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    Home » Recipe Collections » Round-Ups

    By Carol Published: Mar 15, 2020 Modified: Jun 26, 2021 | This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

    25 Easy and Delicious Family-Friendly Freezer and Pantry-Inspired Meals

    Collage for Round-up of Family-Friendly Meals

    Need some inspiration for meals that are easy, delicious and that use a lot of what you probably already have on hand?  Look no further than these 25 Easy and Delicious Family-Friendly Freezer and Pantry-Inspired Meals!

    Graphic for 25 Easy and Delicious Family-Friendly Freezer and Pantry-Inspired Meals with four photos.

    If you're a regular reader of From A Chef's Kitchen, then you know much of what I share is what I made by looking around my own refrigerator, pantry and freezer to see what I have on hand.  I pair pantry ingredients with fresh seasonal ingredients and use up what's hiding in my freezer for inspired meals.

    I hope this collection of recipes from my own kitchen and from some fellow food bloggers inspires you to get creative with what you may already have on hand.  All the recipes use minimal fresh ingredients but are still healthy-ish.  Many of the fresh items called for can be substituted with frozen such as onions.

    In addition, if you've stocked up on chicken, fish or other proteins, I've included recipes for those, too that use pantry items.

    Try one of these or use them for inspiration!  You may just end up with a new family favorite!

    Soups and Stews

    Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup with Ham

    Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup with Ham is the perfect way to make black bean soup. Made with dried and canned black beans, spices and other simple ingredients you probably already have. My tips are guaranteed to get you tender beans every time!

    Photo Credit: omgyummy.com

    Instant Pot Red Lentil Chili with Pumpkin and Black Beans

    Instant Pot Red Lentil Chili with Pumpkin and Black Beans will satisfy all the carnivores at the table, too. It’s heavily reliant on common canned pantry staples!

    Photo Credit: instantveg.com

    The Best and Easiest Minestrone Soup

    This easy and healthy Minestrone Soup is naturally vegan. Easily throw it together using pantry staples such as pasta and canned and frozen vegetables. It’s very kid-friendly, too!

    Photo Credit: www.urbanblisslife.com

    Instant Pot Lentil Soup (Vegan) Pantry Recipe

    This healthy, hearty, delicious Instant Pot Lentil Soup is an easy pantry recipe the whole family will love. Simply add all the ingredients and let the pressure cooker do the work! It can be made with pantry staples and some frozen veggies.

    Photo Credit: www.gritsandpinecones.com

    Easy Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

    Comfort food at its finest, and an easy, hands-off dinner, Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup is full of vegetables and all things good for you. It’s family-friendly, super simple to make, and super delicious.

    Pasta

    Photo Credit: www.lavenderandmacarons.com

    Vegan Red Pepper Pasta With Olive Gremolata

    This Vegan Red Pepper Pasta features easy roasted sweet red pepper sauce tossed with Fettuccine and a simple Olive Gremolata. It’s a super quick and satisfying recipe that you can make on a whim. Perfect for lunch or late dinner.

    Photo Credit: www.veggieinspired.com

    Mediterranean Pasta with Roasted Peppers and Artichokes

    This Mediterranean Pasta with Roasted Red Peppers and Artichokes is a quick and easy pasta dish that uses staples you probably already have in your panty.

    Southwestern Chicken Orzo and Black Bean Skillet

    Southwestern Chicken, Orzo and Black Bean Skillet is an easy and festive stovetop dinner that's perfect for a weeknight!  Your family will ask for it again and again!

    Photo Credit: walkingonsunshinerecipes.com

    Cheesy Chili Pasta Casserole

    Cheesy Chili Pasta is loaded with pasta, meat and of course plenty of cheese. This is a one-pot casserole the whole family is going to love

    Photo Credit: neighborfoodblog.com

    One Pot Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli

    One-Pot Orecchiette with Sausage comes together so quickly. Toss a bag of frozen broccoli in to make it a one-pot meal!

    Photo Credit: justisafourletterword.com

    Tuna Noodle Casserole

    Weeknight dinner doesn’t get much easier than throwing together an easy tuna noodle casserole. This quick and classic recipe is so tasty and easy to customize.

    Photo Credit: beyondmeresustenance.com

    Instant Pot Cannelini Beans with Penne, Baby Kale and Slow Roasted Tomatoes

    Beat the heat and the time required to cook dried beans on the stove by using your Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker to get the job done in a fraction of the time! Instant Pot Cannelini Beans with Penne, Baby Kale and Slow Roasted Tomatoes uses those fiber and nutrient-rich beans in a super quick and easy pasta dish perfect for busy weeknights!

    Vegetarian and Vegan

    Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake

    Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake is cheesy, delicious meatless comfort food even a carnivore will love and is super easy to prepare!  Simply combine everything in a baking dish, pop it in the oven and let it bake away while you do other things.

    Photo Credit: theforkedspoon.com

    Tomato Baked Vegetarian Beans with Tangy Feta Cheese.

    Fiber-filled white beans, sweet canned or fresh tomatoes, and tangy feta make this Vegetarian Tomato Baked Beans with Feta Cheese an easy and healthy dinner loved by the whole family. Served with homemade parsley pesto, simply substitute with your favorite jarred pesto if you can't find any of the fresh stuff available.

    Photo Credit: happykitchen.rocks

    Perfect Vegan Sloppy Joes • Happy Kitchen

    Mouthwatering, delicious Vegan Sloppy Joes are the perfect addition to your vegan sandwich collection! Look no further to satisfy your craving for comfort food, with a healthy, vegan twist.  

    Photo Credit: flavormosaic.com

    Lentil Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole

    This Lentil Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole is a hearty, family-friendly comfort food casserole that combines vegetarian sloppy joes with Southern cornbread!

    Main Course with Fish, Chicken and Meat

    Baked Fish with Cherry Tomato Olive Sauce + Lemon Chive Asiago Orzo

    Baked Fish with Cherry Tomato-Olive Sauce and Lemon Chive Asiago Orzo makes an easy springtime dinner for two that rocks with flavor!

    Curried Chickpea Encrusted Fish with Jalapeno Lime Tartar Sauce

    Curried Chickpea Encrusted Fish with Jalapeno Lime Tartar Sauce is the perfect crunchy nut-free topping!  Roasted chickpeas make a great crispy, crunchy topping everyone can enjoy!

    The Best Shrimp Creole

    This New Orleans-inspired dish is one I've been making for clients for as long as I've been a personal chef and this recipe never fails to please!

    Tuna Kimchi Cakes with Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce

    Tuna Kimchi Cakes with Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce are crispy, delicious and full of flavor!

    Cuban Style Mojo Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Black Beans

    Cuban Style Mojo Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Black Beans is tropics-inspired with bright, citrusy flavor and it's easy enough for a weeknight!

    Curry Braised Chicken Thighs

    Spice up the night with this easy and flavorful Indian-inspired dinner! Serve with plenty of brown basmati rice to soak up this flavorful sauce.

    Photo Credit: www.easyanddelish.com

    Easy Black Beans and Rice (Stovetop or Pressure Cooker)

    A healthy dish made with pantry staples either on the stovetop or pressure cooker that is affordable and freezer-friendly.

    Photo Credit: dancingthroughtherain.com

    Cornbread Chili Casserole

    This delicious Cornbread Chili Casserole is a hearty meal for any time of year! Family-friendly and easy to make, everyone will love it!

    Red Beans and Rice with Chorizo and Bell Pepper Saute

    Red Beans and Rice with Chorizo and Bell Pepper Saute is perfect fall Tex-Mex inspired comfort food that's still on the light side!

    More Round-Ups

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      30 Mexican-Inspired Recipes
    • Collage of four recipes for Easter: Green bean casserole, ham, potato galettes and asparagus.
      35 Easter Recipes for an Elegant Celebration
    • Graphic for 30 Easy Potluck Ideas with pasta salad, baked beans, coffee cake and meatballs.
      30 Easy Potluck Ideas
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    Comments

    1. Tamara Andersen says

      March 15, 2020 at 5:42 pm

      Such a timely post Carol! I couldn’t get stuff on my list Friday or today, so all these yummy ideas are very appealing!

      Reply
      • Carol says

        March 15, 2020 at 9:37 pm

        Thanks so much, Tamara! Yes, it's definitely time to get creative! Hope you enjoy!

        Reply

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