I have two problems: First, I made a New Year’s resolution to share my opinion less. Second, I have unexpected guests stopping by multiple times a week to share theirs. Now, as a Southerner, I was raised to believe that offering food to anyone who walks through my door is not just good hospitality — it’s a moral obligation. It also doesn’t hurt that keeping my mouth full helps with my resolution.
That’s why I’ve become a firm believer in the magic of make-ahead freezer meals. With a well-stocked freezer, I’m always prepared to feed a friend at a moment’s notice — whether it’s neighbors dropping by for a quick chat (did you hear what X said about Y?!) or friends who “just need to vent really quick.” From blintzes to malawach, a well-stocked freezer saves me time, stress and the inevitable regret of saying exactly what I’m thinking before my brain catches up.
So, if you like to be prepared for surprise visits (or just want to make your own life easier), here are 33 freezer-friendly recipes that will have you covered. Whether you need a cozy dinner, a quick breakfast or a sweet treat to pair with a strong cup of coffee, these recipes will keep you ready for anything. After all, you never know who might show up at your door — or what they’ll want to talk about.
Yapchik (Potato Kugel With Meat)
It’s best fresh, but if you must, wrap it up tight and freeze it. When you’re ready, let it defrost in the fridge, then add a splash of hot water before reheating to keep your yapchik fluffy and moist.
Cheesy Greek Triangles
To get ahead, freeze the prepared triangles in a single layer, then pop them straight into the oven when you’re ready to bake.
Chickpea Sambusak
These flaky Iraqi pastries — fried or not — freeze beautifully in airtight packaging. Just thaw before frying or reheating!
Pumpkin Crumb Cake
Think ahead: This cake loves a nap in the freezer! Keep it whole in an airtight container, then slice it fresh when you’re ready to serve.
Honey Pomegranate Cake
Bake now, enjoy later! You can freeze this cake ahead of time, but wait to add the glaze until the day you serve it for the best flavor and texture.
Yemenite Sponge Bread (Lachoh)
Lachoh loves a little beauty sleep! Wrap it up tight, tuck it in the freezer for up to a month, and wake it up with a gentle reheat in the microwave when you’re ready to dig in.
Chocolate Cookies
The cookies have an intense chocolaty-ness and an irresistible chewiness that seems to amplify if you freeze them briefly.
Savory Brisket Blintzes
Brisket blintzes are freezer-friendly! When it’s time to serve, let them thaw, then crisp them up in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes.
Everything Bagel Bourekas
These bourekas love the freezer! Freeze them filled and shaped, but skip the egg wash and bagel spice topping. When you’re ready to bake, add the finishing touches and give them an extra 5-10 minutes in the oven.
Ultimate Chocolate Babka
This recipe makes about three babkas in 9″ loaf pans. Bake one, all three or freeze the extra dough. When you’re ready, just defrost and bake them off individually!
Ukrainian Cherry Dumplings (Vareniki)
Vareniki freeze beautifully, letting you hold onto the sweet taste of cherry season for future dumpling delights. Freeze them uncooked in a single layer, then store in a bag or airtight container for up to three months.
Lower East Side Breakfast Tart
The crust dough is super flexible — you can freeze it for up to two months. While you can freeze it fully baked crust, I recommend freezing it unbaked, tightly wrapped in foil, with the foil pressed right against the dough for a snug seal. Bake it straight from the freezer for the freshest flavor — just add about 5 extra minutes to the baking time.
Mini Potato Kugels
Like a giant latke, a great potato kugel is savory, crisp on the outside, and creamy on the inside.
Baked Pumpkin Challah French Toast
Make ahead and freeze like a pro: Bake for 30 minutes covered, let it cool completely, then wrap it up tight and freeze. When you’re ready to serve, just pull it from the freezer, bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 more minutes at 350°F.
The Best Vegan Brisket
Store in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw, transfer to a baking dish, and bake at 350°F until warmed through.
Caramelized Banana Bread Babka
Store in the freezer for up to a month. To thaw, just let the loaf sit out on the counter overnight and defrost naturally.
Perfect Blueberry Blintzes
Freeze these blintzes after you’ve prepped them (see Step 7 in the recipe), and when hunger strikes, let them thaw. Then, fry them up in butter until golden and crispy on all sides — yum!
The Best Yemenite Malawach
Freeze some malawach for later cravings! Stack them in a freezer bag, with parchment paper or plastic wrap in between, and freeze. When you’re ready to fry, just grab them straight from the freezer — no thawing needed!
Three-Ingredient Banana Tahini Pops
Pop them into the freezer and you’ve got a healthy, vegan, sugar-free “ice cream” — with a nutty tahini swirl. Because everything’s better on a stick!
Cheese and Spinach Bulemas
Bulemas freeze beautifully and reheat perfectly, so grab a baking buddy, triple the recipe and spend the morning kneading, rolling and stuffing dough.
Chocolate Chip Babka Crunch
It freezes beautifully, so double the recipe, stash one in the freezer and enjoy fresh babka whenever you crave it for up to two months.
Gluten-Free Rugelach
Store the rugelach in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days, or freeze them for up to a month for a sweet treat anytime!
Syrian Meat Pizza (Lachmagine)
Prepare the meat mixture a day ahead and store in the fridge, or freeze half of a double batch. Cooked lachmagine freezes beautifully — cool, cut into squares, freeze on a sheet pan, then transfer to zip-top bags. To reheat, sprinkle the crust with water, wrap in foil, and warm in a 350°F oven.
Macaron Cheesecake Bites
Pop them straight into the freezer — these cheesecake bites are perishable, so freezing is a must.
Russian Meatballs
These giant, comforting meatballs can be made several days in advance, and they freeze and reheat well.
Jeweled Rosh Hashanah Plov
Plov can be made ahead and frozen (without garnishes). Just let it cool completely, then store in freezer bags or an airtight container. When ready to serve, transfer to a foil-covered baking dish and reheat at 350°F for 40-45 minutes. It may be slightly drier, but still tender, or you can microwave it for a quicker option.
Matzah Lasagna
To make lasagna ahead, bake for 30 minutes covered, then let it cool completely. Freeze it, and when ready, reheat at 375°F — 20 minutes covered and 20-25 minutes uncovered.
Tunisian Stew
Pkaila, a unique Tunisian stew packed with greens, keeps up to one week in the fridge, or up to three months in the freezer.
Syrian Stuffed Zucchini with Dried Fruit for Rosh Hashanah
Stuffed zucchini ready for later? Just freeze them until you’re ready to cook up some magic!
One-Pot Syrian Meat Stew
This iconic Syrian Shabbat dish freezes like a dream! Just freeze it flat in ziplock bags or quart containers, and when you’re ready, reheat directly from frozen in a saucepan with a splash of water to loosen it up.
How to Freeze Latkes
Standing over the stove for hours frying latkes isn’t exactly my favorite activity, and probably isn’t yours either.
How to Freeze Matzah Ball Soup
Not every food is ideal for tucking away in your freezer for a rainy, sick or snowy day, but matzah ball soup? Yes!
How to Freeze Challah
I’ll admit I don’t love freezing challah — nothing beats a freshly baked loaf on Friday night — but since it’s not always possible to bake one each week, it makes sense to freeze several loaves, and here are my five top tips for freezing challah to ensure an (almost) fresh-tasting loaf every time.
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