Fall is in the air…well, I wish it would hit Southern California, but perhaps this post will urge Mother Nature to bless us with fall-like temperatures. This month’s Recipe Redux challenge is to share a fabulous freezer-friendly recipe. I’ll be honest, there’s only a couple things I freeze regularly: chili, pot pies, my mom’s stuffed peppers, and my lentil soup. I freeze a lot of other things, but not always prepared meals. I’ll be excited to see what other recipes are shared so I can add new meals to my freezer!
Lentil Soup is a perfect addition to your fall meal line up. Lentils are PACKED with fiber and protein (8gm & 9gm, respectively for a 1/2 cup—you know, those little Mott’s Apple Sauce cups). The only thing you’d add to the soup after reheating are handfuls of spinach–your choice how much! It’s one of my favorites!!!
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It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Mason Jars. Whether you look in my pantry, fridge or freezer you will surely spot Mason Jars. So, when I freeze this soup I do so in Mason Jars, but if you choose to please note–leave ample room at the top. Liquids expand and it could bust the top of the jar or lid (speaking from experience here.) I enjoy making large batches of this soup:
Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Leave out the spinach for this recipe, that’s best added in fresh (in my opinion), and I prefer the sausage addition to this, but this could easily be made vegetarian.
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ large onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup carrot, grated (trust me on this--great texture!)
- ½ cup celery, finely chopped
- ½ pound kielbasa, ½" slices
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 pound lentils, picked and rinsed
- 1 large (28 oz) can of chopped tomatoes
- 2 quarts boxes of chicken or vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground toasted cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 1 rind of Parmesan (you know, the tough part--yep, toss it in to the soup)
- 1 bag of spinach (to be added right before serving)
- 1 cup grated parmesan (for serving)
- In a large dutch oven heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add in the mire poix (onions, carrots, and celery) and sauté veggies for 5 minutes. Add in kielbasa and cook for 3 minutes. Add in salt, lentils, can of tomatoes, chicken stock, coriander, cumin, bay leaves, garlic, and rind of parmesan. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove Parmesan rind and bay leaves prior to serving or freezing.
- For Freezing:
- Fill one side of your sink halfway full of ice. Ladle soup into Mason Jars and leave about ½ cup space at the top. Place in ice bath and fill a little water in, but watch that jars don't tip over. Allow mixture to cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Screw on lids and freeze up to 3 months.
- For Serving:
- Add a large handful of spinach into each bowl and ladle hot soup over top. Serve with fresh Parmesan sprinkled on top.
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Looking to save time by freezing? Here are some other great foods I make in batches and freeze:
- Waffles (reheat in the freezer)
- Muffins (raw or cooked–easy to bake or simply warm in the microwave)
- Cookie dough or baked cookies (I scoop them into individual portions and freeze first, then put into a freezer-friendly storage container to bake later)
What’s your favorite freezer-friendly food? Don’t forget to check out all of the other great posts for this month’s challenge:
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