25 Make-Ahead Freezer Meals Perfect for Quick After-Work Dinner
The workweek is hectic. Rather than resorting to Seamless or defrosting yet another packaged meal, wouldn’t it be nice to have a home-cooked dinner after a long day at the office? You don't need to bust out the measuring cups and skillet to make that happen; freezers make everything a little bit easier! This roundup of some of our favorite make-ahead freezer meals, including vegetarian and vegan options and adaptions, will let you enjoy something delicious every night of the week, without having to cook after work. Make them for yourself, or share them with friends and family.
Pro tip: Many of these make great bring-to-work lunches or potluck dishes, too!
25 Make-Ahead Freezer Meals
1. Zucchini pizza casserole
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 40 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes
Combining a healthy favorite — zucchini — with everyone's favorite comfort food — pizza — this delicious, filling casserole is sure to be a household favorite. Make this ahead of time, throw it in the oven when you get home, and you'll have a tasty meal in no time.
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2. Breakfast burritos
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Pro tip: These aren't just for breakfast! They can be a great lunch or dinner, too. Packed with lots of protein — eggs, beans and cheese — plenty of tater tots (who would have thought?) this breakfast burrito is filling, easy-to-make and prepare ahead of time, freezer-friendly and super convenient. Plus, you can store them for up to a month.
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3. Pesto tortellini bake
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Combining three of my absolute favorite ingredients, pesto, alfredo sauce and tortellini, this dish is filling and super easy to prepare ahead of time. It can be made vegetarian or with chicken and will be a definite crowd pleaser.
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4. Thai coconut squash soup
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yum! Creamy, sweet, smooth and just a little bit spicy, this vegan soup is the perfect freezer meal. Just defrost, heat and serve with your favorite optional garnishes.
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5. Green Goddess Chickpea Burgers with Tahini Yogurt Sauce
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Much lighter than your traditional burger and packed with flavor, veggies and protein, this delicious chickpea burger can also be made vegan if you skip the tahini yogurt sauce. Doesn't it look beautiful, too?
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6. Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time 40 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
A fall favorite, this twist on a satisfying comfort food makes eating mac and cheese healthy...right? Either way, it's yummy and will fill you up (deliciously so). There's also a vegetarian option.
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7. Spinach and cheese stuffed shells
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Add spinach to traditional stuffed shells to make this dish a little bit healthier and put some veggies in your diet. Make a big batch of these ahead of time and have meals for weeks to come.
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8. Sweet Potato Peanut Stew
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: varies based on cooking device
Doesn't it just look beautiful? With so many spices and ingredients, this stew is packed with flavor (and nutrition). Great for cold weather, you'll enjoy it in the summer months, too.
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9. Crock Pot orange chicken
Made pretty much entirely in your Crock Pot, here's an orange chicken recipe that is sure to wow you. It's the perfect make-ahead freezer meal to come home to.
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10. Vegetarian Quiche
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
You'll have plenty of choices for how to customize this simple yet satisfying vegetarian cheese, including types of vegetables and cheeses to include. It freezes beautifully (just cut it up into individual slices first), too. Meat-lovers can add prosciutto.
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11. Potato leek soup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
This is high on my list of favorite soups. Comforting and simple to make, potato leek soup is a crowd (and individual) pleaser. There's also a vegetarian option for the meatless among us.
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12. Slow cooker chicken tikka masala
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 3-8 hours
Total time: 3–8 hours plus 10 minutes
Hearty and healthy, this tasty and flavorful meal won't take a lot of legwork. It freezes for a long time, so you can make plenty in advance and have it whenever it's most convenient for you.
Get the recipe.
13. Sunday night stew
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours
Total time 3 hours 15 minutes
Sunday night stew is made with roast and lots of other delicious ingredients. Serve it with mashed potatoes (directions are included in the recipe) for the ultimate satisfying meal. And you can eat this any night of the week — not just Sundays!
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14. Make-ahead meatballs
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Meatballs are the ultimate meal of convenience, and you can make them ahead of time and freeze them, too. Serve any way you like (check out some of the ideas in the photo and recipe) for the perfect make-ahead-of-time dinner.
Get the recipe.
15. Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
In this vegetarian spin on the meat version, you'll pack your peppers with quinoa, black beans, enchilada sauce, cheese and spices and choose your preferred toppings. They're easy to make and a super-convenient freezer meal. Plus, they are extremely healthy yet still totally satisfying.
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16. Chicken divan
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 ½ hours
Total time: 2 hours
Get the recipe.
What's chicken divan? Well, it's pretty divine is what it is. This recipe yields six servings, perfect for more than a week of dinners or serving your family a home-cooked meal.
17. Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 ½ hours
Total time: 1 hour 50 minutes
The ultimate in satisfying, chicken enchilada casserole is so easy to make, and you'll be glad you did. All you need to do after work is take it out of the freezer and pop it in the oven. And then it's done and ready for you to enjoy!
Get the recipe.
18. Chickpea butternut squash fajitas
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Fajitas with butternut squash, onions, peppers and other veggies? Yes, please! Serve these with avocado, salsa, yogurt and other delicious toppings for the perfect meal. They're quick and easy to assemble.
Get the recipe.
19. Tortilla Soup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
A vegetarian version of classic, this meal is cheap, healthy, easy-to-make and completely wonderful. It's also the perfect freezer meal and a great option for groups as well as solo dinners.
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20. Slow cooker cilantro lime chicken
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 3-7 hours
Total time: 3–7 hours plus 10 minutes
Simple and quick (prep time-wise), this vibrant dish is the perfect solution to unwinding after a long workday. The veggies and fresh flavors will make you glad to come home after a productive day at the office.
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21. Shrimp and veggie stir fry
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Easy and quick to prepare and cook, this stir fry is tangy, sweet and nutritious. Freeze bags and bags ahead of time to have meals for days to come. Your skillet will thank you!
Get the recipe.
22. Salmon and sweet potato cakes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 6 minutes
Total time: 26 minutes
Adapted from Rachael Ray's recipe, these cakes are slightly sweet and spicy. The recipe authors note that kids love them, too. Add some tartar sauce to make them extra special and tasty.
23. Vegan Crockpot chili
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 6 hours
Total time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Perfect for winter (or really any time), this chili will keep you full and happy for a long time. Vegans and meat-eaters alike are sure to enjoy it, and with tons of vegetables and protein from the beans, it's both healthy and a crowd-pleaser.
Get the recipe.
24. Slow cooker split pea soup with ham hock
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 hours
Total time: 10 hours 5 minutes
Especially during winter months, coming home to a bowl of smoky, fragrant split pea soup is an anyone's to-do list. This recipe is easy to make — just gather together your ingredients and throw them in the slow cooker.
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25. Baked spaghetti casserole
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Whoever thought of making a casserole out of spaghetti is an absolute genius. You'll look forward to coming home after a long day at work to this totally satisfying meal. It also makes a great potluck recipe to share with friends and family. P.S. You can make it vegetarian by using regular sauce instead of the meat version.
Get the recipe.
Happy weekend meal prep!
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