How To Freeze Meatballs
Freezing meatballs is easy and a great way to prepare meals in advance. Learn how to freeze cooked meatballs or raw meatballs that are homemade or store-bought to save time and money.
Post includes Weight Watchers points.
Meatballs are tasty orbs of deliciousness. Ground meat such as ground beef, ground pork, ground turkey (or a combination of meat) is seasoned with herbs and spices and cooked until moist and juicy. And when you learn how to freeze meatballs, you’ll be able to serve up a flavorful and satisfying meal anytime.
Learning how to freeze cooked meatballs is a great way to meal plan and save money. Purchase store-bought meatballs on sale or learn how to freeze homemade meatballs and make a double batch when meat prices are reasonable. Start with this easy Instant Pot Meatballs recipe, enjoy your work for dinner, then freeze the rest for an easy meal later.
Affordable and versatile, meatballs can be combined with various sauces and toppings to create a host of delicious meals. It’s the perfect family-friendly dish that works for quick dinners, easy lunches, and whenever you need to feed a crowd. And to make the very best meatballs from frozen, check out this How To Cook Frozen Meatballs guide.
Why Make This Recipe
- Perfect for Meal Planning – Frozen meatballs can be used in spaghetti, meatball sandwiches, served as appetizers, and with a variety of sauces. Freezing them means you always have a tasty meal ready to go.
- Easy To Work With – Freezing homemade meatballs or store-bought meatballs is a breeze. They can be thawed or cooked directly from the freezer.
- Save Money – Stock up on ground beef when it’s on sale and make a big batch of frozen meatballs to use for months to come.
Ingredient Notes
- Meatballs – Make your own or purchase store-bought meatballs from the grocery store.
Ready to learn how to freeze homemade meatballs (or store-bought)? Then let’s get started!
Freezing Raw Meatballs
Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Prepare and form the meat mixture according to your favorite recipe, or purchase fresh meatballs from the grocery store.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. If using foil, spritz with cooking oil to prevent the meatballs from sticking.
- Place the raw meatballs on the sheet pan, leaving space between the meatballs to prevent them from sticking together.
- Place the tray in the freezer for 2 to 4 hours or until the meatballs are completely frozen.
- Transfer the frozen meatballs into a ziptop freezer bag or an airtight container until ready to use.
How To Freeze Cooked Meatballs
- Follow your favorite recipe to make homemade meatballs. You can also purchase and cook fresh meatballs from the grocery store or buy precooked meatballs.
- Cover a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spritz with cooking spray.
- Completely cool the meatballs before arranging in a single layer on the prepared tray. Leave space between the meatballs so they each freeze separately.
- Place the meatball tray into the freezer for several hours or until the meatballs are frozen solid.
- Transfer the frozen meatballs to a ziptop freezer bag or an airtight container until ready to use.
Freezing Meatballs in Sauce
- Cook meatballs and combine them with your favorite marinara sauce or tomato sauce.
- Cool the meatballs and sauce completely.
- Transfer everything to a ziptop freezer bag or an airtight container being sure to leave a bit of room for expansion.
- Label and freeze for up to 3 months.
How To Thaw and Cook Meatballs
- Remove a bag of frozen meatballs from the freezer and thaw in the fridge for several hours to overnight, if desired. You don’t have to thaw meatballs; you can also go directly from the freezer to the stovetop or slow cooker!
- Add the meatballs to your favorite recipes. When using raw meatballs, ensure they reach a minimum temperature of 160 degrees F / 70 degrees C when checked with a meat thermometer.
- For meatballs in sauce, slowly bring the sauce to a simmer and heat thoroughly, stirring frequently.
Expert Tips
- Use a large rimmed baking sheet that will fit inside your freezer.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- If lining with foil, spray with cooking oil to prevent the meatballs from sticking.
- Flash frozen meatballs won’t stick together, so you can freeze them in a large bag or divide them into individual servings.
- Cool meatballs in the sauce before freezing.
- Label and date all of your freezer containers.
- If you wish to thaw, thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat cooked meatballs in the microwave for a quick snack.
- You can cook directly from the freezer. If using raw, frozen meatballs, make sure they are cooked through before serving.
- Meatballs should reach a minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees F / 70 degrees C when checked with a meat thermometer.
FAQs
Swedish meatballs covered in a creamy sauce are one of our favorite meals. Freeze leftovers or an extra batch in the sauce following the same method you would to freeze meatballs in marinara sauce.
While meatballs freeze beautifully, I prefer to prepare a fresh batch of sauce
rather than freeze the cream sauce along with the meatballs. Cream sauces can separate when reheated, and it’s usually easy to make a fresh sauce.
Frozen meatballs will taste best if used within three to four months but can be frozen for up to 6 months. They will become susceptible to developing freezer burn over time.
Uncooked meatballs can be safely frozen and will keep well for several months. When cooking raw frozen meatballs, you can add them directly to a simmering sauce or cook them on a sheet pan. The key is to let them cook low and slow, so they don’t brown too much on the outside before they are cooked through.
Always use a meat thermometer when cooking raw meatballs to ensure that the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 160 degrees F / 70 degrees C when checked with a meat thermometer.
More Helpful How To Guides
- How To Cook Frozen Meatballs in Air Fryer.
- How To Make Meatballs.
- How To Bake Meatballs in the Oven.
- How To Cook Frozen Broccoli.
- How To Cook Frozen Carrots.
More Recipes You May Like
Serving Suggestions
Weight Watchers Points
There are 10 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.
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How to Freeze Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound (453g) meatballs store bought or made using your favorite recipe.
Instructions
To freeze cooked or raw meatballs:
- Prepare and form the meatball mixture according to your favorite recipe or purchase fresh meatballs from the grocery store.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. If using foil, spritz with cooking oil to prevent the meatballs from sticking.
- Place the raw meatballs on the sheet pan, leaving space between the meatballs to prevent them from sticking together.
- Place the tray in the freezer for 2 to 4 hours or until the meatballs are completely frozen.
- Place the frozen meatballs into a ziptop bag or an airtight container until ready to use.
To thaw meatballs:
- Remove a bag of frozen meatballs from the freezer and thaw in the fridge for several hours to overnight, if desired. You can also go directly from the freezer to the stovetop!
- Add the meatballs to your favorite recipes. If using raw meatballs, make sure they reach a minimum temperature of 160 degrees F / 70 degrees C when checked with a meat thermometer.
For Meatballs in sauce:
- Combine with sauce and freeze. To use, slowly bring the sauce to a simmer and heat thoroughly, stirring frequently.
Video
Notes
- Use a large rimmed baking sheet that will fit inside your freezer.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- If lining with foil, spray with cooking oil to prevent the meatballs from sticking.
- Flash frozen meatballs won’t stick together, so you can freeze them in a large bag or divide them into individual servings.
- Cool meatballs in the sauce before freezing.
- Label and date all of your freezer containers.
- If you wish to thaw, thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat cooked meatballs in the microwave for a quick snack.
- You can cook with frozen meatballs. If using raw, frozen meatballs, make sure they are cooked through before serving.
- Meatballs should reach a minimum temperature of 160 degrees F / 70 degrees C when checked with a meat thermometer.
- Storage – meatballs can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- There are 10 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.
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