Something for the weekend: Five freezable dinners for easy midweek meals

Plus our top tips for freezing food 

These recipes freeze well and make midweek meals a doddle.

As we head into winter, the freezer will become the workhorse of many of our kitchens. Most food freezes well, but in order to make meals as easy as possible to defrost and cook, follow these easy tips:

1. Label

Double wrap your portions and label well — masking tape is a perfect food label, simply rip off a small piece and write the dish and the date. Aim to eat freezer meals within three months of freezing. 

2. Portion control

While it's easy to freeze full meals, it is more sensible to freeze them in individual portions. Divide your meals into generous portion sizes and allow people to choose what they'd like to eat on days when a freezer dive dictates dinner.

3. Defrost or not

Some food can be cooked straight from frozen. Lasagnes, gratins, soups and most stews can be gently cooked in a low oven. 

Classic lasagne

recipe by:Neven Maguire

This classic family supper is creamy, rich and bursting with delicate root vegetables and tender minced beef flavoured with tomato and fresh herbs

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 5 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 5 hours 15 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 large carrot, finely diced

• 100g button mushrooms

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

• 675g lean minced beef

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 tins of chopped tomatoes

• 50g butter

• 50g plain flour

• 900ml milk

• 100g Cheddar cheese, grated

• 14-16 lasagne sheets

• salt and freshly grated black pepper

Method

1. To make the bolognese sauce, heat a large saucepan. Add the oil with the onion, carrot, mushrooms, garlic and thyme.

2. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables have softened and taken on a little colour, stirring occasionally. Add the minced beef and mix until well combined, then sauté until well browned, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomato purée and continue to cook for another minute or two, stirring.

3. Pour in the tomatoes and season to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer for 2 hours until the beef is meltingly tender and the sauce has slightly reduced.

4. To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Remove from the heat and gradually pour in the milk, whisking until smooth after each addition. Season to taste. Bring the sauce to the boil, whisking constantly, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes until smooth and thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in most of the Cheddar cheese until melted.

5. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line 2 x 2.25 litre ovenproof dishes with a layer of lasagne sheets, breaking them to fi t as necessary. Add half of the bolognese and spread it into an even layer. Spread over half of the cheese sauce. Cover with another layer of the remaining lasagne sheets. Use the rest of the bolognese to make another layer and then pour over the remaining cheese sauce.

6. Scatter the rest of the Cheddar on top and bake for 1 hour or until the lasagnes are bubbling and lightly golden. Serve straight to the table.
   This recipe is from Neven Maguire’s Complete Family Cookbook, published by Gill Books

Ballymaloe shepherd’s pie

recipe by:Darina Allen

This classic family supper is simple yet richly flavoured with herbs - a hearty, comforting favourite

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 60 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 15 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 25g butter

• 110g onion, chopped

• 25g flour

• 450ml stock and leftover gravy

• 1 tsp tomato purée

• 1 tbsp mushroom ketchup (optional)

• 1 tbsp chopped parsley

• 1 tsp thyme leaves, chopped

• salt

• pepper

• 450g minced cooked lamb

• 900g cooked mashed potatoes

• 50g Cheddar, grated

• Garlic butter (optional)

Method

1. Melt the butter, add the onion, cover with a round of greased paper and cook over a slow heat for 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook until brown.

2. Add the stock, bring to the boil.  Add the tomato purée, mushroom ketchup, chopped parsley, thyme leaves, salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Add the meat to the sauce, bring to the boil. Taste and correct seasoning.

4. Put in a pie dish, cover with the mashed potatoes, and score with a fork.  Sprinkle over the cheese and dot with garlic butter.

5. Reheat in a moderate oven at 180ºC for about 30 minutes until hot and bubbling. Garnish with parsley and serve with extra garlic butter melting into the potatoes.

Vegan shepherd’s pie

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This comforting dish uses lentils and it is just as delicious as the meat version, with a rich vegetable layer and creamy mashed potato topping

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 55 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 10 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 onions, finely chopped 

• salt

• pepper

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 tins of lentils, drained and rinsed

• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes

• 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 bay leaves

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. 

3. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. 

4. Add the lentils and cook for about 10 minutes on a low heat.

5. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato purée, and bay leaves and bring to the boil. 

6. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Meanwhile, make the mash. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 10–15 minutes, until tender. Drain, season and mash well. 

8. Place the cooked mince in a large ovenproof dish and top with the mash. Bake for 20 minutes. 

9. Divide the pie between warmed serving plates.

Thai green curry

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

This spicy, garlicky curry is deliciously rich and filled with any leftover vegetables you have - serve with brown rice and lemon wedges

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Thai

Ingredients

• 1 aubergine, cut into chunks

• 2 courgettes, cut into chunks

• handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

• 300g green beans

• 300g tenderstem broccoli

• 1 tin of coconut milk

• 150ml vegetable stock or water

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp fish sauce

• lime wedges

• fresh coriander leaves

• brown basmati rice

• For the paste:

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled

• 1 onion, roughly chopped

• small handful of fresh coriander

• small handful of basil

• 2 small green chillies, deseeded

• thumb of ginger, peeled

• 2 lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed and tops trimmed

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• juice and zest of 1 lime

• sea salt 

Method

1. Make the paste by placing all the ingredients in a food processor and blitzing until smooth.

2. Heat a large frying pan or casserole to medium-high on the hob. Add the paste, stirring it around the pan. Splash a little water into the pan if it becomes to dry or the paste starts to stick.

3. After five minutes, add the coconut milk, stock, aubergines and courgette. Bring to a simmer and cook for around 10 minutes.

4. Add the tomatoes, beans and tenderstem broccoli. Cook for a further eight minutes until the beans and broccoli are tender.

5. Add the soy sauce and fish sauce and let simmer for another minute or two.

6. Serve with brown rice, lemon wedges and fresh coriander leaves.

Irish stew

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

Good quality neck chops of lamb, streaky bacon, fresh herbs and plenty of vegetables blend beautifully to create a comforting classic for family suppers

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 1 hours 50 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 10 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 3 large onions, peeled and sliced thickly

• 10 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in half

• 900g lamb neck, cut into chunks

• 4 springs of thyme

• 5-6 medium to large carrots, peeled and cut into thick rounds

• good handful of chopped parsley

• 200g smoked streaky bacon or rashers, cut into large chunks

• 1 bay leaf

• 80g pearl barley

• 850ml lamb or good chicken stock

• a little rapeseed oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat a little rapeseed oil in a large casserole over a medium-high heat. Add the bacon chunks for a few minutes until starting to crisp up. Add the lamb, allowing it to brown for around 5 or 6 minutes.

2. Remove the meat and set aside.

3. Add the onion and carrot to the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes until the onion is starting to turn translucent and brown. Add the meat back to the pan along with the bay leaf, sprigs of thyme and parsley. Pour in the stock along with the pearl barley and bring it all to a gentle simmer.

4. Add the potatoes to the casserole, sitting them on top of the stew and place in the oven with the lid on for around 90 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and check that the potatoes are well done — falling apart when you place a knife into their floury flesh. You can stir them through or leave them on top, adding a few flecks of butter to each potato and a good crack of black pepper. You can garnish the whole thing with some more chopped parsley, chives or even some spring onion.