Main dish

Four Easy Pasta Freezer Meals

Easy-to-make handy pasta dinner freezer meals! These are a great way to have dinner already made. All you have to do is heat them up and dinner is ready!

To recipe
easy pasta freezer meals in ziplock bags
Recipe insights & TIPS

Meal prep is here to help and these four family size pasta freezer meals will help you come up with dinner in a pinch!

easy pasta freezer meals in ziplock bags

With our current living circumstances and restricted ability to visit the grocery store whenever we like, making dinner needs to be easy!

I've never been much of a meal prep person but not because I don't like it. Actually I think it's a great idea but everyday I have to cook for the blog in some way so there's always something for dinner that just needs to be reheated. If I meal prepped I'd probably end up with too much food!

Pasta is a great way to feed a family and there's so many different ways to serve it. It's definetly a staple ingredient in my kitchen and helps me whenever I'm in a bind. These four fully prepped pasta freezer meals will take the pressure of, all you need to do is pull them from the freezer straight to the pot! All the exra work is done.

How to make your easy freezer prep meals

There's a little bit of prep work to be done but nothing too intense. These easy freezer meals use simple store bought pasta sauce which I never have a problem with. Making your own pasta sauce is a fun thing to do but that's a project for another day. For now we're just keeping things simple and with so many great choices for pasta sauce, sometimes your time is more valuable doing something else. I made four different pasta meals but you could do as many as you like.

Prepping your freezer meals kit

I recommend prepping your freezer meals the night before and filling your ziplock bags the next day. Waiting for the sauce to freeze is the most time consuming part.

Begin by filling an ice cube tray with the sauce, any leftover sauce can go in the fridge for another day, but you shouldn't have much leftover if your ice cube trays are pretty deep. Freeze overnight.

Cook the pasta just as you normally would but after cooking, rinse it well under cold water. You need to remove the starch so that the pasta dosen't become stuck together in one giant lump. Transfer the rinsed pasta to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. If you're adding anything else to your meal kit like chicken or meatballs then you'd cook those too and just store in the fridge until it's time to build your meal kit bag.

basil pesto pasta in a pot

Building your freezer meal bags

Take your cooled pasta and transfer it to a gallon sized ziplock bag. Working quickly, add your frozen cubes of pasta sauce to the bag along with any other ingredients such as meatballs or chicken. Seal your bag, write the description and date on the label and place it in the freezer.

Reheating your pasta

Take the bag from the freezer and give it a good slam on the counter just to loosen up everything in the bag. Transfer all of the contents to a large pot or pan and add whichever liquid is recommended. For regular tomato sauce based meals adding water is fine but if it's Alfredo sauce or pesto I recommend using half and half or milk. By adding a liquid  it'll help bring the contents back to a saucy consistency as it cooks. Cover with a lid and simmer stirring often to loosen everything up as it becomes soft.

A white, fluffy chef's hat with an orange band, logo of Foodness Gracious.

Recipe

Take the pressure out of dinner and make these pasta meals ahead of time. Just from freezer to stove and dinner is ready.

Course:
Main dish
COOKing TIME:
15 minutes
Total TIME:
75 minutes
CUISINE:
American
PREP TIME:
60 minutes
SERVINGS:
6

Ingredients

PESTO PASTA

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 12 oz pasta (spaghetti, penne, or your choice)

SPAGHETTI AND TOMATO SAUCE

  • 1 pound (450g) spaghetti
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
  • Fresh basil leaves (optional, for garnish)
  • Grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)

PENNE WITH MEATBALLS

  • 1 pound penne pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 cups marinara sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Fresh parsley or basil for garnish (optional)
  • Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

CHICKEN ALFREDO

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 8 oz fettuccine pasta
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Ingredient Swaps

  • To make these meals gluten-free, feel free to substitute regular pasta for your favorite gluten-free pasta
  • If you prefer dairy-free, you can always use amazing options like vegan milk or vegan butter to substitute for heavy cream or salted butter
  • For those that prefer vegetarian, substitute out the meatballs or chicken for Impossible Meat options or add your favorite veggies. Another option for thos preferring a meat-free option would be to incorporate mushrooms in place of the meatballs.

Instructions

PESTO PASTA

  • Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  • Prepare the Pesto: In a food processor, combine the basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and minced garlic. Pulse until finely chopped.
  • Add Olive Oil: With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Combine Pasta and Pesto: In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the pesto sauce until evenly coated.
  • Serve: Divide the pesto pasta into serving bowls.
  • Freeze: Have a little or wait for it to cool before moving to a freezer-safe ziplock baggie.

SPAGHETTI AND TOMATO SAUCE

  • Cook the Spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  • Prepare the Sauce: While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
  • Add Tomatoes and Seasoning: Pour in the crushed tomatoes, then add the dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine. If the sauce is too acidic, add the sugar to balance the flavor.
  • Simmer the Sauce: Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly.
  • Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan with the tomato sauce. Toss until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce.
  • Serve: Divide the spaghetti and sauce into serving bowls. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy your meal!
  • Freeze: Have a little or wait for it to cool before moving to a freezer-safe ziplock baggie.

PENNE WITH MEATBALLS

  • Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  • Prepare the Meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef (or Italian sausage), breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, milk, egg, minced garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Mix until well combined.
  • Form the Meatballs: Roll the mixture into small, bite-sized meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.
  • Cook the Meatballs: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs in batches and cook until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the skillet and set them aside.
  • Heat the Sauce: In the same skillet, add the marinara sauce and bring it to a simmer. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and stir to coat them evenly. Let it simmer for a few minutes until the meatballs are heated through.
  • Combine Pasta and Meatballs: Add the cooked penne pasta to the skillet with the meatballs and sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated with the sauce.
  • Serve: Divide the penne with meatballs into serving bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil and additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!
  • Freeze: Have a little or wait for it to cool before moving to a freezer-safe ziplock baggie.

CHICKEN ALFREDO

  • Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  • Prepare the chicken: While the pasta is cooking, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 6-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and golden brown. Remove from the skillet and slice into strips.
  • Make the Alfredo sauce: In the same skillet, add the butter and minced garlic. Cook for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant. Add the heavy cream and bring it to a simmer. Reduce the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
  • Combine: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss it in the Alfredo sauce. Add the sliced chicken and gently mix until everything is well coated.
  • Serve: Plate the chicken Alfredo and garnish with chopped parsley and red pepper flakes if desired.
  • Freeze: Have a little or wait for it to cool before moving to a freezer-safe ziplock baggie.
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