We like to think of the freezer as a way to maximize our efforts in the kitchen. Big-batch recipes? Make the whole thing — you’ll be thankful for any extras in a few weeks when you need a quick dinner or late-night snack. A baked good that’s somewhat involved? The work goes by easier when you think about it in the context of future treats that need only to be pulled out of the freezer. From freezer-friendly muffins to an always-satisfying lasagna, take this as your inspiration to stuff the freezer full of goodness and make life easier for your future self. (From there, here’s your guide on how to defrost everything.)
Slow Cooker Curried Lentil Soup
Lentil soup is one of those perfect foods for me. It’s soothing, hearty, and works well for lunch, dinner, hangovers, and upset stomachs; you can mix in whatever you want (my new go-to is chunks of whatever cheese I have available, Impossible nuggets, a ton of hot sauce, and a drizzle of olive oil). I tend to make lentil soup in my slow cooker because it’s easy and the house smells so good. And the dish is an ideal freezer food because all you have to do is portion out the soup into little deli containers and thaw/microwave when needed. —Nadia Chaudhury, Editor of Eater Austin
Cajun Gumbo With Chicken and Andouille Sausage
Gumbo is a commitment anytime you make it (and most recipes tend to make a lot), so I always like to freeze half of it as a gift for Future Me. It’s one of those foods that doesn’t quickly deteriorate in the freezer, and recipes without seafood are even less delicate. Enter this excellent version for chicken and andouille gumbo from Serious Eats. The roux is admittedly time-consuming, but there are instructions included on how to make the process less hands-on. You’ll be rewarded with a dark, savory gumbo undiluted by tomato — and plenty of it to store for later. —Missy Frederick, Cities Director
Classic Easy Lasagna
When our upstairs neighbors had their first baby earlier this year, my girlfriend and I brought them a massive tray of lasagna. Ditto when multiple friends got COVID-19, and after another friend’s wedding. On nights when we don’t feel like cooking for ourselves, we open up the freezer and chisel off a couple of servings from our own frozen stash, like hungry ice sculptors, and within minutes we’re eating a meal that somehow tastes even better than it did the day we cooked it.
The way homemade lasagna reheats is a thing of magic. The sauce and the cheese, after hibernating for days, weeks, or even months with the pasta sheets, creates a depth of flavor that doesn’t exist in fresh lasagna. The ingredients fuse together, making every bite the right balance of salty, sweet, and cheesy. Just throw a frozen brick into the microwave until it’s almost thawed and then put it in the oven at 400 degrees for a few minutes, until the edges are crispy, and forever transform your perception of freezer food. —Jonathan Smith, Interim Eater.com Editor
Cheddar-Scallion Biscuits
The best way to eat a biscuit, in my opinion, is still-steaming warm and fresh. That being said, I find that most biscuit recipes yield too many for myself and my partner to eat in one sitting, leaving leftovers that are never as good. Luckily, my favorite biscuit recipe, which comes from Daybird chef Mei Lin, freezes perfectly.
Lin’s recipe — which is, blessedly, adaptable to all sorts of cheeses, herbs, and inclusions — calls for freezing the cut biscuits for 30 minutes before baking to ensure the flakiest layers. From there, I’ll pull however many I want to bake for brunch and then let the rest firm up a little longer, before putting them in a reusable freezer bag. In a nice hack to quickly satisfy biscuit cravings anytime, I’ve found that I can cook just one or two frozen biscuits in the air fryer. —Bettina Makalintal, Senior Reporter at Eater.com
Morning Glory Muffins
I first started freezing muffins for my sister-in-law when she had her second kid, squirreling away batches in Ziplocs for the bleary-eyed days and nights of infant care when you just need easy carbs. Since then I’ve learned frozen muffins can be a lifesaver for anyone, caregiving or not, in need of a one-and-done, anytime meal or snack. Freezing works with many muffins, but you can’t go wrong with classic morning glory muffins, packed with carrots, apples, or whatever mix-ins you prefer. You can still dig up the original 1981 recipe from Gourmet, but the version by King Arthur is more accessible and totally unimpeachable. —Nicholas Mancall-Bitel, Travel Editor
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Because my household is just two people, baking an entire batch of cookies is usually a waste. By the time we can eat all of them, they’re stale and lackluster. Enter the freezer. Every couple of months, I’ll make a batch of peanut butter-miso or lemon crinkle cookie dough, then scoop the dough into individual balls onto a cookie sheet, and allow them to freeze until firm. Then, you can put the cookies into a freezer bag — I usually write the baking instructions on the bag with a Sharpie — and stick them in the freezer until a sugar craving strikes. Not only do I waste less cookie dough this way, but I also can have a couple of warm, freshly baked cookies whenever I damn well please. —Amy McCarthy, Staff Writer at Eater.com
