20 Minute Tuscan Pasta (Freezer Meal)

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Questions & Reviews

1. Shawn says:

   Bake frozen from freezer or thaw before cooking 20 minutes at what temperature?
2. Paula says:

   Same question as Shawn. If baking from frozen how long what temp. and if thawed how long and what temp. It looks good!!
3. Rach's Recipes says:

   Tuscan pasta is one of my favorite easy to make recipes. I usually make mine with four cheese ravioli, have you tried it? So good!
4. Mary says:

   How much pasta do you use for freezing?
5. Rachel says:

   What type of foil containers do you use, and how do you make sure you get an air-tight seal before freezing?
6. Cyd says:

   We use a ziploc freezer bag. You can suck extra air out with a straw. We also use foil containers from the store. They often come with lids.
7. Amanda says:

   Do you combine the noodles and sauce after they cool down and freeze together or separate?
8. Ronda Hain says:

   what if you do not like sun dried tomatoes..is there an alternative?
9. Cyd says:

   For 1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes, substitute either 1 1/2 cups drained canned tomatoes OR 4-6 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped. Both substitutions will yield a thinner sauce.
10. Becca Erhard says:

    I don't like sun dried tomatoes either so I always substitute them with roasted red bell peppers!
11. Kelly says:

    Could you use sun dried tomato pesto??
12. Marylou says:

    Can you please confirm the 6 oz of Parmesan as it shouldn't equal 2 cups. Thank you.
13. Cyd says:

    It should read 8 ounces or 2 cups. Thanks for catching that.
14. Cyd says:

    We haven't tried this recipe with tomato pesto. Let us know how it turns out. Sounds delicious!!
15. Megan says:

    How many servings from each 9x9 pan?
16. Cyd says:

    Each 9x9 pan feeds 4 generously. So the recipe feeds 8 (both pans together).
17. Laura says:

    This looks yummy, but definitely adding some chopped spinach or mushrooms!
18. Jodi says:

    Are you freezing the pasta separate from the sauce? Or adding them together after they cool and freezing them together? Just clarifying, as I see the question was asked before but given no answer? Thank you!
19. Kim says:

    Step #3 answers this question.
20. Rose says:

    Cousin brought this to me frozen to serve this weekend-- DEEE- lish!! So yummy! Much longer than 40 minutes to heat from frozen though. Thanks for this, definitely a crowd pleaser!
21. Amy says:

    When prepping for frozen meal, do you cook the pasta before freezing?
22. Cyd says:

    Yes, cook the pasta before freezing.
23. Ashley says:

    Do you fully cook the chicken before you freeze it or do you put it in raw ?
24. Cyd says:

    You make this recipe with 1 cup chicken cooked and cubed. So it is already cooked when preparing this recipe.
25. Kylie says:

    Can I just check with you.....when making as a freezer meal, do you freeze with the chicken in or reheat from the freezer and then add cooked chicken? Cheers.
26. Cyd says:

    You freeze it with the chicken added in. Hope this helps. Sorry about the confusion.
27. Tina says:

    When used as a freezer meal, how long is it good in the freezer for?
28. Cyd says:

    If wrapped and frozen properly, it should be good for a few months.
29. Laura says:

    When reheating from frozen, do you keep it covered in the oven or uncovered?
30. Lindsey says:

    I have the same question. Did you get an answer?
31. Andria says:

    When using this as a freezer meal, do you cook the noodles before you put them in the pan and pour the creamy mixture on top? I would think the freezing it with the sauce and baking it would make the noodles cook on their own. Just making sure cooking them and then having them sit in the sauce + baking won't make for soggy noodles if that makes sense
32. Cyd says:

    When making them into freezer meals - put the cooked noodles and sauce into two 9x9 foil tins. Wait until it cools down a little, place foil on top, and stick in the freezer. To cook when frozen: Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until heated through To cook when frozen but then thawed: Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.
33. Donna Mc. says:

    when serving fresh(right after you make it), does it need to be baked?
34. Sarah says:

    I'm tripling this recipe for the freezer... does the sauce cook up the same when doubled or tripled? I know sometimes things don't double super well so I thought I'd ask if anyone has experience with that before potentially wasting a bunch of ingredients.
35. Susan says:

    Just made a double batch of this to share. OH MY! That sauce is so good that I wanted to lick the skillet clean! I'm not usually a fan of sun-dried tomatoes, but the sauce is so creamy that it balances the tang (and I used good quality tomatoes packed in oil, too).
36. JodyJ says:

    Made this for a sick friend, so she was so happy to have dinner for tonight as well as something in the freezer. I took a little nibble and thought it was really yummy, and my friend and her husband thought it was absolutely delicious!
37. Cyd says:

    Hi Jody. You are so sweet to take dinner to a sick friend. Thanks for taking time to leave us a nice comment. You made our whole week! Thank you for stopping by our website!
38. Hannah says:

    I just finished making this. I am 40 weeks pregnant right now and wanted to make some freezer meals while I could. The sauce took a while to make, but oh my goodness does it taste GOOD!! Now I have to have some self-control and actually put it in the freezer for a later day instead of eating it now (though I totally tasted it a few times before covering it). My husband loves it too. :) Thanks for the recipe!
39. Annette says:

    Can this be made without the tomatoes and can I add bacon?
40. Cyd says:

    This will be fine without the tomatoes. Bacon will be fine in this recipe.
41. Linda Hartong says:

    Delicious when fresh but the sauce separates after being refrigerated or frozen. It reheats to a clumpy mess that is inedible. Apparently, this is typical of "alfredo type sauces". Quite a bit of work for an inedible recipe. Very disappointed.
42. Kelleigh Murphy says:

    I just used pesto and it turned out great!!
43. Angela says:

    I made this and put one pan in my freezer and covered the other pan with foil and put in the fridge to be heated up the next day. We haven't ate the one out of the freezer yet, but the first one the noodles absorbed all of the sauce and it was just ok. My husband was picking at it a bit when I first prepped it, and he REALLY liked the sauce fresh. Good recipe, but I don't recommend it as a make ahead meal.
44. Ashley says:

    My family and I love this recipe! We tried this recipe frozen the first time, but now we just make it fresh. We also use a sun dried tomato pesto sauce in areas of the sun dried tomatoes. It adds that boost of flavor. I also recomend rewriting the recipe as it seems to be missing stuff. But otherwise it's a great recipe!
45. Kelly says:

    I add onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and bacon to mine. Very good!
46. Niki says:

    I don't know what I must have done wrong, but I did the recipe verbatim and I put in oven frozen. Its been an hour and 10 minutes and it is still frozen in the middle and very dry.
47. Susan says:

    Sorry to differ, but step 3 appears to give baking directions after freezing and thawing. When you serve this fresh you pour the sauce over the noodles. Is that how you freeze it? Or do you mix the sauce and noodles together before putting it in the freezer pan? I make a lot of freezer meals for homebound elders and I want them to be as tasty as possible, so thanks for clarifying this.
48. Kristen says:

    Made a double batch of this to have when baby comes! It was delicious fresh!! Don't usually make sauce from scratch but it was SO good! Hoping it is as good re-heated - I now see some people have had issues. Fingers crossed!
49. Michele says:

    How many pans did this recipe make? Just so I know how many to buy.
50. Cyd says:

    This recipe makes 2 9 x 9 baking dishes when making it into a freezer meal.
51. Bree says:

    Hi! Just ate it fresh and it was delish! When I bust the other half out of the freezer at I going to bake it covered or uncovered?
52. Cyd says:

    Bake it covered. Remove foil for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
53. Deb says:

    I suggest using the oil from the sun dried tomatoes to state instead of butter. It is packed with flavor and sad to waste it.
54. Beth says:

    thanks for that idea, I make my own filled pasta and always looking for new sauces for it.
55. Beth says:

    When I first made this I was sure the sauce would not be enough for all the pasta, I even separated the pasta in half thinking I would use the other half for mac and cheese, but the sauce is the right amount and it makes a lot of food, I now have two more meals in the freezer.
56. Beth says:

    I freeze mine in plastic bags and when I am ready to cook it I set it out on the counter until I can cut the bag away and put it in a baking dish.
57. Debbie says:

    When making them into freezer meals - put the noodles, sauce and chicken into two 9x9 foil tins. Wait until it cools down a little, place foil on top, and stick in the freezer. To cook when frozen: Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until heated through. To cook when frozen but then thawed: Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.
58. Debbie says:

    When making them into freezer meals - put the noodles, sauce and chicken into two 9x9 foil tins. Wait until it cools down a little, place foil on top, and stick in the freezer. To cook when frozen: Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until heated through. To cook when frozen but then thawed: Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.
59. Debbie says:

    How did you cook your chicken? Pan fry? boil?
60. Cyd says:

    When we need cooked chicken for a recipe, we often boil a bunch of chicken breasts at one time. They are fairly inexpensive when you buy them in big bags in the freezer section.
61. Becky says:

    I started making freezer meals and so far this one has turned out the best! Making it again right now. Followed instructions exactly as written previously and turned out amazing! I mixed the sauce and noodles together before freezing. Thawed it in the fridge overnight and cooked at 350 for 30 minutes to heat it up. This time I’m adding mushrooms. Hope it turns out the same!
62. Sommer says:

    Anyone every made it in a 9x13 and frozen it? That's all I have and I'm making a meal for someone. Would the baking time vary??
63. Sylvanna m cienfuegos says:

    this looks great. I don't know why I'm not understanding, my brain is just not working that great today i guess. please help me understand this part.... 'When making this Tuscan pasta into a freezer meal, we recommend putting the sauce covered noodles and chicken into two 9×9″ foil tins." am i supposed to put the sauce and noodles in one pan and tn put he chicken in a 2nd pan? or am i supposed to mix it all together and split it up into 2 pans? I want to make this for a friend who just gave birth. please and thank you god bless.
64. Cyd says:

    Make the recipe as directed but do not bake it. Let it cool down, cover with foil and place in the freezer.
65. Valerie says:

    I made this recently and froze it in three round aluminum tins, similar to the square tin shown in the picture above. The recipe doesn't say what to do with the tomatoes when freezing, so I froze them mixed in with the chicken, sauce, and noodles. However, I did not have sun dried, so I used canned, diced tomatoes instead. After reheating, I've noticed this dish does not have as much flavor as it did when it was freshly made, as I tasted it before freezing. It also has a metallic taste and I suspect that is due to the tomatoes. Has anyone else had this issue, or had this issue with the sun dried tomatoes? Thanks in advance for any replies.
66. Sonia says:

    Just made this recipe tonight. It was really good fresh although I thought it was a bit salty so next time I will not add the salt. I think all the cheese is salty enough. Now I have also frozen some and would like to know what is recommended to reheat it as some people say it is tasteless and dry. Should we add milk? Thaw thoroughly before heating it up? Any advice from people who have reheated it after freezing?
67. Gina says:

    I bit late on commenting but in case someone else has the same question. I subbed with bell peppers, mushrooms and squash.
68. laura catherine conville says:

    I normally have some strange aversion to following recipes, but this time I made the effort since freezer meals are new to me and didn't want a disaster at the end. I am glad I did. I made this recipe to the letter and it was a hit! My husband made it clear that I needed to repeat this dish. I think he almost gushed hehehehe
69. Cyd says:

    Yay! So glad to hear that you liked this easy freezer meal from Six Sisters. It's one of our favorites. Thanks for stopping by and tell your sweet hubby "Thanks!"
70. Kelsey says:

    I’m wondering this same thing. Can I use one 9x13 pan?
71. Cyd says:

    9 x 13 inch pan should be fine for your freezer meal. It will be a little thicker, so be sure it's cooked through when cooking.
72. Hope Hughes says:

    Sun dried peppers
73. Annie says:

    Sorry if someone has already asked, but do you bake it covered or uncovered? I’ve made it before but I can’t remember what I did!!
74. Maria Lima says:

    What is the nutritional and caloric value for this meal???
75. Cyd says:

    Bake it covered.
76. Colleen says:

    Would this work with any meats besides chicken? Maybe shrimp or crabmeat?
77. Cyd Adamson says:

    Sure. You can easily tweak this recipe for your own tastes and favorite foods.
78. Natalie Smith says:

    This was just meh for me. I think there is too much cream cheese in it.
79. Sally says:

    Ok, so froze this recipe, 40 min at 350 degrees WILL NOT warm this recipe. Please adjust, 10 more minutes from thawed!?!?! Clearly wrong. I am making it right now from frozen…..I cannot get a knife to pierce it after 40 min! It is still rock hard frozen!
80. CarlaW says:

    I’m concerned about using aluminum foil for freezing acidic foods (anything with tomatoes), as I’ve done it before and had it leach into the food. How do you keep this from happening?
81. Momma Cyd says:

    It does work best when thawed, even slightly. But if you don't have time you can cook it from frozen until heated through. Hope this helps.
82. Liz says:

    Very good and easy to make. I will definitely make this again

    
83. Christine says:

    This turned out so good! It was easy to make. We ate half a dumped the other half in a freezer bag because I was out of foil pans.

    
84. Berni S. says:

    This was awesome! So flavorful and easy. Added some frozen peas, had a great meal.
85. Cari says:

    When doubling the recipe, can you just double all the ingredients or is there some other amount? Thanks!
86. Momma Cyd says:

    This recipe makes 2 9x9 inch pans. If you double the recipe, you could do 4 9x9 pans or maybe 2 9x13 inch pans that might be very full.
87. Min says:

    Family loved this - even our 7 year old daughter to occasionally decides "she's not a fan" of things! :) This will be added to the "DO-OVER" in our house! Keep the great recipes coming!

    
88. Stacy says:

    Made this and added ham and peas instead of tomatoes. Very god!
89. Bethany says:

    Just made this for the freezer. I was going to keep it for when baby comes the end of March, but just read the “use within 30 days” whoops! It smells amazing! Do you reheat with the foil on or without foil?
90. Momma Cyd says:

    Either is fine, just be sure it's heated through. If it starts to get a little too done on top, just cover loosely with foil.
91. Kathy K says:

    This was great ! The only change I made was adding frozen peas.

    
92. Jen E says:

    If this has been in my freezer for 5 months, can I still use it? It looks totally fine, but I'm nervous now that you said 1 month..
93. Momma Cyd says:

    You should be fine if it's been covered well and frozen the whole time. We ate a freezer meal the other day that was in our freezer for 4 months and no problem.
94. Donna Ohman says:

    Hi, is there an alternate cheese that could be used in this recipe? We are not fans of Parmesan, but like this recipe idea, so wondering if there might be another cheese that we could substitute that would be good. Thanks.
95. Momma Cyd says:

    Here are some substitute ideas for Parmesan cheese - https://thestonesoup.com/parmesan-cheese-substitutes/