Can You Freeze Stuffing Balls?

4 minutes

Is a roast dinner complete without a mountain of stuffing balls? We don’t think so! No matter the recipe that you follow, stuffing balls are a hugely popular addition to the archetypal Sunday roast. But what’s the best way to preserve them? Can you freeze stuffing balls? 

How to Freeze Stuffing Balls

Stuffing balls are one of those foods that can be easily frozen whether you’ve cooked them and have some leftover or if you’ve just got to work preparing a handy batch.

Ultimately, the process for freezing cooked and uncooked stuffing balls is similar, but we run through each below, so you don’t encounter any issues. 

How to Freeze Cooked Stuffing Balls 

If you’ve already cooked your stuffing balls and have just decided you want to freeze them then here’s how to go about doing so:

1. Cool
   After your stuffing balls have cooked for the required time in the oven, allow them to stand at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before preparing them for the freezer. 
2. Place in a Container
   Choose a suitably sized Tupperware container (or similar) and line your stuffing balls up. It’s best to ensure they’re not touching one another, but you don’t need to worry too much as they can be easily separated. 
3. Seal, Label, and Freeze
   Seal the container with a lid if it has one or with cling film or tin foil if it doesn’t. Then, write today’s date, as well as the use-by date and freeze for up to three months. 

How to Freeze Uncooked Stuffing Balls

If you have the chance to plan ahead, then opt for freezing stuffing balls uncooked using this method instead:

1. Prepare
   Of course, the first thing you need to do is to make your delicious stuffing balls, following your chosen recipe. Once they’ve set, leave them to one side. 
2. Flash Freeze
   Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and place your stuffing balls side by side on top. Then, place the tray in the freezer for 3-4 hours, or until the stuffing balls have frozen solid. 
3. Add to Bags or Containers
   Once solid, drop your stuffing balls in freezer-safe bags or suitable containers. 
4. Label and Freeze
   Write today’s date as well as the use-by date on the front of the bag, and then place it in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze stuffing balls for around three months. 

3 Tips for Freezing Stuffing Balls

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing stuffing balls to have the best results:

Freezing Uncooked Stuffing Balls is Best
If you overcook stuffing, it will become hard and dry. So, it’s much better to freeze stuffing balls before cooking them, as you don’t need to worry as much about overdoing things. 

Flash Freeze So they Don’t Stick Together
If you’re freezing uncooked stuffing balls, you will need to flash freeze them before storing them in the freezer. If you were to place them directly in freezer-safe bags, they would stick together and no longer be balls! 

Cook from Frozen
Another good thing about freezing uncooked stuffing balls is that you can cook them directly from frozen. This saves time and means you don’t have to defrost them in advance. 

How Long Can You Freeze Stuffing Balls?

You can freeze both cooked and uncooked stuffing balls for around three months. Stuffing balls will be good in the fridge for 3-4 days after you’ve prepared them, but if they contain eggs, you should get them in the freezer as quickly as you can to preserve them.

While some people freeze stuffing balls for six months or even longer, we’d advise you to use them within three months for best results.

You Can Freeze Stuffing Balls for up to 3 Months

How Do You Defrost Stuffing Balls?

Unless you really want to, you don’t need to defrost stuffing balls before cooking or reheating them. Instead, take them out of the freezer and cook them in the microwave or oven.

If you’re cooking stuffing balls from frozen, just remember to increase the cooking time slightly. If you want to defrost stuffing balls, remove them from the freezer and allow them sufficient time to thaw in the fridge.

It can take 8-10 hours for stuffing balls to thaw sufficiently, so make sure you’re not pushed for time!

Can You Refreeze Stuffing Balls?

Refreezing stuffing balls isn’t the best idea. This is because the freezing process can affect the texture of your balls, causing them to go mushy.

Splitting your stuffing balls into smaller portion sizes is a smart move if you’re worried about wastage, as you can easily remove only what you need at any given time. 

Do Stuffing Balls Freeze Well?

You’ll be pleased to hear that stuffing balls freeze extremely well. If you serve up previously frozen stuffing balls to your dinner guests, they will almost certainly struggle to tell that they haven’t been freshly prepared!

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing stuffing balls or stuffing in general, then these may help:

Can You Freeze Stuffing in a Tray?

If you’ve decided you don’t want to opt for balls but would prefer a tray of stuffing instead then the good news is that you can also freeze stuffing in this way – cooked or uncooked.

Can You Freeze Sage and Onion Stuffing?

The good news is that stuffing flavoured with pretty much any herb or spice will freeze well whether it’s in tray form or ball form.