Can You Freeze Saag Paneer: As the name concludes, Saag paneer is one of those authentic Indian dishes loved worldwide. It is a combination of smooth paneer marinated with spices and gravy of earthy spinach base, a super combination that is commendable.
It may happen that you have made a big bunch of Saag paneer for a room full of people but still got some leftovers. Now, you would not want to waste your Paneer and try to freeze it to preserve it as you would do with any other dish. Do refer to this exclusive guide on Can you Freeze Paneer for better knowledge.
Still, if you want to know the right method to freeze your Saag paneer properly without ruining its taste in its texture, then this article is going to come to your benefit. Sounds interesting? Let’s quickly start then and learn if can you make Saag paneer in advance and freeze them in the sections below.
- Can You Freeze Saag Paneer? | Can You Freeze Homemade Saag Paneer?
- How To Freeze Saag Paneer Properly?
- Best Tips For Freezing Saag Paneer
- How Long Can You Freeze Saag Paneer?
- How To Reheat Saag Paneer After Thawing?
- Can You Refreeze Saag Paneer?
- FAQs on Can I Freeze Saag Paneer?
Can You Freeze Saag Paneer? | Can You Freeze Homemade Saag Paneer?
Yes, you can freeze Saag Paneer exceptionally well with no ever-so-slight textural change. Like any other stew dish, the liquid content of Saag Paneer ensures that the whole Paneer freezes at the same rate and prevents any odd smell or spoilage in your food, thus freezing amazingly well.
The key to getting the best results on freezing Saag Paneer is to prevent the container from touching the sides of your freezer. This is because the body of the freezer is going to freeze more rapidly than the interiors, thus will lead to an unevenly frozen dish. Look at the below modules and be sure of how to freeze, thaw, reheat, and refreeze saag paneer.
How To Freeze Saag Paneer Properly?
Freezing Saag Paneer is very simple and will give you amazing results if done properly. To freeze Saag Paneer most accurately, you need to gather the entire dish together first from all the other serve plates into one big bowl and ensure that the dish is as well mixed as possible.
This will ensure that the ingredients of your Paneer are evenly distributed. If there are separate portions based on the number of paneers, then it can freeze unevenly. Now, follow the steps mentioned below to continue with the rest of the freezing process:
- Portion out your well-mixed Saag paneer dish into a sealable airtight container and make sure that the lids of the container are kept off for the time being.
- Next, allow your Saag Paneer to cool down and come to room temperature completely to ensure there is no condensation inside the freezer which can lead to the active growth of bacteria or freezer burn eventually over time.
- Later on, seal the container’s lids, ensuring you have vacuumed out any excess air first. If you are suspecting that the containers might not be completely airtight, you can seal the mouth of the container with a plastic film or cling wrap first, and then secure the lid.
- Now, once your wrapped Saag Paneer containers are ready, add a label mentioning the cooking date and name of the ingredients, and put it inside the freezer.
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Best Tips For Freezing Saag Paneer
Knowing the best techniques to store any dish comes hand in hand with the best tips and tricks that would stop it from going bad for the longest time possible. Well in this section we will share with you some amazing tips that will help you in getting the best results from your frozen Saag paneer.
The tips we are talking about are mentioned below:
- Try using bags instead of Tupperware: Any dish which is loaded with spices or curry is going to stain your Tupperware containers. Even though you clean them very nicely they will always have that orange-yellow stain to them. Hence, if possible try using disposable freezer-safe bags for storage purposes when you freeze curries like Saag Paneer.
- Leave enough lid space: Remember that when you are freezing anything liquid, it is going to expand due to the water content that solidifies when exposed to cold temperatures. It is always recommended to leave at least 1.5 inches from the lid space on top so that when your Saag paneer expands it doesn’t break the container open.
- Ensure vacuumed sealing: If your containers are not sealed properly it will allow freezer burn to settle onto your food and spoil them out bad. To prevent this ensure to use a vacuum sealer first, followed by a cling wrap and the container lid.
- Use Microwaveable dishes only for reheating: When you finally plan to reheat inside the microwave and consume your Saag Paneer, ensure you have transferred the Paneer to a microwave-safe dish. Do not use metal containers as they can make your microwave explode also no plastic containers and plastic will melt and mix in your food making it unsafe for consumption.
How Long Can You Freeze Saag Paneer?
Now that you know all the tips and tricks to freeze Saag Paneer properly, you might wonder how long it is going to last there. Well, the maximum amount of time you can make your Saag Paneer last in the freezer is 3 months.
This is because a large portion of the dish is made of liquid and freezer burn spreads quite rapidly in liquids once set in. Once the freezer burn spreads its claws in your Saag paneer dish, it will potentially spoil the structures of the Paneer individually which will lead to a poor final product when thawed and defrosted to be eaten.
If you are planning to store your Saag Paneer inside the refrigerator, then you can make it last there only for about 2-3 days provided you have used an airtight container or a covered bowl.
Also Check:
Ingredients:
Milk Solids & Vinegar
Nutritional Information
4 Servings per pack
Serving Size: 50 g
| Amount per 100 g* | 50 g* | %RDA | |
| Energy (kcal) | 283 | 142 | 7% |
| Total Fat (g) | 22 | 11 | 16% |
| Saturated Fat (g) | 12 | 6 | 27% |
| Trans Fat (g) | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 59 | 30 | – |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 5.1 | 2.6 | – |
| Total Sugars (g) | 0 | 0 | – |
| Added Sugars (g) | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Protein (g) | 16.1 | 8.1 | – |
| Sodium (mg) | 125 | 63 | 3% |
| Calcium (mg) | 529 | 265 | – |
Recommended Dietary Allowance calculated on the basis of 2000 kcal Energy
*Average values.
How To Reheat Saag Paneer After Thawing?
Reheating Saag Paneer is as simple as making one. When you are planning to finally defrost and consume your Saag Paneer then the microwave is going to be the best option for you. Since Saag paneer is a whole combination of soup, stew, and semi-solid ingredients the microwave will be the best reheat option for it.
Microwaving allows the heat to circulate the dish well and results in an evenly-heated final meal. To go on with this process, remove the lid of your Saag Paneer, and put it inside the microwave for 2-minute intervals on high, until you find it is steaming hot and all the way through warm, ensuring it is safe to eat.
Can You Refreeze Saag Paneer?
Now a scenario that calls for whether you can refreeze your Saag paneer or not in case you are left with thawed meal leftovers. Well, fortunately, yes, you can refreeze your Saag Paneer exceptionally well.
Even if you thaw it and freeze it several times, it will take a long time for deterioration from starting to occur. The reason why it doesn’t deteriorate even after refrozen is that it holds up to the liquid content so well, it keeps the other ingredients soft.
However, once the freezer burn has started to seep in you must not refreeze your dish as it is going to rapidly spread and spoil your entire dish now. In case you have to, scoop out the portion that has been freezer burnt with a spoon and then go by refreezing the dish.
Do Refer:
FAQs on Can I Freeze Saag Paneer?
1. How long does saag paneer last in the fridge?
If it is kept covered in a well-sealed airtight container or freezer-safe bag, then the maximum time you can make your Saag Paneer last in the refrigerator would be 3-4 days maximum.
2. Can you reheat Saag Paneer?
Yes, you can reheat Saag Paneer inside the microwave at the highest setting for 2 minutes intervals or directly on the stove but make sure to keep the heat low and gradually go up.
3. How many days is Saag Paneer good for?
Saag paneer can remain good for 3 days in the fridge and up to 4 months in the freezer provided you have covered it very nicely in freezer burn-safe containers.
4. How do you store Saag for a long time?
To store Saag for a long time, wrap the Saag with a clean paper or dish towel and put it inside sealable bags to make it last for up to 10 days in the fridge and 5 months in the freezer.
Conclusion Thoughts
Authentic Indian dishes come with their typical style of serving and preservation, and Saag Paneer is no exception. Knowing the right way to Freeze your Saag Paneer will not only free you from the effort of making the arrangements and recipe again but will also be quickly ready to light up the moods if you have sudden guests at your residence.
This article has covered all the details about saag paneer freezing, and we hope you found this article helpful enough. For more such trendy articles on food-freezing methods, stay tuned with us.