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Freeze macaroni and cheese?

16 years ago

Thank you all so much for the motor home cooking help. I think I am going to do the BBQ for one night's dinner. I am looking for easy sides, preferably ones that can be made ahead. I was thinking about mac and cheese. Does anyone have experience with freezing it? Any other side dish ideas?

Thanks again for all your help.

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Comments (5)

plllog
16 years ago
It depends on how you make it. The macaroni should freeze well. Make sure it's almost done, rather than cooked through, so it won't get mushy. Some cheese sauces do freeze well. Some separate. Some turn into stringy rubber. I'm not sure how well you'll be able to crisp it without an oven if you like it with a crunchy top. But you should be able to make it work.

It's the kind of thing I'd try ahead of time.
claire_de_luna
16 years ago
I freeze mac and cheese all the time. Yes, it helps to cook it al dente, and I also like to use a whole grain version, as it holds up a little better. I love Ina Garten's mac and cheese recipe with the Gruyere, it's wonderful and works well in the freezer. Throw some bread in the food processor with cold butter, and use those as a topping.

I also make twice baked potatoes, including broccoli, cheese, sometimes bacon or ham, and slow cooked onions. Crisp the skins before stuffing them, and freeze them individually. I mash the potatoes with all the ingredients until they taste good and the filling is just a little loose. We have those a lot when we don't want to cook, and they're almost a complete meal by themselves.

A broccoli, cheese, onion and rice casserole can be frozen and reheated when you're ready. You can also roast broccoli and onions, peppers, carrots and onions, fennel and onions...you get the idea. That's quick and pretty easy.

Coleslaw or baked beans would be great with your BBQ!

Here is a link that might be useful: Ina's Mac and Cheese
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I use various cheeses. My favorites are fontina, monterey jacks, cheddars (sharp especially for us), gouda, edam, gruyere, mozzarella, parmesan, romano, and provolone. I have melted asiago once and it came out okay too. The trick is to make your white sauce first and then add the cheese as the milk warms in small chunks or shred it. Stir contantly and don't whisk it, just easy stirs. Velvety sauce everytime is my experience. If you aren't making a sauce, or adding it to other ingredients, then almost anything will do I would think, but fresh cheeses like goat cheese can separate on you, I've had that happen once. Most cheese have a huge fat content and have salt. The fatter the cheese, usually the easier it melts I would think. We eat a LOT of cheese in our family, but we like it fresh cut or in a sauce best. Cheddar and mozzarella are the basic toppings for pizza or like tuna melts. Our favorite cheeses for macaroni and cheeses when I do it homemade is a mixture. I will do tomato sauces or white sauce based cheese sauces based on what tag ends of cheese, or cheese I need to use are in the fridge. Fontina is a favorite white cheese around here for melting. And, I think I forgot plain swiss in my list. But, baby swiss to nice ripe swiss cheese always tastes good mixed with beef. Try fontina cheese mixed in with ground veal, and don't forget to use feta cheese with lamb!!
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annie1992
16 years ago
I figure if Stouffer's can do it, so can I, so I've frozen mac and cheese and it's good reheated, but I did reheat in the oven.

I agree with the twice baked potatoes too, I make a bunch of 'em and freeze them and the kids like them just nuked to warm up. I like the skins a bit crunchier, but they're passable.

I've also frozen meatloaf in muffin cups, quick to thaw and heat in the microwave.

Annie
arkansas girl
16 years ago
Like Annie said about the Stouffer's...if they can do it so can you! I wish I could make mac and cheese as good as Stouffer's. Recipes? When I make it from scratch it's too hard...I don't like hard Mac and Cheese! :(
TobyT
16 years ago
I have found that macaroni and cheese freezes much better if you use evaporated milk, rather than milk or cream.When frozen with milk or cream, the sauce seems to separate or curdle upon reheating, but the evaporated milk makes for a nice smooth sauce that stays that way. I cannot abide the taste of evaporated milk on it's on, but I don't notice the taste in mac and cheese.
Jane

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