The Type Of Pie To Avoid Freezing After Cooking

Is there any better food to unearth in the depths of your freezer than a ready-to-bake pie? Whether you've frozen an all-American apple pie or a refreshing Key lime variation, frozen pies of all kinds have been known to bake well — and you can freeze them before they've been baked or after the fact. All you have to do is pre-heat your oven and pop in a frozen pie, and you'll have a ready-to-go dessert for your next party. However, not all pies work so well once frozen – and you should avoid freezing pies filled with cooked vegetables that change texture once thawed. 

In general, you'll want to steer clear of freezing savory pies filled with vegetables whose consistencies don't hold up well in the freezer. Namely, the fillings of some savory pies — such as the mushy potatoes of shepherd's pie and the cooked, softened carrots of chicken pot pie — will change texture after they've been baked, then frozen, then baked again. So much of a pie's enjoyment is in its balance of textures, so you don't want to ruin the combination of a flaky, buttery pie crust and savory, delicious filling by a mere freezer mishap.

However, that's not to say you can't do any legwork and freeze your savory pies in advance. Instead, you'll just want to pay extra careful attention to avoid freezing pies made with vegetables that don't thaw well.

The global realm of savory pies is wide-reaching and far-ranging — which bodes well for finding a savory pie that freezes and thaws to a desired texture. Savory pies encompass the likes of chicken pot pie, shepherd's pie, Spanakopita, pastilla, and more. Many of these pies work — and can work — great when frozen, but if you're making a pie with the specific intention to freeze it for another day, you'll want to forgo the addition of select vegetables. Typically, these no-go ingredients include potatoes and tomatoes — neither of which fare well when cooked, frozen, and thawed. Lettuce and cabbage, likewise, change their consistency once thawed and are less than desirable as a reheated pie interior. 

Avoiding these vegetables may seem difficult, but it shouldn't be too limiting for bakers. Simply stick to savory pies with largely meat-based fillings or other vegetables, such as broccoli, corn, and peas. Or, use the potatoes, tomatoes, and so forth — and just plan to eat your pot pie without freezing any leftovers.

Fortunately for pie lovers, this problem arises far less with sweet pies, so you're mostly safe to bake, then freeze, your Thanksgiving apple or pecan pie. That's also good news for anyone who has a few leftover slices they don't want to go to waste. Who knows? That frozen half of pumpkin pie may pair well with a slice of re-heated, potato-free chicken pot pie.