Love the idea of making freezer meals, but aren’t sure how to make it work? Get our best tips for freezing casseroles, and dinner will always be at your fingertips!
How to Freeze a Casserole
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I love to make meals ahead and freeze them for later… when I have the time. With things like casseroles or lasagnas, it is usually pretty easy to make two. I’ll cook one for dinner that night and freeze one to have later on, when I don’t have quite so much time! But there are a few things to keep in mind when you’re getting ready to freeze casseroles.
Use Disposable Pans
First things first. This casserole is probably going to sit in your freezer for a week or two. Maybe longer. And you’re probably going to cook in the meantime. So you don’t want your good pans hanging out in the freezer! Use disposable pans so your regular pans are still available for whatever else you want to make.
Once your casserole is assembled, it’s time to get it ready for the freezer.
How to Freeze a Casserole, Step 1
Air is your enemy in the freezer. So everything about packing up a casserole for the freezer is about keeping the extra air out of the food. I like to use professional strength plastic wrap to do this. You can also use press-and-seal wrap if you like that better. Press that plastic wrap down onto the surface of the food. You do not want to just stretch the wrap across the top of the pan. You want to try to get as much contact between the plastic wrap and the top of your casserole as you can. This will keep the air out.
Why is air so bad in the freezer? That’s what leads to freezer burn. Nobody wants a freezer burned casserole!
How to Freeze a Casserole, Step 2
Next up, aluminum foil. The plastic wrap by itself isn’t going to quite get the job done. You need another layer to protect your food from the freezer and freezer burn. Use heavy-duty aluminum foil to tightly wrap your casserole, again, press the foil down on the surface of the food.
Make sure the entire pan is covered, with enough foil left to wrap around the sides of the pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you might need two layers of aluminum foil to get it completely wrapped.
Whatever you do, don’t skip the plastic wrap! The aluminum foil will stick to your food, and it will be a mess when you try to thaw it.
How to Freeze a Casserole, Step 3
Last but not least, a label. It is so important to label your casseroles before you freeze them. In a solid disposable pan with a foil cover, you can’t tell what’s inside! A label helps you know which casserole it is and when you froze it. I also like to put the basic cooking instructions on the foil, so I don’t have to go somewhere else to look it up when I’m ready to cook. It’s all about keeping things simple!
Sharpies work great for labeling foods for the freezer. They won’t bleed or smudge or smear if there’s condensation as the casserole starts to thaw. I keep a few Sharpies in my kitchen just for this!
How to Eat a Frozen Casserole
Most of the time, you’ll want to thaw your casserole before you cook it. Most casseroles will thaw out in your refrigerator in 12-24 hours. Then once they are thawed all the way through (or most of the way through), just pop it in the oven following the original instructions.
Some casseroles can be cooked from frozen. (The original recipe should specify this.) If you try to cook a casserole from frozen, it will definitely need extra cooking time. It might start to get a bit dry, or the edges could get over-cooked before the center is done. Give it a try if you want, but be sure to keep a close eye on it as it’s heating!
Enjoy!
Free Printable Freezer Inventory
Once you went through all that hard work to prep meals ahead and freeze them, you won’t want to forget about them! Grab a free printable inventory page for your freezer and you’ll always know what you have on hand.
Tools for Freezing Casseroles
- Disposable 9×13 pans
- Disposable 9×9 pans
- Heavy-duty plastic wrap or Press-and-Seal
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Sharpie marker
3 Ways to Take the Fear Out of Your Kitchen
- What is Freezer Burn?
- How Long to Keep Foods in the Freezer
- How Cold Should My Refrigerator & Freezer Be?
3 More Recipes to Try
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