11 Prep-Ahead Freezer Meals for Lazy Summer Days

Stock your freezer now and thank yourself later with these summer meals that defrost and reheat beautifully.

By Robin Shreeves
Updated August 07, 2025
Large serving of King Casserole on a blue splatter plate. The dish is surrounded by a red napkin, a fork and a blue glass of sparkling water

Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze

Summer doesn’t lend itself to make-ahead meals in the same way cooler seasons do. Instead, the season practically begs for freshness. Throwing a few chicken breasts on the grill and tossing together a tomato salad from the garden feels effortless, as easy as slipping off your sandals after a long day.

But that doesn’t mean you should neglect your freezer during these sweltering months. Not at all. The freezer is a chilly powerhouse that can capture summer produce at peak ripeness and stash away leftovers from your favorite recipes. Plenty of dishes, including the 11 below, can be made ahead, then frozen, defrosted, and reheated on a night when you’d rather stay inside.

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  • The Best Carne Asada

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    J. Kenji López-Alt

    Imagine pulling rich and juicy carne asada from the freezer to make tacos or fajitas on a moment's notice. Marinating the skirt steak in a tangy, salty blend with dried chiles and chipotle peppers adds spicy depth, and charring individual slices over high heat on the grill, then pulling it early, allows for the most even cook.

  • Really Awesome Black Bean Burgers

    20210322-BlackBean-Burgers-Andrew_Janjigian-18
    Andrew Janjigian

    Black bean burgers are a crowd pleaser for any summer potluck: They're vegetarian-friendly, not to mention packed with flavor and tender when done right. The trick here is to dehydrate the beans in the oven to prevent mushy burgers and intensify the bean flavors. Form the patties ahead of time with poblano peppers, chopped cashews, crumbly feta, and more, then freeze, and pull them out an hour before you're ready to cook them. (FYI, if you're more in the mood for beef burgers, you can cook those straight from frozen.)

  • Quick and Easy Pork Fried Rice With Corn and Shishito Peppers

    20160710-scrapcook-pork-fried-rice-1.jpg
    J. Kenji López-Alt

    Tasty fried rice starts with leftover rice or cooked rice that's been cooled. From there, it's dealer's choice with stirred veggies, seasonings, and proteins. Freezing is easy too: Spread the fried rice on a sheet pan to dry and prevent clumping, then portion into freezer-safe containers.

  • Vietnamese-Style Baked Chicken

    20170210-vietnamese-chicken-emily-matt-clifton-3.jpg
    Emily and Matt Clifton

    Marinating chicken thighs in lime, ginger, and fish sauce for 30 minutes brings out their bold, bright, and deep flavors. After baking the chicken, cool completely and freeze to reheat on another night.

    Continue to 5 of 11 below

  • Pressure Cooker Corn Risotto

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    Vicky Wasik

    Freshly shucked corn stars in this pale yellow, delightfully creamy summer dish that freezes well. Pressure cook the rice with chicken stock, shallots, garlic, and white wine before adding cooked corn—half blended, half whole—when the rice is almost finished. Once completely cooled, freeze the risotto so you can enjoy the flavors of summer on a lazy weeknight.

  • Savory Bacon-Cheddar Pancakes With Corn and Jalapeño

    Savory pancakes with scallions, bacon, and corn on a wooden board next to honey and a fork
    J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

    These dinner-worthy pancakes combine bacon, corn, jalapeños, scallions, and chunks of cheese. Once ready to freeze, simply cool and place waxed paper or parchment between each pancake before stacking in a freezer-safe bag.

  • Endive, Shallot, and Goat Cheese Tart

    20140909-endive-shallot-tart-vicky-wasik-2.jpg
    Vicky Wasik

    This savory tart brings together the punchy, not-so-bitter flavors of endive, shallots, and goat cheese, plus anchovies for a hint of umami. After baking, freeze uncovered until frozen through, then wrap in foil to prevent freezer burn. Reheat whenever cooking takes the backseat.

  • Zucchini and Corn Fritters With Herb Sour Cream

    A black tray with zucchini fritters beside a bowl of herbed dipping sauce, garnished with herbs and zucchini blossoms
    Emily and Matt Clifton

    Discovering all the ways to consume zucchini and corn at their peak feels like an endless game, and fortunately, these cheesy corn fritters rise to the challenge. Grated zucchini and corn form the base of the patty, which then gets tossed on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe container so summer's zucchini and corn stays within reach.

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  • The Best Vegetarian Bean Chili

    A large bowl of vegetarian bean chili topped with sliced avocado, scallions, cilantro, and white onion. The periphery of the image contains a wide variety of plates and bowls holding tortillas, sliced limes, and additional chili.

    Serious Eats / Julia Estrada

    When it comes to choosing a lighter, brighter chili, I reach for this vegetarian chili that freezes wonderfully. This flavorful, chunky version relies on chiles, various spices, canned beans (no soaking dried beans required here), and a splash of liquor that intensifies the chili aromas.

  • The Best Fresh Tomato Sauce

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    Vicky Wasik

    The smoothest, most deeply aromatic tomato sauce relies on fresh summer tomatoes from your garden (or the farmers market). Freeze the sauce in ice cube trays or jars for several months so you can enjoy the brightness of fresh tomatoes anytime, even in the chillier months.

  • King Ranch Casserole

    Large blue baking pan of whole King Casserole on a wooden surface, with blue splatter dishes, red napkins, and glasses of sparkling water

    Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze

    This old-fashioned casserole is pure comfort any time of year, but in the summer you can make it with fresh-from-the-garden (or farmers market) red peppers and poblanos. It freezes beautifully, so consider making two—one for this week's dinner and one to pull out when you're in the mood for a hearty chicken casserole.

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