Mushroom Casserole - Healthy Recipes Blog (2024)

FAQs

Can you freeze cooked mushroom & spinach? ›

There was not time to wait, I had to replenish, so here I am dedicating my whole day to a full freezer of tasty mushrooms. Green leafy vegetables like spinach are perfect to prepare that way as well and freeze-up for later. It's a great way to cook those vegetables only once and enjoy them for the months to come.

Absolutely! Most casseroles freeze beautifully, and will last three to six months in the freezer. Beyond six months, the quality of the casserole might decrease, and frost might develop, but it will still be safe to consume.

Balance Flavors

Casseroles can really shine when they achieve a harmonious balance of flavors. Sweet, salty, spicy, and acidic elements should blend well and complement each other. Add ingredients like caramelized onions, olives, or lemon zest to give your casserole a depth of flavor.

Blanching spinach before freezing helps preserve the colour and taste for longer as it delays the enzymatic process that leads to decay, however, it's not so good at retaining the nutrients. Blanching spinach before freezing also means that it will last a lot longer in the freezer, for up to a year.

According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), you can freeze eggs for up to one year. When you're ready to use frozen eggs, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or under running cold water. Use egg yolks or whole eggs as soon as they're thawed.

Avoid freezing casseroles made with dairy products (especially soft cheeses with a high-water content like ricotta or cottage), eggs, starchy vegetables, and watery vegetables like lettuce and cucumber.

The Best Containers For Freezing

You can certainly freeze it in whatever glass or ceramic casserole dish or metal pan you plan to bake it in, provided it is safe for both the freezer and the oven, or to be more specific, freezer-to-oven, which is the case for borosilicate glass such as Pyrex.

Generally, casseroles with grains, rice or pasta that will cook during the baking process are usually covered, for at least part of the time. Casseroles made of cooked ingredients are usually baked uncovered. If you like a crisper, browner top, be sure the casserole is uncovered for at least part of the bake time.

Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese. But making a casserole is not an exact science, and you can definitely break away from this formula. Check out some fun side-dish casseroles and desserts below!

If your food is too rich...

Add an acid such as lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, or pickled vegetables (such as jalapeños).

Can you freeze cooked spinach? ›

"Once cooked, store cooled spinach in airtight containers. Label and date whatever you freeze to help you keep track of its quality," Beitchman says. Frozen spinach will last in the freezer for about three months, but if you bought it from the store already frozen, Bruning says to follow the sell-by date.

Lay out a single layer of paper or clean dish towels and spread the cooked spinach over. Blot dry with another layer of towels. Freezing: Label freezer-safe resealable bags of any size with the date in permanent marker.

You can certainly freeze mushrooms fresh, but cook them beforehand for the best texture and flavor. Mushrooms are full of water and when they're frozen from fresh, they can end up soggy, mushy and all around unpleasant.

Stuff leaves into freezer bags, placing one to two cups of leaves per bag, depending on your desired portion size. Freezer burn occurs when frozen items are exposed to air, and spinach doesn't taste well if it gets freezer burn. Try using a straw to suck out excess air around leaves before sealing bags.