Freezer recipes that don't involve chicken or beef mince

[RollaCola84]

I'm trying to get back into batch cooking so I can take a tub from the freezer before work and just heat up and make some veg or whatever in the evening.

But all of my recipes seem to be chicken or beef mince and I'm getting a bit bored. Any suggestions of veggie, fish or other meat things I can make ? I'm a decent cook and eat pretty much anything so open to virtually anything.

[notnowlater]

I highly recommend this recipe:

Freezes beautifully and is delicious. I just serve with bread and butter, have never bothered with the dumplings:

www.coop.co.uk/recipes/spiced-veggie-goulash-with-yogurt-dumplings.

This is also lovely. I don't bother with the breadcrumb bit on top, and usually do swede and sweet potato mash on top:

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/vegan-shepherd-s-pie/

[Ricekrispie22]

Butternut chilli www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/butternut-chilli
Red pepper chilli www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/double-bean-roasted-pepper-chilli
Lamb tagine www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/persian-lamb-tagine
Sausage casserole www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1940681/sausage-and-bean-casserole-
realfood.tesco.com/recipes/sausage-and-cannellini-bean-casserole.html
Lamb rogan josh www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/one-pots/lamb-rogan-josh/
Fish pie www.kitchentales.co.uk/recipe/fabulous-freezer-fish-pie/
Chickpea tagine www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/recipes/vegetable-and-chickpea-tagine
Roasted veg lasagne www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/10603/roasted-vegetable-lasagne
Thai pork and peanut curry www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2838670/thai-pork-and-peanut-curry

[RollaCola84]

@ricekrispie22 - they all sound good and some of them I've made variations before but I'm wary about freezing things I haven't tried freezing before in case it isn't as good. Have you tried freezing any of these ?

[RollaCola84]

I have a chickpea curry recipe I love but I've never tried freezing it. For some reason I think it would go grainy in texture, anyone tried freezing cooked chickpea recipes ?

[RollaCola84]

@notnowlater that veggie goulash sounds delicious. I'll try that one !

[Shannith]

Have a look at the cook website and punch their meal ideas - all freeze well as you buy them frozen.

[notnowlater]

@RollaCola84 yes it's great, we had it last night. I add a bit of balsamic and miso too to that recipe.
I freeze chickpeas in things all the time and have never noticed a difference in texture TBH.

I also do a Dhal that freezes perfectly. Don't think it's very authentic, but it tastes good:

Dhal
Makes 4 - 6 servings

2 tsp garlic paste (or a couple of cloves of garlic crushed, more if you like garlic!)
2 tsp ginger paste (or a chunk of ginger grated)
2 heaped tsp ground cumin
2 heaped tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
pinch of ground cinnamon - 1/4 tsp or so
1 or 2 onions chopped
1 x 400g tin coconut milk (I use reduced fat)
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
250g red lentils
oil
salt and pepper
spinach
grated carrot for extra veg

Heat oil, add onion and cook for 10 mins til soft and a bit caramelised
Add spices and ginger and garlic and cook off for a couple of minutes
Add lentils, coconut milk, chopped tomatoes and about 100ml water, salt and pepper, and grated carrot if using.
simmer for about 30 mins until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. If it looks a bit dry at any point, add a little water.
if you like, stir through a bag of spinach at the end.

serve with yogurt, roasted cauliflower, sweet potato wedges, rice, naan, poppadoms, tortilla chips etc etc

Another idea:
Tuscan bean stew
Serves 4 (freezes well)

Oil
1 red onion chopped
3 or 4 sticks of celery, diced
3 or 4 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic - or 2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp fennel seeds
Rosemary or Thyme, dried is fine
2 x 400g tins chopped or plum tomatoes
1 x 400g tin butter beans/canellini beans/any other beans
Salt and pepper

Heat oil, add chopped onion, celery and carrot and cook for about 10 mins
Add garlic, fennel seeds and herbs and cook out for a couple of minues
Add chopped tomatoes, beans, and 1 can's worth of water.
Simmer and reduce for about 20 mins
Serve with bread.
You can top with fish/chicken/sausage if you like too.

[cdtaylornats]

I've frozen Chicken & Chickpea curry a lot.

[stucknoue]

How about this, super cheap if you soak beans too,

Mixed beans (for one portion I use canned mixed beans from Aldi but for batch cooking use dried and follow instructions to cook)
1 can chopped tomatoes (per can equivalent)
One onion finely chopped, small bunch coriander including stalks chopped, I tablespoon paprika, 2 tsp oregano, garlic (I use frozen cubes). 1tsp cumin

Sauté onion until soft, add chopped coriander stalks, add 2 frozen garlic cubes, cumin. Add rest of ingredients except coriander, cook approx 20 mins until soft, add coriander and serve with rice, couscous, Spanish tortilla or just crusty bread. I can beans served 3-4 as a guide.

Can add chorizo instead of the paprika, if using add at the onion stage. Goes great with white fish, try cook from frozen fish fillets, they cook in 6-8 mins

[Ricekrispie22]

Yes, all the above can be frozen and many of the recipes have freezing guidelines

[FrederickAlgernonTrotteville]

I make bean chilli. It freezes really well.

[tentative3]

I freeze cheese sauce with bacon and leeks in for mac and cheese (have frozen with the pasta in too), veggie curries, sugo for pasta or for baked eggs, shakshouka (without the eggs!), sweet potato and chorizo enchiladas, Hugh's soy and ginger beef, though we make it with brisket not shin.