Casseroles are the ultimate make-ahead, freezer-friendly meal.
These five rules of thumb will help make freezing and reheating casseroles more successful.
They’re even handy to have in the freezer when time is crunched during a busy week.
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist Julia Bayless
If you’re worried that a frozen casserole can’t stand up to the fresh version, think again.
Try these:19 Three-Step Casseroles You’ll Want to Make for Dinner
1.
They also won’t overcook in the casserole’s final heating phase.
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist Julia Bayless
If you use fully cooked ingredients in a casserole, they may turn mushy.
Save yourself from a goopy mess, and stop the cooking process a few minutes early.
Meat is one exception to this rule.
Thoroughly cook any meat for a casserole you intend to freeze before adding it to the other ingredients.
Instead, you will just need to focus on gently reheating the dish to serve.
It can also slow the growth offreezer burn.
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Lexi Juhl
This frosty layer on food doesn’t change the flavor much, but it could compromise the texture.
The edges will brown and bubble, while the center is still cool to the touch, even icy.
Secondly, not all baking pans are freezer-to-oven friendly.
Christine Ma
You’ll have an evenly baked casserole in half the time.
Read more:How to Freeze Soup
