This healthy freezer meal is a veggie-loaded kielbasa soup that can be prepped three months ahead then cooked in the crockpot, instant pot, or on the stovetop.
Hi friends! I’ve been publishing a few freezer versions of my popular recipes on the back end, meaning that they are available on my blog, but aren’t going out to current subscribers. I was afraid that maybe you’d get sick of recipes you’ve already technically seen before or don’t want freezer recipes.
Then I realized that I have over 500 recipes here at HH, it’s very very unlikely you’ve tried them all. It’s more likely there are plenty of recipes that you meant to try but forgot about or never saw to start with, and everyone can always use inspiration, right?
So, I decided to go ahead and send these out to the newsletter when I publish, if you aren’t into freezer recipes, feel free to skip this one! The original version of this kielbasa soup recipe is delicious, and I just made it a video for it, so check it that out!
For those of you who want a new freezer recipe, this one is a great choice! It was one of the 25 I made for maternity leave and did not disappoint!
Tips For Freezing This Veggie Loaded Kielbasa Soup
- The instructions provided below tell you how to freeze this soup before cooking it. However, you could freeze it already cooked without the greens. If you do that, make sure you let it cool thoroughly first. You’ll likely need to split it into two bags or containers. Defrost under refrigeration. Add the greens into individual bowls after reheating in the microwave. Please follow the original recipe instructions as I have not tested it from fresh in the instant pot or slow cooker.
- Remember that liquid expands, so make sure you have enough room in your freezing container for the liquid to expand at least 50%.
- Have your end cooking method in mind when you prep your meal. How thinly you slice your veggies will matter. In the original recipe, I suggest using a mandolin for slicing veggies, so you get uniformly thin veggies that cook within 15-20 minutes. If you are making this recipe on the stovetop or crockpot, you’ll want to use the mandolin. If you are using an instant pot, you don’t necessarily have to use a mandolin, but you may need to adjust your cooking time up to account for thicker veggies. Pay attention when cooking, too little time, and the veggies won’t soften too much time, and they become mush. I tested all versions of this using mandolin sliced veggies, so keep that in mind!
More Freezer Meals:
- 12 Healthy Freezer Meals for New Moms
- 55+ Healthy Freezer Meals
- 12 Summer Freezer Meals
- Freezer Healthy Chili
- Freezer Carnitas
- Freezer Pizza Stuffed Peppers
- DIY Starbucks Freezer Spinach Feta Wraps
- DIY Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches
- Homemade Frozen Chicken Fingers
- Freezer Tuna Cakes
Freezer Meal: Loaded Veggie Kielbasa Soup
Ingredients
Freeze Together:
Add-In Later
- 2-4 cups chopped kale or collard greens
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Freeze together in a large freezer bag chopped yellow onion, kielbasa sausage, sliced carrots, sliced celery, minced garlic, sweet potato, broth, and a bouillon cube (optional.)
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Add frozen contents with 2 cups of water to Instant Pot, cook for 10 minutes on high, and 10 minutes natural release. Quick-release the pressure and then add 2-4 cups chopped greens, stir in while the soup is hot to wilt the greens.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- From frozen, add 4 cups water and cook for 4 hours on high. Add 2-4 cups chopped greens, stir in while the soup is hot to wilt the greens.
- Stove Top Instructions:
- Defrost contents overnight or up to 48 hours ahead of time.
- Add freezer bag contents to a large stockpot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then let simmer covered for 20 minutes or until veggies are soft.
- Add 2-4 cups chopped greens, stir in while the soup is hot to wilt the greens.
Notes
Nutrition
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