pot Chicken and Rice Soup

    Homemade Chicken and Rice Soup
    Aaron Hutcherson

    The beauty of this soup is that everything comes together right in the pot and finishes at the same time. The chicken poaches in the broth, becoming juicy and tender and making the broth extra flavorful. Double it up and freeze the rest.

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  • Mexican Lasagna

    Mexican Lasagna made with tortillas, beef, beans, and cheese ready to serve
    Elise Bauer

    When you need a change of pace from traditional lasagna, try this Mexican version. Made with layers of corn tortillas and a beef-and-bean filling, you can also think of it as a “stacked enchilada” or a Mexican casserole. Bonus: This lasagna is gluten free!

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    Continue to 5 of 30 below.

  • Chicken Cacciatore (Hunter Style Chicken)

    Chicken Cacciatore
    Elise Bauer

    This hearty winter stew of chicken and veggies can easily be frozen and reheated. Serve it over rice, pasta, or egg noodles.

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  • Sustenance Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Swiss Chard

    Sustenance Stew
    Anson Smart

    An amazing vegan stew, this dish is chockablock with so many powerfully nutritious and delicious ingredients. Double and freeze everything except the toppings. It’s gluten free, too.

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  • Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

    Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole
    Sheryl Julian

    I know, I know, this dish says “breakfast.” But there’s nothing wrong with breakfast for dinner, and in fact, it hits lots of the major food groups for a satisfying meal any time of day.

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  • Spicy Pumpkin Soup

    Spicy Pumpkin Soup
    Elise Bauer

    Soups are so easy to double—just cook all the ingredients together in a larger pot. Wait to add the cream to the portion you plan to freeze. When ready to eat, defrost the soup in the microwave or reheat it on the stove over low heat. Add the cream right before serving, as the recipe specifies.

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    Continue to 9 of 30 below.

  • Easy Shepherd's Pie

    Shepherd's Pie
    Elise Bauer

    Shepherd’s pie has multiple components—layers of ground meat, veggies, and mashed potatoes—none of which are very difficult to execute, but which do take some time. Doubling the prep work now means an easy meal later. This casserole freezes beautifully and is a satisfying winter dish.

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  • Classic Minestrone Soup

    minestrone soup in bowl

    Elise Bauer

    This pasta-less minestrone is ideal for freezing. Made with cannellini beans, chicken stock, cabbage, potato, zucchini, carrots, plum tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese, it makes sense to double the recipe and freeze half since you're taking the time to do all the prep anyway.

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  • Easy Breakfast Casserole

    Breakfast Casserole
    Elise Bauer

    This is one of those casseroles you assemble the night before, let it sit in the fridge overnight, and then bake in the morning. Why not assemble two of them, bake them both, dive into one of them for breakfast, and freeze the other for another time?

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  • Chicken and Rice Casserole

    Chicken and rice casserole, ready to serve

    Simply Recipes / Michelle Becker

    You will be so proud of your past self when you take this frozen savory casserole—full of chicken, rice, and mushrooms—out to defrost the night before and then heat it up for dinner then the following night.

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    Continue to 13 of 30 below.

  • Broccoli Cheese Casserole

    Broccoli Cheese Casserole - an easy broccoli casserole you'll love!
    Elise Bauer

    Do you serve this easy casserole at breakfast, lunch, or dinner? Yes! It's one of those versatile dishes that can stand alone at breakfast and lunch, or be a side dish next to roasted chicken or pork chops. Make one for breakfast and freeze one for a future dinner.

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  • Turkey Black Bean Quinoa Bake

    Turkey Black Bean Quinoa Bake
    Elise Bauer

    Combine leftover turkey with powerhouse quinoa, black beans, veggies, and seasonings, top with cheese, and you have a delicious, nutritious casserole that's easy to double and freezes well.

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  • Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie With Carrots and Mushrooms

    vegetarian shepherd's pie
    Sally Vargas

    This veggie-heavy version of shepherd's pie freezes well for up to 2 months. While potatoes don't always freeze well, the fat in the mashed potato topping takes away that concern.

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  • Tamale Pie

    A casserole dish with a tamale pie and a piece missing.
    Annika Panikker

    If you make two of this pie, the trick to successfully freezing and reheating it is to allow it to cool completely before wrapping and freezing. More importantly, allow it to thaw slowly in the refrigerator, not on the counter. A quick thaw will make the cornbread soggy.

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    Continue to 17 of 30 below.

  • Ham and Asparagus Strata

    ham and asparagus strata
    Elise Bauer

    This casserole is a tasty way to use up leftover ham, and if you have a lot of leftover ham, you can make two and freeze one. Filled with bread, egg, Gruyere cheese, milk, cream, ham, and asparagus, this is a hearty breakfast or breakfast-for-dinner casserole.

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  • Eggplant Parmesan

    Baked eggplant parmesan in a casserole dish.
    Ciara Kehoe

    Salting and drawing moisture out of the eggplant isn't difficult, but it does take some time. However, it takes just about as much time to do it for two eggplant Parmesans as it does for one. That's all the incentive you need to make two and freeze one of these cheesy, tomato sauced Italian classics.

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  • Stuffed Pepper Casserole

    Stuffed pepper casserole in skillet with melted cheese.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    This casserole is like a deconstructed stuffed pepper. Both ground turkey and turkey sausage create the base for this dish that's full of bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and kale—along with healthy, whole-grain farro. Super nutritious and easy to freeze.

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  • Chili Con Carne

    chili con carne
    Elise Bauer

    What's better than a hot bowl of chili con carne on a cold night? A hot bowl you didn't have to start from scratch first! Make a double batch of this chili with big chunks of beef, and when it's time to eat batch 2, your work is all done.

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    Continue to 21 of 30 below.

  • Zucchini Fritters

    A bowl of zucchini fritters set on a white background.
    Cambrea Bakes

    When zucchini is plentiful in summer, make a double batch up these fritters and freeze half. You'll be happy to have them in the fall when the fresh zucchini supply is long gone.

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  • Quick and Easy Bolognese Sauce

    A beautiful fast bolognese sauce on a blue patterned plate with noodles and fork.
    Sally Vargas

    This sauce with veggies, ground beef, and white wine will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. It's great on pasta or used in lasagna. Freeze it in several containers so you can defrost just as much you need for a meal.

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  • Swedish Meatballs

    Swedish Meatballs Sauce Recipe
    Elise Bauer

    These Swedish meatballs in sauce are lick-the-plate good, and the recipe is super easy to double. Freeze a second batch—sauce and all—in a freezer-safe, zip-top bag with as much air removed as possible, They'll keep for up to 3 months.

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  • Italian Meatballs

    Baked Meatballs in Tomato Sauce served in a bowl
    Elise Bauer

    Ground beef and pork, herbs, cheese, and more go into these generously sized meatballs cooked in a homemade tomato sauce. Freeze cooked or uncooked, for up to 3 months, defrosted overnight, and ready the next time you're craving spaghetti and meatballs. Easy garlic bread on the side is a must.

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    Continue to 25 of 30 below.

  • Easy Tuscan Bean Soup

    Tuscan Bean Soup
    Sheryl Julian

    The key to freezing this soup after you've doubled the recipe is to make sure that the greens are totally submerged in the liquid before it goes into the freezer. Other than that, this hearty soup couldn't be easier to double, freeze, defrost and have for dinner up to 3 months after you first made it.

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  • Apple-Cinnamon French Toast Muffins

    Apple Cinnamon French Toast Muffins
    Sally Vargas

    These are a bit like individual pieces of an overnight French toast casserole. Soak bread overnight and then add diced apples the next morning. Fill the muffin cups and add butter and sugar on top. Freeze cooled muffins for up to 1 month so make a double batch and defrost as desired (which will probably be one each day until they disappear!)

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  • Quiche Lorraine

    Quiche lorraine with a piece set on a plate behind it.
    Lori Rice

    Quiche Lorraine is perfect for a special occasion brunch, but if you make 2 of these bacon, egg, and cheese filled savory pies, you can freeze one. Then you can defrost it any time you want, and make something like a regular old Tuesday night a special occasion.

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  • Hearty Roasted Vegetable and Chicken Stew

    Chicken Stew Recipe
    Sally Vargas

    Turmeric, cumin, and harissa create extra warmth in this chicken stew with chunks of carrot, potato, and mushroom. You'll be glad to have a second batch of this thick, creamy stew to defrost on a cold night.

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    Continue to 29 of 30 below.

  • Braised BBQ Beef Sandwich

    Braised BBQ Beef Sandwich
    Elise Bauer

    Obviously, you won't be freezing whole sandwiches, but the BBQ beef for these sandwiches is easy to double so you can freeze half for sandwiches at another time. Make it extra easy on yourself and use bottled barbecue sauce.

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  • Pepperoni Calzone

    Easy Pepperoni Calzones on a plate

    Simply Recipes/Nick Evans

    Start with no-knead pizza dough or even store-bought dough, and make a double batch of these cheese, pepperoni, and sauce filled hand pies. After baking, cool, freeze the calzones unwrapped on a sheet pan until just frozen through, then wrap individually. They'll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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