It's a million dollar question we're asked time and time again: Can it be frozen? Here's our handy guide filled with tips, tricks and recipes that will make turn your freezer into your ultimate ally.
Type of recipe | Freezes? | Tips | Storage life |
---|---|---|---|
Rice, potato or pasta salads | No | Rice, potatoes and pasta become rough and granular once thawed. Some vegetables used in these salads (radish, celery) don't freeze well. | |
Vegetable salads (coleslaw, lettuce, tomato, cucumber salads, etc.) | No | Vegetables will lose their crispiness after being thawed. |
Type of recipe | Freezes? | Tips | Storage life |
---|---|---|---|
Mayonnaise based dressings. | No | The mayonnaise might split up. | |
Yogourt or buttermilk based dressings. | +/- | The texture might become granular. Defrost in the refrigerator. Beat thoroughly to smooth out the texture. | 3 months |
Oil and vinegar based dressings | Yes | 3 months |
Type of recipe | Freezes? | Tips | Storage life |
---|---|---|---|
Chicken, beef or vegetables broths | Yes | 3 months | |
Broths | Yes | Add water or stock while reheating if the sauce is too thick. | 3 months |
Vegetable Soup | Yes | If the soup contains rice or pasta, avoid cooking too thoroughly, as cooking resumes as soon as you start reheating. | 3 months |
Creamy soups and bechamel sauce | +/- | The texture may suffer. Whisk the sauce vigorously while reheating to keep the texture uniform. Add milk or broth if the sauce is too thick. | 3 months |
Pea Soup | Yes | If the soup is too thick, add broth or water when reheating. | 3 months |
Type of recipe | Freezes? | Tips | Storage life |
---|---|---|---|
Bechamel based sauces and cheese sauces | +/- | These sauces have a tendency to separate while reheating. Whisk vigorously to smoothen out. | 3 months |
Tomato Sauce | Yes | Tomato sauce tends to be watery after defrosting. | 6 months |
Spaghetti sauce with meat | Yes | The sauce tends to be watery after defrosting. | 3 months |
Type of recipe | Freezes? | Tips | Storage life |
---|---|---|---|
Meat Balls | Yes | Place the meatballs on parchment paper while ensuring they don't touch each other. Place in the freezer until the meatballs harden. Transfer them to into a ziplock or tupperware container. Frozen meatballs can be tossed right into a sauce (tomato, soup, ragout) while cooking. | 3 months |
Vegetarian or Meat Chili | Yes | 3 months | |
Pork Spread | Yes | 3 months | |
Meat Patties | Yes | Place the patties on a baking sheet with parchment paper ensuring no overlap. Place them in the freezer until the patties harden. Place them into ziplock bags or tupperware containers. Defrost in the refridgerator. Reheat at 350 °F for about 30 minutes. | 3 months |
Baked beans | Yes | 6 months | |
Baked Ham | Yes | 6 months | |
Cooked Lasagna | Yes | 3 months | |
Uncooked Lasagna | Don't garnish with cheese. Hermetically seal. To serve, partially defrost in the fridge. Garnish with cheese and cook according to the original recipe's instruction, while adding about 15 minutes to the cooking time. | 3 months | |
Meat Loaf | Yes | Cook and allow to cool in the container. Remove and transfer into a freezing bag. To serve, defrost in the fridge and place loaf back into baking recepticle. Reheat at 350 °F for approx. 30 minutes. | 3 months |
Foie Gras | Yes | 3 months | |
Potatoes dauphinoise | Yes | 2 semaines | |
Ragout and other stewed dishes | Yes | The potatoes are usually lumpy after defrosting. Avoid potatoes in such recipes if you prefer. | 3 months |
Risotto | Yes | Add a bit of soup broth as needed at the moment of reheating. | 3 months |
Quiche | Yes | Place the quiche on a baking sheet in the freezer until the top has hardened. Transfer into a freezing bag or aluminum envelope. To serve, do not defrost. Uncover and place directly into the over at 375 °F until the quiche is completely heated. | 3 months |
Meat Pies and uncooked Pâté | Yes | Prepare garnish as usual, let chill. Pour contents into pie base and cover with pie dough. Place on rack in freezer until the toppings have hardened. Transfer into a freezing back or aluminum paper. To serve, allow to partially defrost and cook along the recipe's instructions, while adding approx. 15 minutes to the total cooking time. | 3 months |
Meat Pies and cooked Pâté | Yes | Place on a rack in the freezer until the toppings has fully hardened. Transfer to a freezer bag or wrap in aluminum paper. To serve, do not defrost. Unwrap and place directly in the over at 375 °F, until the toppings are piping hot. | 3 months |
Type of recipe | Freezes? | Tips | Storage life |
---|---|---|---|
Cooked cuts of Meat (ribs, chops, fillets, roasts, Tbones, etc.) or poultry (thighs, breasts, etc.) | Yes | All cooked meats can be easily frozen, even if you defrosted them prior to cooking, there is no hazard in doing so. However, defrosting meat and refreezing it without cooking it is highly discouraged. | 3 to 6 months |
Type of recipe | Freezes? | Tips | Storage life |
---|---|---|---|
Rice, quinoa, orge and pasta dishes | Yes | Grains and cereal contain yeast, which hardens in the cold. These types of side dishes must always be reheated to regain their desired texture. Add a small amount of water as needed at the time of reheating. | 3 months |
Guacamole | Yes | 3 months | |
Hummus | Yes | 3 months |
Type of recipe | Freezes? | Tips | Storage life |
---|---|---|---|
Baked breads of all kinds (baguette, brioche, naan, etc.) | Yes | Defrost at room temperature. The bread's texture will be more ideal if reheated in the often. Wrap in aluminum foil at reheat at 300 °F between 5 and 15 minutes depending on size. | 3 months |
Raw Pizza dough | Yes | Cut the dough into individual pizza portions. Wrap in cellophane paper and place into bags for freezing. Defrost in the fridge and place at room temperature in a place that is slightly warm and humid to stimulate the yeast. |
Type of recipe | Freezes? | Tips | Storage life |
---|---|---|---|
Baked cookies | Yes | Freeze these cookies in levels, in a bag for freezing or a hermetically sealed bag, by placing a parchment or wax paper between each level. Allow to defrost at room temperature. | 6 months |
Cookies and cookie dough | Yes | Cut the cookie dough into single cookie portions, place on a sheet of parchment paper while ensuring no overlap. Place in the freezer until the dough is rigid. Transfer to a freezer bag or sealed container. To bake, simply bake them right out of the freezer, adding 2 or 3 minutes to the total cooking time. | 3 months |
Bars, squares and Brownies | Yes | Do not put any icing or powdered sugar on the bars. Can be frozen right in their baking rack (placed inside a freezer bag). Alternatively, you may cut into individual portions and freeze on a sheet. Transfer to a tupperware or freezing bag afterwards. Let defrost at ambient temperature. | 3 months |
Doughnuts | Yes | Do not ice or sugar. Defrost at ambient temperature or in the oven at 400 °F for 5 to 10 minutes. | 3 months |
Choux and Cheese Puffs | Yes | Cook as usual, do not garnish. Place on a plate in the freezer until hardened. Transfer to sealed container or freezing bag. Defrost at ambient temperature. | 2 months |
Crepes | Yes | Place a square of wax or parchment paper between each crepe. Transfer to a freezer bag. Defrost at room temperature. | 3 months |
Butter Cakes, Cupcakes | Yes | Do not put on icing. Wrap each cake in plastic wrap and transfer to a freezer bag. Defrost at ambient temperature. | 2-4 months |
Angel Cake | Yes | Defrost at ambient temperature. | 6 months |
Cheese Cake | Yes | For reduced fat cheese cakes (tofu, yoghurt, soy or ricotta based for example) contain more water that traditional cheese cakes and will usually come out lumpy. Defrost in the fridge. | 4 months |
Fruit Cake | Yes | Wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum and transfer into a freezing bag. | 12 months |
Waffles | Yes | Freeze in a single pile on a sheet. Transfer to a freezing bag, separating each waffle by wax or parchment paper. Do not defrost, instead reheat in the oven at 400 °F for 3 to 5 minutes, or in the toaster. | 3 months |
Muffins | Yes | Wrap individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and transfer to a sealed container or a freezer bag. Defrost at room temperature. | 3 months |
Rustic Bread | Yes | Freeze whole or in individual portion slices, covered in plastic wrap and then transfer to freezer bag. Defrost at room temperature. | 3 months |
Pancakes | Yes | Freeze on a single plate. Transfer to a freezing bag, separating the pancakes with parchment or wax paper. Do not defrost, but instead reheat in the oven at 400 °F for 3 to 5 minutes, or alternatively in the toaster. | |
Raw Pie Crust | Separate the dough into individual balls (sufficient to spread into a crust). Wrap in plastic wrap and transfer to freezer bag. Defrost in the fridge. | 1 to 2 months | |
Unleavened Raw Pie Crust | Yes | Press the dough and mould it as you would into a disposable aluminum pie mould. Place on a plate in the freezer until the dough hardens. Transfer entire crust into a freezer bag, or seal hermetically with aluminum foil. Do not defrost, poke holes and bake at 475 °F until the crust is golden, or garnish and cook along the indications of the recipe. | 1 to 2 months |
Cooked Pie Crust | Yes | Ideally, leave the crust in the container with which it was baked. Otherwise, remove from plate and place on rigid cardboard sheet. Transfer to freezer back. Allow to defrost at room temperature. | 3 months |
Fruit Pie | Yes | Place on a rack in the freezer until the toppings have hardened. Transfer to freezer bag or seal in aluminum paper. Can go directly from the freezer to the over. Reheat at 375 °F until the fruit is warm, about 30 minutes. | 3 months |
Sugar Pie | Yes | See "Fruit Pie" | 3 months |
Pie with eggs or cream pastry | No | The toppings will get lumpy and will release liquid and the crust will get soggy. |
Type of recipe | Freezes? | Tips | Storage life |
---|---|---|---|
Coulis and Fruit Sauces | Yes | The texture may be a bit more liquid. | 6 months |
Flan | No | The texture will likely become grainy/lumpy. | |
Crèmes Brulée | Yes | Freeze the cream without caramelizing the crust. To serve, defrost in the fridge. Powder with sugar and caramelize the crust based on the recipe's direction. | 3 months |
English Cream | Yes | Defrost in the fridge. Whisk vigorously if the texture seems grainy. | 3 months |
Fruit Custard | Yes | May be transfered right from the freezer to the over. Reheat at 375 °F until the toppings are warm, about 30 minutes. | 6 months |
Ganache | Yes | 3 months | |
Lemon Curd | Yes | 3 months | |
Caramel or Chocolate Sauce | Yes | 6 months | |
Caramel bites, fudge | Yes | Cut into squares. Place on a sheet of parchment paper and freeze until the candy hardens. Transfer to a freezing bag or sealed container, placing a piece of parchment or wax paper between each level. Defrost at room temperature or server frozen. | 3 months |
Cook and freeze... our top three recipes.
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