Freezer Friendly Greek Meals and Freezer Tips
Having a stock of ready to cook or heat meals available in the freezer is such a help during busy evenings. Freezer friendly Greek meals are particularly wonderful as they are delicious and healthy. Here is a list of meals that you can make ahead, freeze, and turn to when there is no time to cook.
I love having a well stocked freezer. I don’t mean filling the freezer with processed, ready to eat microwavable meals (although let’s face it, sometimes those are handy!). I mean having home cooked meals that you make, and then freeze so that you can easily feed your family delicious Greek meals when there is no time, or energy, to cook!
Why you will love these freezer friendly meals
Life is busy so having meals that are either fully cooked, or ready to cook, and frozen means that you can have dinner ready on the table in a short amount of time. Some meals are best if they are left to defrost in the refrigerator overnight. In other instances, you can even heat from frozen.
Whether fresh or frozen, these meals are delicious! I have compiled a list of meals with a lot of variety – soups, casseroles, meat sauces and more. There is something for everyone to love!
Best tips for freezing meals
Freezing meals is pretty easy – especially if you follow these tips:
Choose your container
There are many types of freezer-safe containers, including some which are quite pricey. You can use plastic, glass and even some cardboards. Be sure to read the label and ensure that your container is indeed freezer safe. In some instances, especially if you are freezing a casserole, it is helpful to use a container that is both freezer and oven safe.
Here is another great tip! If you are going to freeze something like an unbaked casserole, line a freezer safe container (even an aluminum pan will work) with parchment paper or freezer safe plastic wrap. Assemble your casserole or meal and freeze. Then, when it is time to cook your frozen meal transfer it out of the freezer safe container, remove the plastic wrap and parchment paper, place in a baking pan and cook.
Another great tip is to use freezer bags. I often freeze soups in freezer bags. I lay them flat to freeze and once solid I arrange them upright in the freezer. Takes very little space in the freezer and keeps things organized.
Label your containers
Do not rely on your memory! When frozen, it is sometimes difficult to figure out what is what. Label your food, and also the date that it was frozen. You can also include cooking or reheating instructions on the label to make things even easier.
Favourite Freezer Friendly Greek Recipes
Fakes (Lentil soup)
The most amazing lentil soup ever! This classic Greek soup called fakes is a staple in my home, and it is made almost once a week. It is perfect for days when we are fasting (when we don’t eat meat, dairy or eggs), for Meatless Monday challenges and to feed people who are either vegan or gluten-free. This soup is appropriate for pretty much anyone! It is also great because it is an economical way to feed a crowd, on a small budget.
My parents taught me to make fakes by adding some onion, carrot, celery and a bit of garlic. Then, a tomato sauce is added to the pot along with the water (and lentils of course!). Seasoning is simple, with a bay leaf and some salt and pepper. The result is better than you could imagine! Any brown or green lentils work in this soup, and sometimes I even get fancy and use the French du Puy lentil, but that is certainly not necessary (or traditional!).
Freezing tips
When I freeze fakes in individual portions I use freezer bags. I lay them flat in my freezer and then either stack them up or arrange them upright to save space. If I freeze larger portions (if I will be serving the soup to my whole family) I find that recycled ice cream containers work really well!
Greek ham and cheese pie (Zambonopita)
Greeks love their pitas! This version of zambonopita, or ham and cheese pita is made without phyllo, so it is really easy to put together. The flavour is amazing and this is the type of pita that would go really well with a delicious Greek salad for a healthy lunch or dinner.
I sometimes make this pita with sliced deli ham and other times I make it with leftover ham from when I make a maple glazed ham. When I use the leftover ham I try not to use the outer part, to avoid the maple glaze. Not the end of the world if some gets in there, but I think it is better if it doesn’t!
Freezer tips
Even though this zambonopita is easy to make, having some in the freezer is really handy. I like to wrap it in individual portions. First I wrap well in plastic wrap and then I place the individual wrapped packets in a freezer safe bag. Often times when I grab one pack to take with me to work. By the time lunch rolls around, a quick pop in the microwave and lunch is ready!
Greek Gigantes plaki
Talk about a nutritious meal! This recipe for gigantes (white runner beans) baked alongside sauteed greens is a winner in my books. It is a really nutritious and delicious meal that is perfect for periods of lent, or for vegans and those who are gluten-intolerant.
I love the versatility of this recipe. The greens that you use can really be altered to your liking, and to what is available and in season. I typically like to include swiss chard and spinach, but I have also made this meal by including kale and chicory. Honestly, you cannot go wrong. The squeeze of lemon added helps accentuate all the flavours, and honestly, this is just a perfect meal!
Freezer tips
The first time I froze this meal was when I was travelling with my husband and I wanted to have meals ready for our daughters in the freezer. It worked out really well to freeze these gigantes with greens. I placed individual portions in freezer bags, pressed on them to remove all the air and laid them flat to freeze. A quick defrost (from frozen) and then reheat in the microwave and my girls were able to have nutritious meals within 10 minutes or so.
Hortosoupa, Greek vegetable soup
I know that there are many, many vegetable soups out there, but if you have not tried this recipe yet, I really think you should! My hortosoupa (Greek vegetable soup) is SO good! It is loaded with vegetables (obviously!) and the combined textures and flavours makes this simple to make soup just amazing. My favourite part might be the peas, which add colour and a bit of sweetness to this soup.
Another reason I love this soup is that it is all vegetable! No beans, no pasta, no rice. Those additions are great in other soups, but I like to have the option of eating a purely vegetable soup. Despite the fact that it is only veg, it is still filling thanks to the potatoes and turnip.
Freezer tips
Like most soups, this one freezes really well in either freezer bags or containers. I find that sometimes pasta does not freeze really well, so the fact that there are no noodles in this soup is an added bonus!
Giant beans (Greek gigantes) with greens
A traditional Greek meal that you may not find in many Greek restaurants outside of Greece – what a shame! I LOVE gigantes plaki so much, it just may be one of my favourite meals. Although finding the gigantes (white runner beans) can be a bit of a challenge if you do not live near a Greek or Mediterranean, they are available online (a bit pricey, but still likely cheaper than a steak!) the rest of the ingredients are pretty basic.
I like to use my homemade Tomato sauce to make this meal, but if you do not have that you can use a good quality tomato sauce or passata. Although the recipe is simple, it does require a bit of time. You have to plan to soak the beans, boil them and then baked the gigantes plaki in the oven. A lot of passive time, but still, you have to be organized.
Freezer tips
It is wonderful to have a meal like gigantes plaki in the freezer because you can make it when you have the time, and actually serve it during a busy weeknight. If you decide to freeze the entire recipe be sure to cool it first. What I like to do is to then transfer the meal to a freezer-to-oven safe pan (if your original pan was not this type) and freeze it.
Greek chicken souvlaki
Oh yum!!! This is honestly the best chicken souvlaki you will have. The meat is so flavourful and tender. I sometimes serve it in a pita, with some tomato, onions and homemade tzatziki sauce. Other times I serve it on the stick with a side of Greek lemon rice and some broccoli, done the Greek way! Either way, this is a meal that you are going to love!
The reason this chicken souvlaki is so good is in the way the chicken breasts are prepared. They marinade in herbs and spices for at least three hours and are grilled to perfection. The chicken remains moist and so, so good. This is a lean menu item and a pretty healthy recipe that I think everyone in your family will love.
Freezer tips
You can either freeze the prepared but uncooked skewers of chicken souvlaki (ideal) or you can freeze the ones which have already been cooked. In either case, be sure to wrap them well in plastic wrap, and then place in a freezer bag or wrap again in aluminum foil. The trick is to keep any air from getting to the chicken so that they do not get freezer burnt. This won’t make them unsafe, it will simply impact the flavour.
Spaghetti with meat sauce (Greek Makaronia me kima)
My husband’s favourite meal! When my parents want to treat him, or thank him for going over late at night to fix the remote, they make him makaronia me kima! The way Greeks make meat sauce for spaghetti is unlike anything you have ever had, and in my opinion, it is the best way!
This is really a quintessential Greek meal. The flavour is out of this world, and it is also really easy to make. The meat basically stews in the tomato sauce and the addition of spices makes it so flavourful. You can use this meat sauce on top of any sort of pasta, but in our home, spaghetti rules for this sauce! A very similar meat sauce is also used when I make pastitsio or moussaka.
Freezer tips
I only freeze the meat sauce, and not the pasta! When it is time to eat, I defrost the meat sauce in the microwave and then heat it up on the stovetop all while the pasta is cooking. Dinner done right is about 15 minutes! Nothing easier than that!
Fasolatha, Greek white bean soup
This is a classic Greek soup. Some say that fasolatha is the national food of Greece actually. It represents so much of what makes Greek cuisine unique. Simple, plant-based, humble ingredients that create a rustic meal that is incredibly delicious and nutritious.
This is a soup made with white beans (either white kidney beans or navy beans), some vegetables and a broth that is simply flavoured with olive oil and lemon. If you like you can thicken it up a bit with flour, but you do not have to. You can also make a similar version of this soup with tomato sauce, making a fasolatha with tomato that is equally delicious.
Freezer tips
Ideally, I freeze this soup in individual portions. This is another great grab-and-go option when I am working and don’t have time to pack a fresh lunch. It is also really hand to have on hand when someone in the family is hungry and wants a nutritious healthy snack (yes, soup can be a snack!!).
Mung bean soup (Psilofasola or rovitsa)
Many people are surprised to learn that there is a traditional Greek soup made with mung beans! This is a soup that my dad remembers well from his childhood, and it was one of his favourites. I love this soup too because mung beans are adorable and delicious, and it is such an easy soup to make. You need very few ingredients, and not too much time.
This soup is so nutritious and the flavour is really lovely. Everyone who tries this soup is surprised by how good it is, because there are so few ingredients. The fresh squeeze of lemon at the end really highlights all the flavours and makes this soup a real delight!
Freezer tips
I love to use large yogourt containers with a plastic lid to freeze soups, like this one. Because I don’t like to put those containers in the microwave when I want to reheat my soup in a hurry I run the container under hot water until I can squeeze the soup out of it. Then, into a pot or the microwave to defrost and reheat.
Greek Baked Gigantes with Sausage (Loukaniko)
Yes, I really like gigantes! Unlike other recipes, this gigantes based recipe is not vegetarian or vegan. In fact, it contains Greek sausage called loukaniko, and it is so good! Hearty, rustic and utterly delicious. Grab some bread and get ready to dip into this luscious sauce.
I love making Greek Baked Gigantes with Sausage (Loukaniko) in the winter especially. I find it a really warming dish that is comforting and filling. For this meal, all you need is time. No special cooking skills required! If you can’t find loukaniko, you can use a different type of sausage. And, if you can’t find gigantes, you can make a version of this dish with white kidney beans or lima beans.
Freezer tips
Sure, you can freeze this meal after it is cooked, but you can also boil your gigantes and then freeze them. That way they are ready when you want to make this dish, or any other meal starring gigantes.