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34 amazing meals you can make using frozen foods
Delicious recipes you can make with freezer staples
By Jane Curran · December 9, 2025
Originally published on loveFOOD
Genius ideas for your frozen food
It’s amazing what you can find in the back of your freezer, from half-used bags of vegetables and fruit to pizza dough and French fries, all lurking in the chilly depths completely forgotten about. Whether you're an avid reduced-sticker purchaser, you've run out of room entirely, or you're just trying to get through a backlog of peas and sweetcorn, we've put together a list of our favorite recipes using up those forgotten freezer foods.
Click or scroll our gallery to discover the best recipes using up frozen food staples, counting down to the greatest of all.
34. Spinach orecchiette
Frozen spinach has a much deeper, stronger flavor than fresh, and it really sings in this 20-minute pasta recipe. For a meal for two, cook two large handfuls of orecchiette pasta until al dente. In a dry frying pan, defrost 4oz (120g) frozen spinach, then once thawed, add two sliced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp olive oil, cooking down for three minutes. Stir in a drizzle of cream and a handful of Parmesan. Season to taste and simmer for one minute. Drain the pasta, reserving a little cooking water. Add the pasta and reserved pasta water to the sauce, grate in more Parmesan and enjoy.
33. Roasted squash, coconut, and chili soup
32. Strawberry fool
Frozen strawberries, when thawed, can be a little watery. But in this recipe for a strawberry fool, they are cooked and reduced down until they're thickened, resulting in a brilliantly intense flavor. Combine them with whipped cream, silky custard, and a crunchy granola, and you'll have an easy dessert that everyone will love.
31. Truffle Parmesan fries
Who said frozen French fries can't be fancy? Take that half-used bag of fries stuffed in the back of your freezer to the next level with a handful of ingredients. Once you've baked them, drizzle over some truffle or chili oil, scatter them with a dusting of Parmesan cheese and finish it all off with some fresh chopped parsley. If you're feeling really indulgent, shave over some fresh truffle. This makes for a nice, easy snack to serve when you've got friends over for drinks.
30. Dark chocolate and cherry tray bake
Frozen cherries – no need to defrost them – take center stage in this easy tray bake, with chunks of dark chocolate adding extra indulgence. It's a very easy cake to make, and serves as a lovely dessert when paired with thick yogurt or sweet vanilla ice cream.
29. Turkey, ham and spinach casserole
Warming and hearty, this meaty casserole uses up all of your frozen odds and ends. It features a creamy filling made with leftover turkey, ham, frozen spinach, peas, and leeks, and comes finished with a crispy breadcrumb and chestnut topping. It’s a great one to serve as an alternative to roast dinner leftovers.
28. Chilli and Parmesan polenta with green beans
A handy freezer ingredient, green beans are great for accompanying gravy meals, but in this recipe for chili and Parmesan polenta, the beans really become the star of the show. The dish is also a great way to use up any polenta that's lingering at the back of the cupboard. You add lemon zest, chili, butter, and Parmesan (or any strong cheese) once the polenta is cooked. It's then fried and topped with the beans and toasted hazelnuts. Basil oil adds the wow factor.
Get the recipe for chili and Parmesan polenta with green beans here
27. Mango cream cake
Frozen mango takes all the hassle out of preparing a whole fruit, plus it's guaranteed to be perfectly ripe. Great for smoothies and drinks, mango chunks can also be used in this decadent mango cream cake recipe. Some of the mango is puréed for the filling, while other chunks are left whole – the result is a fabulous mango overload.
26. Italian ham and cheese pie
Use up your frozen puff pastry in an indulgent Italian pie. This recipe also puts any leftover cheese and ham you have in the fridge to great use – and the only other main ingredient is tomato passata, a staple store-cupboard item. Serve your cheesy pie with a crunchy green salad for lunch or dinner, or treat yourself to a slice for a decadent breakfast.
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25. Fried cauliflower rice
A few handfuls of cauliflower rice can easily be stretched further by making a stir-fry. To a wok, heat some sesame oil and throw in some chopped veg – whatever you have on hand would work, from broccoli to carrots – and fry off for a few minutes. Add a dash of soy sauce and rice vinegar along with the cauliflower rice and cook until nicely colored. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime. You could add in proteins like frozen shrimp or an egg.
24. Butternut squash, sage and Comté risotto
Frozen squash or pumpkin can be mashed, added to a casserole or made into a soup. If you've got the time, though, it's well worth making this risotto recipe. Loaded with creamy Comté cheese (though Gruyère or any strong hard cheese would work just as well), it's a delicious combo. The recipe also uses fresh sage, but you could equally replace it with half a teaspoon of oregano.
Get the recipe for butternut squash, sage and Comté risotto here
23. Pea and chorizo paella
Peas make the perfect addition to paella, adding a touch of sweetness and color to the Spanish dish. While this isn’t a traditional paella, it sure is delicious all the same. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a deep frying pan and cook off a chopped onion and a crushed garlic clove for five minutes, add 4oz sliced chorizo and fry until it releases its oils. Stir in 1 tsp smoked paprika and 11oz long-grain rice, then add in 33fl oz chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 7oz frozen peas and season generously. Cook for a further five minutes, until the rice is cooked through.
22. Middle Eastern–style pizza
Making a great pizza topping at home is straightforward, but if you fancy something different, a Middle Eastern–style meat 'pizza' is the perfect option. To make, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and a knob of butter in a pan, stir in two chopped garlic cloves and an onion and cook until softened. In a bowl, combine 8oz ground lamb, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp chili flakes, 1 tsp dried mint, and the onion and garlic mix, season with salt and pepper, and set aside. Roll out your thawed pizza dough, spread a thin layer of meat over it and bake for around 15 minutes, until the meat and dough are cooked. Serve sprinkled with sumac, fresh parsley and lemon juice.
21. Baked meatball sub
20. Salmon tart
A creamy salmon tart is a really good way to make a little salmon stretch further and work harder. Although our recipe uses canned salmon, you can easily replace it with thawed frozen fish. Coupled with frozen shortcrust pastry and any veggies you have (frozen broccoli or peas would be great), it's the perfect recipe for using up those frozen odds and ends.
19. Blueberry and honey cornbread
You could add a few handfuls of frozen blueberries to your breakfast smoothie, or cook and purée them as an indulgent sauce for a cheesecake. But, if you've a little more time, give this blueberry and honey cornbread a try. It's a very straightforward cake that's loaded with honey and ground almonds and topped with blueberries before baking. You can have it out of the oven in around an hour too.
18. Creamy mushrooms on waffles
Turn those breakfast waffles into lunch by topping them with mushrooms. In a frying pan, melt a big dollop of butter, add bacon lardons (around six rashers cut into small pieces would work) and fry off until they begin to crisp up. Add in 7oz sliced mushrooms and sauté for one to two minutes. Pour in 1.8fl oz white wine and 3.9fl oz heavy cream, stirring for two minutes and remove from the heat. Toast your waffles as desired, spoon over the mushrooms and finish with fresh parsley, salt and pepper.
17. Chicken and pea curry
Frozen peas are one of the most popular freezer ingredients – they're great when used as a side, added to an omelet, pasta, or risotto, or puréed for a soup. If you fancy something a bit different, you'll love this super-simple chicken curry. There are no fancy ingredients required and it can be on the table in around an hour.
16. Sausage and bean casserole
Make those few sausages go further by adding them to a bean casserole. Simply fry off an onion, add a few cans of drained, rinsed beans – whatever you have to hand – and a can of tomatoes and some passata. Season with your favorite spices and simmer to thicken before adding the cooked, sliced sausages for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
15. Bacon and Cheddar loaf
A home-baked loaf stuffed with crisp bacon and melting Cheddar cheese will definitely be a table favorite. And even if bread-making is not your thing, you could simply buy a bread mix and add your frozen leftover bacon and cheese to it. Just remember to eat the bread warm, with plenty of butter. This recipe makes enough for four small loaves.
14. Italian panzanella
It really doesn't matter what kind of bread you have in the freezer – whether it's sourdough, wholemeal or white – an Italian bread salad, called panzanella, is the perfect recipe for it. The bread is re-baked in olive oil, then soaked with more oil, red wine vinegar, tomatoes, and bell peppers. You can add whatever Mediterranean-style ingredients you have to hand. It's a great barbecue side dish, too.
13. Sweetcorn fritters
Where would we be without sweetcorn in the freezer? It's such a versatile ingredient, great for chowders, stir-fries, sides, and salads. We also love it as delicious fritters. To make a batch to serve four, beat four egg whites and yolks separately. Mix the yolk into a bowl with 1.9lbs thawed frozen sweetcorn, then add 9.9fl oz milk, 4.1oz flour, a pinch of salt, one chopped red chili, and a small handful of fresh chopped cilantro. Fold the egg whites into the batter and mix until incorporated. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a hot pan and dollop in spoonfuls of the sweetcorn batter, cooking for two minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
12. Raspberry, lemon, and yogurt tea loaf
An easy pound cake can be made with frozen raspberries as well as fresh. This recipe uses yogurt, ground almonds and lemon, making it super fresh and tangy. You could also substitute your raspberries for frozen blueberries or blackberries – or even a mixture works great if you just have small amounts of each in the freezer.
Get the recipe for raspberry, lemon and yogurt tea loaf here
11. Beef bourguignon
Little pearl onions are rather a pain to peel if you buy them fresh, so they're a great ingredient for the freezer. Their sweet flavor really comes into its own in a classic French beef bourguignon, but they work well in any comforting beef stew recipe. Just add them about an hour before your stew finishes cooking, so they don't completely break up.
10. Tangy seafood stew
For an impressive dish that uses up frozen shellfish and is delicious, try this tasty Vietnamese-style seafood stew. You don't need any fancy ingredients and you can simply add the fish or shellfish you have to hand. The secret addition is canned (or frozen) pineapple – and we love the signature heat, sourness, and sweetness of the finished dish.
9. Fish finger tacos
Even if you don't have enough fish fingers to serve as a main meal, you can bulk them out for a great lunch or dinner in this tasty taco recipe. You can skip making your own by using frozen, or you can use some frozen white fish you have stashed away. Paired with the zippy avocado cream and refreshing watermelon salsa, you'll want to make this on repeat.
8. Classic lasagna
Known as a mirepoix, ready-prepared chopped onion, carrot, and celery is the base for many soups, stews and pasta sauces. It's also a great one to have on hand in the freezer when you're low on time. This flavor-packed mixture is also perfect for speeding up a rich, creamy lasagna. While the cooking time in our recipe is on the lengthier side, it's relatively hands-off as you can just let the meat sauce slowly simmer away.
7. One-pan chicken Parmesan
A speedy twist on an Italian chicken Parmesan is a perfect way to use up frozen chicken – and, instead of pasta, this recipe is made with zucchini 'spaghetti'. Topped with grated cheese and breadcrumbs and cooked in tomato passata, the dish will be on the table in less than 30 minutes.
6. Chicken pot pie
A chicken pot pie is a must for using up frozen shortcrust pastry. Even better, you can add all those extra vegetables and herbs you've found in the freezer too. The recipe uses a whole chicken, but you can easily substitute it for chicken pieces instead.
5. Miso cod ramen
Miso-glazed cod, savory broth and chewy soba noodles make this warming ramen one to remember. The cod is the star of the dish, and thankfully, it makes use of any filets you have lying around in your freezer. Garnish it with sliced scallions, memna (pickled bamboo shoots), and a spoonful of crispy chili oil.
4. Shepherd's 'tater tot' pie
These little croquettes of grated potato are a regular in many a freezer – and instead of serving them as a side, why not use them as a topping for a shepherd's pie or cottage pie? A great substitute for the mashed potatoes used in this recipe, the tater tots will crisp up perfectly on top and absorb the rich flavors from the meat gravy on the bottom. Adding grated cheese to your pie is, of course, compulsory...
3. Broccoli fritters
Frozen broccoli is great for fritters. Thaw 10.5oz of broccoli and finely chop it. Add 2.5oz self-rising flour, a chopped onion, and around 1 tsp chili powder or paprika. Beat two eggs with 2 tbsp milk and stir into the broccoli. Fry the mixture in batches, a few tablespoons at a time, until crisp and hot. You could also add some chickpeas, grated cheese, or crumbled feta. Top it all with a fried or poached egg and some crispy bacon, and serve it for brunch or lunch.
2. Chilli and shrimp tagliatelle
Make a few frozen shrimp stretch further by incorporating them into an easy pasta sauce. Boil your tagliatelle until it's al dente and keep some of the cooking water reserved. Sweat off some onions or leeks, before adding the shrimp, a handful of cherry tomatoes, the zest and juice of a lemon, and a pinch of chili, cooking down until the shrimp are cooked through. Add in a couple of ladles' worth of the reserved pasta water along with the pasta, cook off for two minutes and serve. The sauce isn't hot, but the chili brings out the flavor of the shrimp.
1. Fish pie
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