If you’re looking for simple Vegetarian Freezer Meals that actually fill you up then look no further! These 6 bean and lentil dinners go from gallon baggie to Crockpot (or stovetop) with almost no effort, and each one tells you exactly what to add fresh at cook time. Bonus: you can prep all of these in just ONE hour.
6 SUPER simple freezer meals!
I’ve been working on this series for so long and it’s been amazing to see it all come together. It’s also had me wondering why I don’t have these meals in my freezer AT ALL TIMES.
Here’s what these freezer meals are great for:
Expecting parents – almost nothing helps out new parents more than an EASY EASY EASY warm cooked meal! Help them stock the freezer before baby arrives.
Helping someone in need – if you know someone who is sick, recovering from surgery, or going through any life change that makes cooking difficult, these meals are perfect!
Decision fatigue and busy weeknights – there’s nothing worse than realizing you have NOTHING planned for dinner. These meals make it easy to pop dinner in the crockpot and not think about it anymore.
Budget-conscious chefs – since these recipes are largely shelf stable based (love a good canned food meal), they’re very budget conscious.
Meal prep Sundays – you can easily prep all 6 of these meals in just 1 hour which makes them GREAT for meal prepping!
These meals truly couldn’t be easier – simple dump all of the ingredients into a sealable container. Once ready to eat, thaw and then dump into a crockpot (or stovetop pot) and add the remaining ingredients (which for most recipes is simply some liquid).
Here are the meals we’re making:
Minestrone with White Beans
Loaded Vegetarian Chili
Chickpea Tikka Masala
White Bean and Kale Tuscan Soup
Red Lentil Coconut Curry
Vegetarian Lentil Lasagna Soup (my fav!)
I hope you find these meals helpful for whatever season you’re making them for in life!
1. Minestrone with White Beans
Makes: 4 servings
Dump in & freeze:
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained/rinsed
2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 bay leaf
parmesan rind if using (optional)
Add Before cooking:
4 cups veggie broth
Add while cooking:
½ cup small pasta (ditalini or elbow pasta, last 20-30 min for crockpot)
2 cups of fresh spinach or kale (stirred in at the end)
Garnish with:
salt + pepper to taste
Freshly grated parmesan
Slow cooker: Thaw overnight. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high 3-4 hours adding the pasta in during the last 20-30 minutes and then stirring in the greens at the end until wilted.
Stovetop: Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot. Dump ingredients in and cook for 20 minutes. Add in pasta and spinach/ kale and cook for 8-10 more minutes or until the pasta is tender.
2. Loaded Vegetarian Chili
Makes: 6 servings
Dump in & freeze:
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz can of tomato sauce
15 oz can of diced tomatoes
15 oz can of kidney beans, drained/rinsed
15 oz can of great northern beans, drained/rinsed
15 oz can of black beans, drained/rinsed
1 tablespoon baking cocoa
½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp chili powder, ½ tsp oregano, ⅛ tsp cayenne
1 cup frozen corn
Add Before cooking: 3 cups vegetable broth
Garnish with: Avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese, and green onion.
Slow cooker: Thaw overnight. Dump the bag and broth into the slow cooker and stir. Cook on low for 6-7 hours OR on high for 3-4 hours. Serve topped with avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese, and green onion.
Stovetop: Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot. Dump in the thawed bag and the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is hot and the flavors come together. Add a splash more broth if it gets too thick.
3. Chickpea Tikka Masala
Makes: 4 servings
Dump in & freeze:
2 15 oz cans chickpeas, drained + rinsed
1 onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp garam masala, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
Add Before cooking: 1 15 oz can of coconut milk or 1 cup heavy cream
Garnish with: fresh cilantro and serve with rice.
Slow cooker: Thaw overnight. Dump the bag and the milk into the slow cooker and stir. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Garnish with cilantro and serve over basmati rice or with naan.
Stovetop: Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, deep skillet or pot. Dump in the thawed bag and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the coconut milk and cook for 5 more minutes.
4. White Bean + Kale Tuscan Soup
Makes: 4 servings
Dump in & freeze:
2 cans 15 oz cans of cannellini beans, drained + rinsed
1 can 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
2 carrots, finely diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp each dried oregano, thyme, basil
Add Before cooking: 4 cups vegetable broth
Add while cooking: 3 cups chopped kale (last 30 min)
Garnish with: Top with grated parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil, and serve with crusty bread.
Slow cooker: Thaw overnight. Dump the bag and broth into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours, adding the kale during the last 20-30 minutes until wilted.
Stovetop: Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot. Dump in the thawed bag and the broth and cook for 20 minutes at a gentle simmer. Add the kale and cook for 5-8 more minutes, until it’s tender.
5. Red Lentil Coconut Curry
Makes: 4 servings
Dump in & freeze:
1 ½ cups dried red lentils
1 large sweet potato, cubed
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp curry powder or 2 tbsp red curry paste
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
Add Before cooking: 1 15 oz can of coconut milk, juice of 1 lime
Add while cooking: 2 cups of veggie broth
Garnish with: Serve over rice with fresh cilantro.
Slow cooker: Thaw overnight. Dump the bag and broth into the slow cooker and stir. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4 hours, until the lentils and sweet potato are tender. Stir in the coconut milk during the last 30 minutes, then add the lime juice at the end.
Stovetop: Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot. Dump in the thawed bag and the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils and sweet potato are tender. Stir in the coconut milk and cook for 5 more minutes, then finish with the lime juice.
6. Vegetarian Lentil Lasagna Soup
Makes: 4 servings
Dump in & freeze:
1 cup dried brown or green lentils
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 bay leaf
Add Before cooking: 5 cups vegetable broth
Add while cooking: 6-8 lasagna noodles broken into pieces
Garnish with: fresh parsley for serving, ricotta + shredded mozzarella + grated parmesan for topping.
Slow cooker: Thaw overnight. Dump the bag and broth into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 10 hours or high for 6 hours, adding the broken noodles during the last 20-30 minutes until tender. Garnish with ricotta, mozzarella, and fresh basil.
Stovetop: Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot. Dump in the thawed bag and the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes, until the lentils are almost tender. Add the broken noodles and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring often so they don’t stick.
Recipe Tips
Set up an assembly line. Fill all the bags in one go, working in an assembly line. Line up the bags, add one ingredient to every bag, then move to the next. Six bags take much less time this way than one at a time, trust me!
Drain and rinse your canned beans, and drain them well. Excess liquid from the can just becomes ice in the bag.
Leave the broth out. Broth and canned tomatoes freeze rock-solid and take up space, so adding liquids separately on cooking day is the better option. That’s why every recipe here has you add the broth fresh. It also keeps the bags flat and lighter. I tried adding the broth in and it’s simply too much!
Freeze flat, then file upright. Lay the bags flat to save space (I usually lay 2 on a large baking tray), then stand them upright once frozen so they’re easy to store away. Flat bags also thaw faster and more evenly!
Label every bag. DO IT! Write the date, cook time, and any last-minute add-ins like pasta or fresh herbs on the bag. It makes taking these to a friend that much easier for them (or future you when you inevitably forget exactly what it is).
Thaw overnight in the fridge. Take the bag out of the freezer and put it into the fridge to thaw the night before. Most freezer slow cooker meals need to thaw anyway to fit in the slow cooker. A thawed bag also gives you more predictable cook times.
Use the freezer meals within about 3 months. Frozen for up to three months is a good rule for best flavor and texture!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, I recommend thawing overnight in the fridge. A thawed bag fits in the slow cooker, cooks evenly, and matches the times in each recipe. Thaw in the fridge, then dump it in the crockpot. If you forget, you can run the sealed bag under cold water for a few minutes to loosen it, or use the stovetop method.
Yes, every recipe includes stovetop directions. Thaw the bag, dump it into a large pot with the broth, and simmer for about 20-35 minutes depending on the recipe.
Up to 3 months for best quality. Label the bags with the date so you use the oldest first.
I’d make two bags instead. One oversized bag is hard to freeze flat, hard to thaw, and may not fit your slow cooker.
Yes. Let the cooked meal cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Soups with pasta or noodles will get softer, so for freezing leftovers I’d cook the pasta separately next time.
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