Can Chinese food be frozen?

It doesn’t matter if you make chow mein or fried rice, we can all agree that Chinese food is delicious, and the last thing you want is to have to waste a serving because it sat in the fridge too long.

Chinese food should never be left to spoil in the fridge, but to avoid it, you have to know how to extend its shelf life.

Can Chinese food be frozen?  Yes, you can freeze Chinese food, and it freezes well for about 3 months. The most popular ones to freeze are chow mein and fried rice. It’s best to quickly freeze it after it has reached room temperature to reduce the risk of bacteria growth. The safest thing to do is to freeze Chinese food that you have cooked yourself.

You can make large batches of these, or any Chinese food, and freeze extra servings for when you want some Chinese comfort food.

The next time you make Chinese food at home, double the serving and freeze the leftovers to enjoy when you’re too busy to cook or need to satisfy your Chinese food cravings.

However, you have to know how to properly freeze Chinese food, and how to reheat it so that it tastes as good as when it was freshly cooked. Here’s how to properly freeze and enjoy frozen Chinese food.

how to freeze chinese food

Before freezing your leftover Chinese food, you will need to cook it at home. It’s a good idea to cook a larger batch so that you have a few things left over, or if you’re just feeding yourself, follow a recipe and the leftovers can be frozen for quick weeknight dinners.

Fried rice can be made as normal, with your rice, vegetables, egg and chicken, beef or pork if you like.

However, if you ‘re making chow mein , you should try to remove the portion you want to freeze before the noodles are cooked through . They should be just tender. This is not always possible. It’s okay if the noodles are fully cooked; it just means they will be soft when thawed and reheated.

When you have cooked the Chinese food, let it cool down to room temperature. You can’t put hot food in the freezer.

That would cause condensation in the freezer bowl, which could cause a drop in quality and lead to freezer burn. It could also increase the temperature of the freezer and endanger other foods.

Chinese food store

As far as containers you can freeze Chinese food in, there are three options: an airtight container, a resealable plastic freezer bag, or an aluminum food container.

Airtight Container – An airtight container is a good choice, as it seals tightly and can be used over and over again. You can choose to store a large portion in a large airtight container, or smaller portions in smaller containers.

The only problem with airtight containers is that they can take up a lot of space in your freezer, which is not optimal if your freezer is small or you have little space to work with.

Sealable Plastic Freezer Bag - Sealable plastic freezer bags are great, and you can easily portion out fried rice or chow mein into single-serving freezer bags. They are easy to label and date so you know when you should eat the food.

You can also lay the freezer bags flat and stack them on top of each other to save space in the freezer.

Aluminum Food Containers - Aluminum food containers are very convenient to use, but they can only be used once and can be quite expensive.

However, the advantage of using them is that Chinese food can be frozen and thawed and then reheated in a single container, so you don’t have to mess up different dishes just for one meal.

So once the food has cooled to room temperature, place it in your chosen freezer container and label it with the freeze date. You can also label the container with what the food is if you’re worried you might forget.

Place it in the freezer and that’s it!

Freeze Chinese takeout

It’s possible to freeze Chinese takeout, but it’s a bit risky because you can’t be sure about the handling of the food.

To ensure maximum food safety and quality, you should freeze it as soon as you get home, or as soon as the food has been delivered to you. You can’t be sure how long it’s been sitting out in the restaurant, so try not to add it by letting it sit out on your counter.

Place the Chinese food in a plastic freezer bag, an airtight container, or an aluminum food container, label it with the name and date, and put it in the freezer.

You can follow the same thawing and reheating process above that you would for Chinese food cooked at home.

How long does Chinese food last in the freezer?

Chinese food will keep indefinitely if frozen properly, but the quality of frozen food will start to decline over time. It is recommended to consume Chinese food within 3 months from its freezing date, since it will begin to lose its quality afterwards.

The better you handle and store your food, the longer it will be safe to eat, and the longer it will maintain its good quality.

To ensure that your food remains safe to eat, you should freeze it within 2 hours of cooking to prevent the growth of bacteria, and freeze it when it is at room temperature to avoid condensation that could cause freezer burn.

How to defrost Chinese food

As with any frozen food, the best way to defrost Chinese food is to leave it in the fridge overnight.

This is the safest way to do it, as it prevents the Chinese food from reaching temperatures that could lead to bacterial growth, and it allows the Chinese food to thaw evenly and not become mushy.

If you’re in a bit of a hurry to defrost your Chinese food, you can leave it out at room temperature or microwave it, but you risk bacteria growth and mushyness .

Microwaved Chinese food may become mushy and the texture may not be very appetizing.

It pays to plan and leave a portion of Chinese food in the fridge to thaw overnight.

reheat chinese food

Once you have left the Chinese food to thaw overnight, you can move on to reheating it. There are two easy ways to do it:

1. The best way to reheat Chinese food, such as chow mein, orange chicken , or fried rice , is to put it in a skillet over the heat.

First you have to preheat the pan and add a little cooking oil. Wait for the skillet to heat up over medium-high heat, then add the Chinese food. Stir frequently to prevent food from sticking and burning. Once hot, remove from heat and enjoy.

2. You can also choose to reheat Chinese food in the microwave. You should add a tablespoon of water to Chinese food to prevent it from drying out.

Place the food in the microwave and set it to food power for one minute. After the minute is up, check the temperature and microwave the food again if it needs more reheating.

And just in case you’ve ordered wontons , we’ve got a guide dedicated entirely to reheating them correctly. You don’t want to ruin perfectly good wontons by not reheating them properly.

Related questions

How long can you keep leftover fried rice in the fridge?

If stored correctly, leftover fried rice can keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. It will also depend on what is in the fried rice and how long it has been left out at room temperature.

How long does fried rice last after being frozen and thawed?

Once frozen and thawed, the fried rice can be kept for an additional 3 days in the refrigerator, as long as it has not been reheated. If fried rice, or any other Chinese food, is reheated after thawing, it should be eaten and any leftovers thrown away immediately.

How can you tell if Chinese food has gone bad?

You can tell if Chinese food has gone bad by smelling it if it has an unpleasant odor. If the usual smell has changed, it is better not to eat it. You can also look if it looks bad or if there is mold.

If the appearance has changed or if there is mold, throw it away!

Freeze Chinese Food - Summary

Chinese food is too comforting and healthy for leftovers to be thrown away.

You want to make sure you freeze your leftover Chinese food, for a delicious and easy meal to enjoy during the week when you’re too busy to cook, or when you just want the comforting taste of Chinese food.

Follow the guide above on how to successfully freeze, thaw, and reheat Chinese food for the best results.