25 freeze-ahead meal recipes to help make dinner time easier

Meal prep is not only for those who want to lose weight — it’s also a great time saver. Here are 25 recipes for dishes you can freeze and then cook when you just don’t have time to cook.

Your best meal prep asset? The freezer!

These make-ahead meals put together by taste.com.au food experts are not only easy to prepare but they can all be stashed in the freezer and pulled out on those busy nights when there’s no time to cook.

From pasta bakes to curries, there are meat and vegetarian options to add some variety to your weekly menu.

Chicken and leek cannelloni

Prepare a hearty family meal of chicken and leek cannelloni. It’s freezer-friendly so you can make it now for later in the week.

Lamb and apricot tagine tray bake

This tagine is slow-cooked in the oven to create meltingly tender lamb. Serve on a bed of fluffy couscous.

Try this lamb and apricot bake.

Slow-cooked beef and gnocchi bake

This glorious make-ahead bake is full of rich, meltingly tender beef, topped with gnocchi and then smothered in a creamy, tangy yoghurt bechamel. Best of all, you can freeze it, so it’s on hand for those busy, chilly weeknights.

Healthy slow cooker yellow chicken curry

This veg-packed slow cooker chicken curry is low-cal, gluten-free and really good for you. All you have to do is fry the spices until aromatic then throw everything into the crockpot and let it cook low and slow.

This chicken curry tastes just as good after being in the freezer.

Slow-cooked Italian beef stew with cheesy garlic bread bombs

This easy beef brisket stew, topped with cheesy bread dumplings, is the ultimate hearty dish for chilly evenings. It’s also a great meal prep option when you’ve got a busy week ahead.

Chicken Kyiv pasta bake

We’ve turned buttery and garlicky chicken Kyiv into a quick, easy and delicious pasta bake, and it’s on the table in less than 40 minutes.

Pork and pumpkin sausage rolls with spiced tomato sauce

Feeding a crowd? Try these tasty pork and pumpkin sausage rolls to win them over.

Family beef and mushroom pie

Using beef mince and puff pastry, this hearty, budget-friendly family pie tastes exactly like what you’d get at a bakery.

You can't go wrong with this beef and mushroom pie.

Silverbeet, fennel and ricotta cannelloni

Get ahead with this vegetarian cannelloni. Perfect for freezing and reheating on busy weeknights.

Creamy slow cooker bacon and mushroom chicken

If you’re guilty of frenzied last-minute dinners, a little bit of meal prep is all you need. Make our freeze and save one-pot big-batch chicken recipe, then turn it into this creamy bacon and mushroom chicken dinner.

Giant individual sausage rolls for dinner

Keep the kids happy and make these giant individual pork and chorizo sausage rolls for dinner.

A family-sized sausage roll is a great dinner option.

Easy ham and cheese quiche pie

A cross between a hearty zucchini slice and quiche, this easy recipe is cheesy and filling. All packed into a pie, and finished with a shortcrust pastry lattice, this dish is not only crispy but beautiful.

Pancake shaker impossible zucchini slice

We love the classic zucchini slice and are always looking for new ways to twist it or improve on it. In this cheat’s version, we use a pancake shaker mix to create a lovely, three-layered zucchini slice.

This zucchini slice is healthy and delicious.

Healthy tomato and garlic braised beans

These low-cal tomato and garlic braised beans are inspired by the Blue Zone region of Ikaria, Greece. Served with some crusty bread, this delicious bean combo makes a hearty and healthy vegetarian dinner.

Speedy sausages with beans

Stuck for dinner ideas? Rustle up a tasty dinner in minutes with a few basic pantry and freezer ingredients.

Quick crunchy-topped vegetable pasta bake

Clear out your fridge and freezer with this quick and easy vegetable bake.

This vegetable pasta bake is a great family meal.

Mini carbonara quiches

Use a muffin pan to makes these easy, cheesy individual crustless quiches.

Chicken, sage and bacon pot pies

Pack away a chicken pie in the freezer for a super-fast meal.

Slow cooker vegetarian lentil curry

The ultimate winter warmer dinner, this vegetarian slow cooker curry is healthy and packed full of good-for-you ingredients. It’s hearty and creamy, thanks to the lentils and coconut milk.

Better-for-you chicken cacciatore

We’ve made a few tweaks to traditional chicken cacciatore, so it’s better for you but still loaded with flavour.

Chicken cacciatore keeps well in the freezer.

Vegetable and black eye bean enchiladas

For a vegetarian Mexican-inspired feast, try these vegetable and black eye bean enchiladas.

One-pot hearty ham and bean soup

Make this high fibre soup ahead of time for a tasty winter warmer.

All-in-one chicken pilaf bake

“This recipe could not be easier, and the little effort you do put in will be well worth it! Throw this in the oven when you get home from work and the family will be feasting on juicy chicken and tender, buttery rice in no time.” – Tracy Rutherford

Slow-cooker pulled pork

A slow cooker recipe to feed a large party or make-ahead and freeze a portion for a later date.

Italian sausage pie with cheesy polenta topping

Make the casserole for this pie in advance, then pop it in the fridge or freezer. Then just reheat it, add the polenta topping and bake.

For more recipe ideas, go to taste.com.au or check out the Taste Test Kitchen now.

Originally published as 25 freeze-ahead meal recipes to help make dinner time easier