VEGAN Crock Pot FREEZER Meals


Looking for make ahead Crock pot Freezer meals that are VEGAN friendly?  Here ya go:

Below you will find recipes for :

TORTILLA SOUP, TERIYAKI RICE,
SWEET POTATO STEW, 
NOODLE STROGANOFF, 
MINESTRONE SOUP, & 
BROCCOLI CHEESE UN-CASSEROLE

**Check out this post for even
more crock pot meals.**


Wow, that Christmas break was awesome...Not only did we NOT have to drive around to multiple after-school practices many times during the weeks, not only did we NOT have to prepare lunches for the next day in a panic, before everyone went off to bed, not only did we NOT get home well after dark and throw dinner together at what seemed like minutes before heading to bed, and not only did we NOT have to get up at the crack of dawn...oh wait, I mean way before the crack of dawn. 
....( I HATE getting up when it is still dark outside...it just seems so "un-natural."....I mean the sun is there for a reason people, to BEGIN the day, yes???...I so miss home schooling, and sleeping in......well, anyway...)

As I was saying, I needed a break from those hurry- up dinners, knowing that we were headed back and the NOT's were going away....so I got on my trusty wifi friend and went on the hunt for some crock pot meals.   I found a boatload and narrowed them down to about 14 (I will post more later).  I put together a grocery list and we set out for a nearby store with high hopes.  After returning home, we bagged everything up and yes, the kiddos helped out...and even seemed a little excited about the whole idea.  Yes, the last time I did this type of meal planning was many moons ago, and those memories have long disappeared from their minds. 

I did not take a whole lot of photos, because I ran out of counter space for all the ingredients, and many of them were used for multiple bags, but you get the idea, I hope. 




TORTILLA SOUP
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1-2 C veggie broth

Combine all ingredients into a Ziploc bag. Freeze. 
Thaw enough to get out of the bag and put into a slow cooker add 2 cups water and the broth. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours.

Serve with:
7 corn tortillas
Preheat oven to 400F.
Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
Bake until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup. 

SWEET POTATO STEW
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch slices
1 can (15 ounces) whole stewed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1⁄4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup vegetable broth

Combine ingredients, minus broth, add to Ziploc bag. Freeze. 

Thaw, enough to get out of the bag, add broth and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. 

**This was a bit on the "italian flavor" side, so I would add your spices to taste. I will not add the basil, next time.**

---------------------------------------------------------------------

NOODLE STROGANOFF
1 32 oz Box of mushroom soup
1 cup chopped onion
1 T Worcestershire sauce*
1-2 C Veggie broth
8 oz button mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste

4 ounces tofutti cream cheese (in the yellow tub)
1 bag of Eggless Noodles of your choice.

Add all (except tofutti, and noodles) to a ziploc bag and freeze. 

Thaw enough to get it out of the bag.  Cook on low for 5-6 hours.  If the sauce is not thick enough, add about 1/4 c or so of cornstarch.  

30 minutes before serving, add tofutti and stir to combine.  Cook your noodles.  I then added the noodles on top of the mushroom sauce and VERY lightly stirred them in, just to get the flavors mixed in. 

I served it over a slice or two of bread.  Everyone had seconds or thirds.  It is so delicious!! 


*I use this Worcestershire sauce.

---------------------------------------------------------------------


MINESTRONE

          Noodles of your choice
  • 2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 box of veggie broth
  • 3 C butternut squash, 1/2" cubes
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 2 C bagged coleslaw mix
  • 1 lg leek, sliced
  • 1 T minced garlic
Combine above ingredients, except noodles, add to baggie. Freeze. 
When ready to use, thaw.  Add to crock pot and cook on low for 5-6 hours until veggies are tender.   In the last 30 minutes add noodles.
  • 1/2 C basil
  • 1/3 C parsley
  • 3 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 1/2 t garlic

In blender, add basil, parsley, oil, salt, pepper, water, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic until smooth. Scrape into small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, add soup into serving bowls and top with a heaping tablespoon of basil sauce.


---------------------------------------------------------------------

TERIYAKI VEGGIES & RICE

1 bag of baby carrots1 red onion - large chunks2 large cans of pineapple
4 garlic cloves
1 c teriyaki sauce


Add everything, but rice to ziploc bag and freeze.  

Thaw enough to remove from the bag.  Add to crock pot and add additional 1/4-1/2 c teriyaki sauce.  Cook for 6-8hrs. 

*Serve over Rice.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

BROCCOLI CHEESE UN-CASSEROLE
16 oz. frozen broccoli
1 onion chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 can corn
1 can chickpeas
chopped celery
1 c milk
1 c Vegan cheese
1/2 box of mushroom soup
Add everything to baggie and freeze.  

Thaw enough to remove from the bag.  Cook for 6-8 hours.  Can be served over rice, or noodles, or anything else you heart desires or just eat as is.

---------------------------------------------------------------------


I hope these help you as much as they did me.  Now, on to the next week's menu...Stay tuned for even more crock pot meals.

57 comments:

  1. So thrilled to have found your blog! I am new to fully plant-based eating (I was a vegetarian for half a year), and I am glad to have meal ideas for my crockpot. Can't wait to try the stroganoff!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! The stroganoff is still our favorite. It is delicious!!

      Delete
  2. Hi! Can I ask what boxed mushroom soup you used? I don't normally buy stuff like that (my family eats more than I can afford, lol), so am not familiar enough to know what to look for. Thanks! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sure. I hear ya about eating more than you can afford.. ;)

      I usually just look for what's on sale and then check ingredients from what is on sale. If it wasn't on sale that week, we just fix something else. (I think it was around $2.49 at Sprouts).

      This is what I used for the recipe above:

      http://www.amazon.com/Imagine-Soup-Portabello-Mushroom-32-Ounce/dp/B004Q8N9KU/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361217848&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=Imagine+Natural+mushroom+soup

      Delete
  3. We're just starting to try to cook a plant-based diet for our family. I don't have a clue what types of milk would be best for cooking. In your broccoli uncasserole, you mentioned milk. We have tried soy and almond in cereal and coffee so far, but haven't cook with them. What type of milk do you recommend? It seems a lot of recipes for crockpots add the "dairy" last, and don't cook with it all day. Is that ok to cook all day with these dairy free milks? Thanks for any help. I'm just learning.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Everything is really personal preference. And believe me it is much easier to cook this way (plant-based recipes), than having to use exactly what the recipe calls for. Whatever milk we happen to have in the cupboard that week is what I would use. And this is determined by what was on sale the last time I shopped. We have used every different kind of "milk" out there....Soy, Almond, Oat, Hemp, Coconut, Rice, Hazelnut, Sunflower, Almond-Coconut, and some we like better than others. It just depends on personal tastes. I like the Sunflower, but not with my granola, as I prefer Almond milk with that. The Hemp milk is good, but very pricey. I am not much of a fan of too much Soy, so we don't get it anymore. If you came to my house right now you most likely would find either Almond, Coconut, or Sunflower milk.
      As far as cooking all day with the milk. I suppose you add it last or it would get soaked up in the veggies, if it sat there all day. And there are usually other flavors that you want your veggies to soak up, not the milk. But again, it is usually determined by personal tastes.
      Just get what ever is on sale that week and try a different type every now and again until you find a winner.
      Hope that helps. :)

      Delete
    2. Unsweetened plain almond milk is great for cooking. I use it as an exact replacement for milk in recipes.

      Delete
  4. Thanks, I have been looking for freezer friendly vegan crockpot recipes! These will be perfect after I have our next baby!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Enjoy...and good luck with baby! :)

      Delete
  5. For the NOODLE STROGANOFF, is the box of mushroom soup a dry soup or a cream of mushroom soup?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by..

      This is what I used for the recipe above:

      http://www.amazon.com/Imagine-Soup-Portabello-Mushroom-32-Ounce/dp/B004Q8N9KU/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361217848&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=Imagine+Natural+mushroom+soup

      Delete
  6. when you say "tofutti" do you mean the sour cream, or the cream cheese?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks for stopping by...

      I used the Tofutti cream cheese (non-hydrogenated kind) in the yellow tub.

      Delete
  7. Thanks everyone for the interest in the stroganoff. It is delicious!! I am making it again, this week, so I will take more pics this time and post them soon.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I just want to let you know that Worcestershire sauce, an ingredient in the noodle stroganoff, is not vegan. It contains anchovies in it. Do you happen to know of one that's anchovy-free? Because I'd like to try it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Layrssa. I do use VEGAN Worcestershire sauce. I added a pic of it to the post above.

      Delete
  9. This is a great resource! Thank you so much. I am always up for mushroom stroganoff and I never thought to do freezer batches. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for checking us out. There are lots more crockpot/freezer meals in the works, so stay tuned..

      Delete
  10. Hi I was wondering how many serving the veggie teriyaki rice dish serves?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for coming by...most dishes I make will feed a family of 4 with plenty for leftovers, for lunches the next day.

      Delete
  11. Stumbled across this on Pinterest. I just put 5 of these in my freezer, I skipped minestrone (forgot a few ingredients). I don't usually cook with so many cans but this looks like a wonderful time and money saver. It took less than an hour to prep all five meals, and the only ingredient I struggled to get was the vegan cream cheese but I blame that on not going to my typical grocery store. I did add garlic and dill to the stroganoff. I am looking forward to trying that, as well as the broccoli cheese un-casserole. I am a little skeptical of the teriyaki vegetables and rice, but I bet my kids love it. Anyway, I am very excited to see how these all turn out. I will try to report back and let you know how my children, 1 year old and 2.5 like it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, let us know how they all turn out.

      Delete
  12. On what setting do you cook the teriyaki veggies? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used LOW for the teriyaki veggies. But the setting will be relative to your own crockpot. With mine, I would only cook something on HIGH for 4 hours or less, as it gets really hot. And I don't set it to LOW for any more than 6 hours. Sometimes I use the WARM setting all day for 8+ hours. The newer crocks get REALLY hot way too fast. The older models seem to keep the temps level for a much longer time. Hope this helps.

      Delete
  13. Yay! I am so glad to have found you (and this list). I am a mom of two toddlers and due again in August so these will come in handy.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Serena, congrats! Let us know what you thought of the recipes.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Until I can order the Imagine Portabella Mushroom Soup is there an alternative? I am dying to try this! I love all of these recipes for this summer for pool days.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Any mushroom soup will work. If you use canned soups, I would start with 1 1/2 cans. But, I believe there are other mushroom varieties in the boxed soups you could try. Let us know what worked for you.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi there - these look great! What size of crock pot do you use? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Welcome. I usually use a 6 qt., but sometimes a 4qt.

      Delete
  18. Love these ideas! Do you know how long they will keep? My baby is due August 23 and of course that is give or take a couple weeks...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would guess these should keep for a month or two, depending on how well they are packaged. And Congrats on your baby! ;)

      Delete
  19. Thanks. I would guess they would keep for at least a month, depending on how you package them up. And congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I LOVE your blog & cannot wait to make these recipes! I'm a teacher and one of my goals this summer is to prepare lots of healthy, yummy vegan dinners so the freezer is bursting at the seams when school starts back up! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks and congrats on setting a goal. Let us know how your recipes turn out. :)

      Delete
  21. I am excited to try some of these, as I have been looking for more vegan meals that do not replace the meat or cheese with faux versions, but simply do without them. LOVE IT! Can't wait to try them, thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks for posting these! I am hoping to try a few but with some modifications: it's August, so I'll be using fresh tomatoes, and I am thinking that there is not a problem with adding beans to the tortilla soup, or peanut butter and chick peas to the sweet potato stew.

    I was completely vegan for 12 years and nearly vegan for the past several years. After several years of overdoing it on carbs I began to feel bad unless my meals were more balanced. Just a word to the wise: if anyone else has a similar body type, and you want to stay vegan for a long time, remember to throw some beans, nuts, or seeds in with your meal! It made a huge difference to me.

    ReplyDelete
  23. WOW!! MY FRIEND ON FACEBOOK JUST TOLD ME ABOUT THIS AND I AM LOVING THIS SO MUCH CAN'T WAIT TO GO GROCERY SHOPPING AND START MAKING THESE MEALS... THANK YOU

    ReplyDelete
  24. Man I wish I had seen this a couple of months ago! I had my second baby on 8/10 - this would have been perfect to help prep meals beforehand. I will definitely try some of these out soon though, especially since I will be going back to work soon. Thank you so much for this!

    ReplyDelete
  25. How many does the broccoli un-casserole serve?

    ReplyDelete
  26. My stroganoff came out really watery and didn't look like your picture. I was cooking for a large group and tripled the recipe. I added corn starch, but it remained very liquidy. Can you clarify the amount of veggie broth you used? Is it 1 to 2 cups or is it one half cup? Any other ideas on what I might have done wrong? The flavor was good (how can you go wrong with mushrooms), but I was expecting a thicker, creamier texture.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sometimes I use a cup sometimes more. I usually eye ball it. If it is too runny I will add some corn starch or flour and heat it a bit longer to thicken it up.

      Delete
  27. I am making the broccoli un-casserole for 6 families tonight 3 servings in each freezer bag. How many ounces of soup do I put in each freezer bag?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For 3 freezer bags, I would buy 2 boxes of soup and and pour about half a box into each bag. I usually eye ball it depending on how soupy or casserole-y I want it. :)

      Delete
  28. For the teriyaki rice and veggies: do you do you put the pineapple juice into the freezer bag also?

    ReplyDelete
  29. How many servings does the Sweet Potato Stew make?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It really depends on everyone's appetite. We are a family of 4 and there was leftovers.

      Delete
  30. Looking for make ahead Crock pot Freezer meals that are VEGAN friendly? Here ya go: ... ccrockpot.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I'm so glad I found your blog! Thanks so much for this post ~ what delicious meals and plan-ahead ones to boot! :) I am looking forward to checking out more of your blog.

    Blessings,
    Katie

    ReplyDelete
  32. Thanks for the recipes! I'm wondering, with the Tortilla soup could I add the broth to the freezer bag also? Is there a reason it's important to wait till cooking time to add it?
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Wow!!! Thanks for the recipes. We vegans generally find it really difficult to search recopies and websites like yours are really difficult to find.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Thank you! This is the best vegan freezer meals I have found after months of searching!!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Thanks for giving such a useful information for the vegans.
    Benefits of Kiwi Fruit

    ReplyDelete
  36. Most of these are quite unhealthy, so many processed ingredients.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Most of these recipes have little or no protein. A vegan diet doesn't only consists of vegetables and grains.

    ReplyDelete