Freezer-Friendly Plant-Based Dinner Recipes (2024)

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Freezer-Friendly Plant-Based Dinner Recipes (1)

Do you ever find yourself too tired to cook but still craving a nourishing, homemade meal? Freezer-friendly dinners to the rescue! Simply prepare any of the following meals ahead of time (weekends, days off, holidays, etc.) and then reheat on your busier days.

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The Best Vegan Meatballs

Tender, flavorful, 10-ingredient vegan meatballs made with quinoa and black beans! Infused with fresh herbs, tomato paste, and spices for big flavor. The perfect meatless meatball for pasta, sandwiches, and more!

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Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

Smoky, hearty vegan enchiladas with black beans, roasted sweet potatoes, and kale! This recipe puts our Easy Red Enchilada Sauce to use. The perfect simple, 9-ingredient meal for Mexican night!

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Kale Falafel Hummus Wraps

Made with kale and chickpeas, these falafel are a healthier take on one of our favorite Middle Eastern dishes. Delicious, satisfying, and only 30 minutes to prepare. Serve on greens or wrapped in chard or pita.

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*Freeze falafel ONLY

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Easy Vegan Falafel (Freezer-Friendly!)

Easy, 10-ingredient vegan falafel made with canned chickpeas to save time, and packed with flavor from parsley, cumin, and garlic. A simple, flavorful approach to restaurant-quality falafel!

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Caramelized Shiitake Mushroom Risotto

Easy-to-make vegan risotto infused with sautéed shallot and caramelized shiitake mushrooms! Hearty, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying.

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Spicy Red Lentil Curry

Insanely delicious, 30-minute red lentil curry! Saucy, hearty, and protein-rich. Perfect over brown rice for a simple, plant-based meal.

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30-Minute Potato Cauliflower Red Lentil Curry

A rich and hearty curry of potato, cauliflower, and red lentil made in just 30 minutes! Hearty, comforting, and incredibly satisfying.

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1-Pot Pumpkin Yellow Curry

Easy, 1-pot Pumpkin Curry with yellow curry paste, coconut milk, fresh vegetables, and pumpkin. A simple yet satisfying plant-based, gluten-free dinner!

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1-Pot Cauliflower Dal Green Curry

Green curry with coconut milk, moong dal, cauliflower, and loads of greens! A hearty, flavorful, 1-pot meal inspired by Indian and Thai cuisines!

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1-Pot Yellow Chickpea Cauliflower Curry

Easy, 1-pot Vibrant Yellow Curry with cauliflower and chickpeas! A 30-minute hearty and satisfying entrée or side perfect over greens, cauliflower rice, or grains!

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1-Pot Golden Curry Lentil Soup

1-pot goodness in the form of curried lentil soup! Rich with flavor, fiber, and protein and incredibly comforting. The perfect 30-minute healthy meal or side!

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Curried Kale, Potato & Lentil Soup (1-Pot!)

Hearty, comforting curry lentil soup with potatoes and kale! Big curry flavor in this 1-pot soup that comes together in less than 45 minutes. The perfect satisfying, healthy, plant-based meal.

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Lazy 1-Pot Vegan Tom Yum Soup

Easy, sweet and sour vegan Tom Yum soup made entirely in 1 pot with ingredients you likely have on hand right now! Weeknight comfort with tons of flavor!

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1-Pot Everyday Lentil Soup

An easy, everyday recipe for lentil soup with potatoes, carrots, kale, and simple herbs and seasonings. The perfect plant-based main or side that requires just 10 ingredients, 1 pot, and about 30 minutes to make.

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Easy 1-Pot Black Bean Soup

Easy-to-make, comforting black bean soup made with simple ingredients in 1 pot! A 30-minute meal or side that’s customizable and incredibly satisfying.

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1-Pot Butternut Squash Quinoa Chili

Incredibly delicious, 1-pot chili with butternut squash, fire-roasted tomatoes, quinoa, and two kinds of beans! Hearty, flavorful, and so easy to make!

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1-Pot Vegan Tortilla Soup

Brothy, vegan tortilla soup made in 1 pot! Shredded jackfruit is infused with garlic, chipotle peppers, vegetable broth, and lime. A hearty side or entrée for Mexican night.

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Hearty Lentil Fesenjān (Pomegranate Walnut Stew)

9-ingredient vegan Fesenjān made with lentils! A hearty stew of toasted walnuts, pomegranate molasses, onion, and spices. A comforting, Persian-inspired, plant-based meal!

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Fire-Roasted Tomato & Mung Bean Soup

Easy, 10-ingredient vegetable soup with fire-roasted tomatoes, tons of vegetables, and detoxifying mung beans! A hearty soup for the colder months that’s entirely vegan and gluten-free!

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1-Pot Vegan Minestrone (Gluten-Free)

Easy, 1-pot vegan and gluten-free Minestrone! Simple, wholesome ingredients, 30 minutes to prepare. SO delicious and perfect for late summer, fall, and winter!

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If you try any of these recipes, let us know! Leave a comment, or take a picture and tag it#minimalistbakeron Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Reader Interactions

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All commentsQuestions

  1. Hillary says

    How do you recommend re-heating these meals after frozen? Would a slow cooker work? If so, would you suggest thawing first?

    Reply

    • Freezer-Friendly Plant-Based Dinner Recipes (22)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Hillary, depending on the recipe you can reheat it in a slow cooker (soups, curries, chilis). You could also use an oven or a microwave for things like falafel or meatballs. Thawing could be helpful, it just depends on how soon you want to eat it.

      Reply

  2. Cath says

    What can I use instead of fire roasted tomatoes . I live in Northern Ireland & cannot buy them here ? Would it b ok to substitute with chopped tinned tomatoes ?
    Kindest regards
    Cath

    Reply

    • Freezer-Friendly Plant-Based Dinner Recipes (23)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Cath, you can definitely use canned diced tomatoes, just know it might not be quite as flavorful. Should still be delicious! Hope that helps!

      Reply

  3. Andrea says

    Is there a way to download all of these recipes? It looks like a book yet I don’t see an easy
    way to create a .pdf, etc.?

    Reply

    • Freezer-Friendly Plant-Based Dinner Recipes (24)Support @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Andrea, there was an issue with it before, but you should be able to click the images now to see the recipes! Hope that helps!

      Reply

Freezer-Friendly Plant-Based Dinner Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What meal freezes best? ›

Not all recipes are freezer-friendly, but these dishes—from chicken noodle soup to classic lasagna—are sure to reheat beautifully and taste as good as new. Choose from dozens of delicious freezer meals including casseroles, baked pasta dishes, gumbo, pot roast, slow-cooker soups and stews, and more.

How long do homemade frozen meals last in the freezer? ›

Cold Food Storage Chart
FoodTypeFreezer [0°F (-18°C) or below]
Soups and stewsVegetable or meat added2 to 3 months
LeftoversCooked meat or poultry2 to 6 months
Chicken nuggets or patties1 to 3 months
Pizza1 to 2 months
49 more rows
Sep 19, 2023

How many freezer meals should you make? ›

If your maternity leave is short or you plan to eat out regularly, then 10-20 make-ahead freezer meals should do the trick. But if you have more time before the baby comes or if you plan on eating at home most of the time, then 30-50 freezer meals might be more suitable for your family.

What meals can I batch cook and freeze? ›

Freezable family recipes
  • Sausage pasta bake. A star rating of 4.4 out of 5. ...
  • Meatballs in tomato, cardamom & lime sauce. A star rating of 3.8 out of 5. ...
  • Chicken & chorizo ragu. ...
  • Broccoli stem falafel bowl. ...
  • Creamy halloumi & tomato curry. ...
  • Chicken & bacon pie. ...
  • App onlyCheesy potato patchwork pie. ...
  • Peanut butter chicken.

What should you avoid in frozen meals? ›

Excessive Sodium, Sugar, and Saturated Fats

One of the primary dangers of grocery store frozen meals is their high content of sodium, sugar, and saturated fats. Even so-called “healthy” pre-packaged frozen meals can contain excessive amounts of these additives.

What vegetables freeze best? ›

Mushrooms, avocados, spinach, rhubarb (yes, it is a vegetable!); beans, carrots, broccoli can all be frozen. If they naturally have a high-water content, it's best for them to be pureed, sautéed, stewed before freezing.

Do mashed potatoes freeze well? ›

Schmidt tells us that, for best results, you can keep mashed potatoes in "a freezer set to 0°F or colder" for "up to one year." At this temperature and for this length of time, frozen mashed potatoes can be thawed and reheated without losing texture or flavor (and without risking the transmission of foodborne bacteria) ...

What are the best leftovers to freeze? ›

Do Freeze: soups, stews, casseroles, saucy pasta and rice dishes, raw meat or seafood, broth, bread, cookies, baked goods, tortillas, cheese (grated or in block form), tomato paste, pesto, buttermilk, butter, ginger, cooked beans, cooked rice or pasta, fresh fruit for smoothies or baking, vegetables for soups or stews.

Is 2 year old frozen chicken still good? ›

How long can you store chicken in your freezer? According to the USDA, frozen chicken will be "safe indefinitely" as long as you keep it continuously frozen (i.e., you're not unfreezing it and then re-freezing it because you didn't have a chance to cook or eat it).

How long do frozen hot dogs last? ›

After opening a package of hot dogs you can keep them for a week in the refrigerator (40 °F/4.4 °C or less). These meats can also be frozen for 1 to 2 months for best quality. Frozen foods are safe indefinitely. See also our fact sheet on Hot Dogs and Food Safety.

Can I freeze rice? ›

Frozen rice can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months and still be tasty. After that it loses flavor and dries out but won't be unsafe to eat. An airtight container is your best defense against losing quality so vacuum sealing is great if you have that tool in your kitchen.

Is it okay to eat frozen meals everyday? ›

On most days of the week, you'll want to rely on fresh meals — or tasty leftovers. “At the end of the day, I would limit frozen meals to no more than twice a week,” notes Taylor. But when you need the convenience of a frozen entrée, these tips can guide your choices.

How healthy are freezer meals? ›

While frozen meals are a convenient way to eat a balanced meal, it's easy to be led astray–they're also known for being packed with sodium, calories, and saturated fat, making moderation important.

Can you eat freezer burned frozen meals? ›

In general, freezer burn is caused by water evaporating from the stored food item and can most easily be prevented by tightly wrapping your food, removing as much air as possible. While flavor and texture will undoubtedly suffer when food has been freezer burned, it is still safe to eat.

What food freezes the longest? ›

Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and catfish last 2 to 3 months in the freezer, while lean fish like cod, halibut, and haddock can keep for 6 to 8 months. Family-favorite frozen shrimp and crawfish can stay in the freezer for up to 18 months. No matter the type, cooked fish lasts only 3 months in the freezer.

Can you freeze prepped meals? ›

A freezer is an ace option for meal preps that will be eaten more than four days later. This includes pizza, pasta, meat, and veggies. The main drawbacks of storing batch meals in the freezer are that they can be hard to reheat and may lose taste over time.

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