Fajitas are a firm favorite in most households. Delicious with just enough spice, these are the perfect warming meal that is easy to cook and fun to eat too! Fajitas also leave you feeling fuller than usual, so it can be surprisingly difficult not to over-indulge sometimes, which means there are lots of leftovers around even after an initial feast. What should you do with the leftover fajita? Can you freeze fajitas for later use?
So, can you freeze fajitas? Once the fajitas have been assembled, you cannot freeze them. However, you can freeze the wraps and filling. Properly stored, both can last for between 6 and 9 months in the freezer.
Does Fajitas Freeze Well?
The fajitas do freeze well, but you need to freeze the elements in them separately. This means the meat filling and the tortilla wrap should be frozen separately.
By doing so, you won’t be able to tell the difference between fresh and frozen ones.
As for other additions to the fajitas, such as guacamole, cheese, sour cream, and salsa, they should not be frozen. These items should be bought fresh when making the fajita. This will give them the best taste.
How To Freeze Fajitas
When it comes to freezing the fajitas, it’s best to freeze the tortilla wraps and the fajita filling separately. If you try to freeze these together, it will become mushy when it thaws.
Both of these are easy to freeze, so you should not have any issues. Below are the steps with details to freeze them:
How to Freeze Fajita Filling
Freezing fajita filling is simple and straightforward. Before you do prepare them for the freezer, you’ll need to cook the fillings first. After that, you can follow the steps below:
Step 1: Cool Down
Allow the fajita filling to cool down completely. Freezing it while it’s still hot will cause condensation in the container when it’s freezing. Also, other food around it will thaw, which will make it go bad.
Make sure to only freeze the meat filling. If there are any additional fillings such as guacamole, sour cream, or salsa, they should be frozen separately.
Step 2: Portion into Bags or Container
With an airtight container or freezer bags, portion the fajita filling into it.
It’s best to freeze a small portion so that you won’t have any leftovers.
Step 3: Seal It
Once all the fajita filling is in the bag or container, you can seal it.
Before you do so, if you’re using freezer bags, press on the bag. This will help in two ways. First, it will flatten the fillings, so it will be easier to store them. Second, it will remove any excess air from the bag. Then seal it tightly.
For airtight container usage, check the seal on the lid for any damages. If there are none, secure the lid to the container tightly. As an option for double protection from the cold temperature, you can place plastic wrap over the container before you tighten down the lid.
Step 4: Label and Freeze
With a marker, write down the date of freezing on the freezer bag or airtight container.
Once that’s complete, place them into the freezer. For freezer bags, wait until the fajita filling is completely frozen before stacking them upon each other.
How to Freeze Tortilla Wraps
Once the filling is complete and in the freezer, you can go on freezing the tortilla wraps.
Like the fillings, freezing the wraps is straightforward and doesn’t require a lot of time to prepare it.
If you have tortilla wraps that have not been opened yet, no prepping is needed. All you need to do is write the date of freezing on the package and place them into the freezer.
If you have leftovers, it will require prepping. Below are the steps in details to freezing tortilla wraps:
Step 1: Layer Wraps with Paper
With parchment paper, cut them into the same size as the wraps. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can use a baking sheet as well.
With the tortilla wrap, place it onto the parchment paper. Then place another parchment paper on it. Repeat the process until you have about 10 wraps in a pile.
Doing so will help them from sticking to each other during the freezer. Also, it will make it easy to remove them from the freezer.
Step 2: Flash Freezing
Place the wraps onto a tray and put them into the freezer. Leave them in the freezer for about 1-2 hours or until it’s completely frozen.
Step 3: Wrap in Plastic Film
Once it’s completely frozen, remove them from the freezer. You can then remove all the parchment paper from the pile.
Then wrap the entire pile of tortilla wrap in a plastic wrapper. Double wrap them for extra protection.
Step 4: Store in Freezer Bag
Place the wrapped tortilla wraps into the freezer bags. Make sure you put just enough that you can seal the bag.
Before sealing it, press on the bag to remove any excess air from it.
Step 5: Label and Freeze
Write the date of freezing on the freezer bag. If you’re planning to reuse the bag, place paper tape on it and write the date.
Then place them into the freezer for storage.
How Long Can You Freeze Fajitas?
You can freeze it for up to a year, so you won’t have any trouble using all the fillings in your freezer. And if you’re not too busy with work or school, make some wraps and pop them into the fridge as well – they’ll last about six months before going bad. Just remember to keep everything organized once it’s frozen because when there’s food on every shelf and crammed onto one corner of a refrigerator door, no time is saved.
Although the freezing times for fajita meat filling and wraps might be a little different, they are both great when reheated! If you like to eat them quickly but want to save some leftovers for later on in time, try storing your frozen foods close together so that you can use up any remaining ingredients.
How Do You Defrost Fajitas?
The best way to defrost the fajita filling is by taking it out of the freezer and letting it thaw in the fridge overnight. This will ensure the fillings will retain their flavor and texture.
If you’re short on time, you thaw them using a microwave or frying them up with a saucepan.
How To Reheat Fajitas?
There are 3 ways to reheat your delicious fajitas.
1) Heat them on low heat for around 10-12 minutes or until they are warm all the way through without letting them burn. This is great when you’re running out of time as it’s quick but be forewarned that if not careful, these can overcook quickly so watch closely!
2) You could also microwave individual ones at 1/2 power for approximately 30 seconds each (again, checking every 15 seconds).
3) The most popular method would be popping one onto the kitchen counter which will take about 5-10 minutes depending on how cold
Can You Refreeze Fajitas?
No, you shouldn’t freeze the fajitas if it’s been frozen once. This goes for both the fajita meat filling and the tortilla wraps.
Any leftovers after it’s been frozen will need to be consumed with 2 days. After that time, it will need to be thrown away.
Other Questions about Fajitas
Why do tortillas always end up a little soggy in the freezer?
This is due to the moisture that’s in the tortilla when it’s frozen. As it freezes, ice crystals will form in the tortilla. When it comes time to thaw them, the ice crystals will break apart and cause the tortilla to become soggy.
Can you freeze marinated fajitas?
Yes, you can freeze marinated fajitas. Meat and vegetables that are marinated freeze particularly well. Simply after marinating the meat and vegetable, place them into the freezer bag, gently massage it, seal the bag tightly, and place it into the freezer.
You don’t need to marinate the ingredients before freezing them. Once it starts to thaw, the meat and vegetables will get marinated.
Can you freeze fajitas after it’s cooked?
Yes, you can freeze fajitas after cooking, but only the fillings. Freezing the entire fajitas will result in it becoming soggy when it thaws.