10 recipes you can make in bulk and freeze
There’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal. But when you’re a bit tired or short on time the siren call of food delivery is in your ear. But wait. Before you pick up your phone, consider planning ahead and making delicious recipes that you can cook in bulk and freeze. Home cooked, without the time spent cooking.
Batch cooking, which is also sometimes referred to as bulk cooking or meal prepping, is a great way to enjoy delicious and satisfying meals without having to invest a lot of time – plus you get the benefit of a great meal at the time too.
If you’re the type of person who doesn’t always have the time or energy to cook, or you want to make sure there’s always food on hand for the whole family, batch cooking is a great way to cut down on time, save money, and make sure there’s always a quick, healthy meal in the house to eat.
Kitchen appliances for batch cooking
Before we get into the all-important recipes, did you know that your choice of kitchen appliances can actually make your batch cooking efforts even more effective?
For example, NEFF ovens with CircoTherm® allow you to cook on all four levels of your oven simultaneously without the flavours mingling. That can double your recipes and allow you to mix and match your batches.
Additionally, using a NEFF CircoTherm® oven with FullSteam or VarioSteam can help you to cook or reheat your batches without them drying out especially poultry and breads. The use of steam allows for a much more gentle heating cycle at restaurant quality while preserving texture, nutrition and moisture when it is needed.
We’re such big fans of batch cooking, we’ve brought together some of our favourite freezer-friendly recipes to make in bulk:
Soup recipe perfect for freezing
Minestrone soup
A warm bowl of soup is just what you need when it gets chilly out. If you make a big batch, you can store extra servings in airtight containers and heat them up whenever you need.
Click here for the recipe.
Pumpkin soup
This easy-to-store meal is another perfect cure to the winter blues. Even if you’re too busy to cook, batch-cooked pumpkin soup is sure to hit the spot.
Click here for the recipe.
Potato and leek soup with Thai spice
This twist on a classic soup is perfect for cold winter nights and it heats up like a dream. Swapping regular potatoes for the sweet variety and adding in some warming capsicum give the soup a beautiful base to elevate the Thai-style spices.
Main meals and serious sides
Homemade chicken and mushroom pies
Traditional chicken and mushroom pies are perfect to defrost and heat up after a long day in the office. And as a bonus, it’s great to take to work or pack as lunch for the kids the next day.
Click here for the traditional recipe with golden pastry cooked using a NEFF oven.
Spinach and ricotta cannelloni
If you’re craving something Italian-inspired, you can grab this delicious dish out of the freezer whenever you want.
Click here for the recipe.
French onion quiche with gruyere
Quiche is one of those meals perfect for any time of day. This jazzed up quiche can be easily made in advance and enjoyed later for breakfast, dinner, or a quick lunch at work or school.
Click here for the recipe.
Cheesy Potato Bake
You can’t go wrong with comfort food. This ultra-cheesy potato bake makes a dreamy side dish for pies and roasts, don’t be surprised if you find yourself eating it straight from the pan.
Click here for the recipe.
Tomato and basil linguini
This dinnertime staple is easy to make and even easier to pull out of the freezer to heat up. Either freeze the sauce on its own and cook fresh pasta, or undercook your linguini by about 2 minutes to allow room for it to soften further.
Click here for the recipe.
Roast Pumpkin Arancini
Get more bang from your buck with one risotto recipe, by sculpting your leftovers into these moreish arancini balls. We recommend allowing them to thaw before reheating in the oven. A similar approach to making arancini can be followed with any leftover risotto you have on hand.
Breakfasts and desserts
Banana bread
Figuring out what to eat for breakfast can be hard, so it’s best to take the thinking out of it. You can store banana bread in the freezer for up to 3 months and have a delicious baked treat whenever you want.
Click here for some great banana bread recipe variations.
Sticky date pudding
Want an irresistibly rich and delicious dessert that you can take out of the freezer, warm up and serve to your guests? Paired with sweet caramel sauce, this sticky date pudding is sure to impress.
The ultimate apple pie
Sometimes you just need something sweet. Bake a couple of these apple pies and freeze them for later. You can bring them to a dinner party or pull one out of the freezer when you need a treat.
Click here for the recipe.
Banana Breakfast Bars
These on-the-go breakfast treats can be frozen for up to 1 month in an airtight container. They’re perfect for when you’re short on time and want to make sure you have a nourishing breakfast, or as a cheeky treat when you need extra energy.
Bagels
Weekend brunch-lovers, have we got one for you. Making your own bagels is a little bit life changing. Aside from bragging abilities, you are ready for everything from a light lunch to a big brunch. Freezing a handful of these (tightly wrapped individually) means you just need some cream cheese and you’re ready to go.
Can any recipe be frozen?
Generally speaking, you can freeze pretty much any recipe. However, not all recipes hold up as well in those freezing conditions. Soups, heated sauces (like Bolognese or pesto), breads, meat dishes, and baked dishes all hold up pretty well. If wanting to freeze pasta or rice, we recommend under-cooking them a little bit so they don’t turn to mush. Finally, anything you would normally serve fresh or cold (think mayonnaise or leafy greens) are best fresh.