Pasta, rice and instant noodles can form the basis of a quick and filling meal, made quicker, and contributing to your vegetable intake, when combined with frozen mixed vegetables. The following recipes can get a tasty and hearty meal on your table in less than 30 minutes.
You’ll find a wide range of frozen mixed vegetables in your supermarket freezer. They range from combinations of two or three favourites such as ‘Peas, Corn and Carrot’ to ‘Seasonal Mixes’ which might include five or six different vegetables, or ‘Stir Fry Mixes’ which include favourite Asian vegetables such as sugar snap peas and water chestnuts. Your choice will depend on your taste and what’s available.
Many of the following recipes have been designed around the most basic mixed vegetable combination of ‘Peas, Corn and Carrot’ and sometimes with the addition of other standby vegetables. Those recipes can, of course, be adapted to whatever mix you have on hand. Some recipes will indicate if a particular mix is preferred, but again, they are adaptable.
All the recipes in this section can be made entirely from Standby Vegetables and Pantry Essentials with the option of including some Crisper Essentials.
For more rice and pasta recipes where you could use frozen mixed vegetables see One Pot Pasta from the Pantry and One Pot Rice Dishes from the Pantry.
As Frozen Mixed Vegetables are so versatile, this is only one of three entries for them, which also include:
» Frozen Mixed Vegetables in Soups
» Frozen Mixed Vegetables in Vegetable Medleys which includes Quick Side Dishes
You could also just enter ‘mixed vegetables’ in ‘Search’ to find all the relevant recipes on this website.
Recipes:
Pasta Primavera
- ½ cup pasta
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
- Pepper, basil and parsley
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Olive oil
- In a small saucepan, sauté mixed vegetables with pepper until heated through
- Add ¾ cup water with stock powder and herbs, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
- Set to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required for 12–15 minutes
- Stir in lemon juice
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)
Pasta Alfredo with Vegetables
- ½ cup pasta
- ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt
- Dried onion, garlic granules, parsley and pepper
- 1 tbsp. butter or margarine
- Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add pasta and simmer for 3–5 minutes
- Add vegetables, return to the boil and simmer for a further 10 minutes
- Drain and set aside
- Melt butter in the saucepan
- Add pasta and vegetables with herbs and spices and stir through
- Stir through Parmesan until the cheese is melted
- Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt
Stir Fried Noodles
- 1 portion instant noodles
- 2 tbsp. diced bacon
- 2 tbsp. chopped onion
- ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables (preferably stir fry mix)
- ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. lemon juice (optional)
- Mild curry powder and garlic
- Chinese 5 spice (or pepper and cinnamon)
- Canola oil
- Douse noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes, teasing them apart, drain and set aside
- In a wok, stir fry onion with spices
- Add diced bacon and stir fry
- Add vegetables and stir fry until wilted
- Add soy sauce, lemon juice (optional) and stock powder with a little water if required
- Stir through noodles until the sauce is absorbed
Vegetable and Noodle Soup
- 1 portion instant noodles
- ¾ cup frozen mixed vegetables
- 1½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tsp. tomato paste
- Dried onion, garlic granules, pepper, parsley and basil
- In a small saucepan, bring stock to the boil with tomato paste, herbs and spices
- Add mixed vegetables and simmer for 15–20 minutes
- Break noodle cake into 2–4 pieces
- Add noodles, simmer for 3–5 minutes, teasing to loosen
Fried Rice
- 1 single-serve microwave rice
- 2 tbsp. diced bacon
- ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables (or stir fry mix)
- ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- Dried onion and garlic granules
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- Chinese 5 spice (or pepper and cinnamon)
- Canola oil
- Place rice in a wide bowl and break up
- Heat a little oil in a wok and stir fry diced bacon
- Add vegetables and stir fry to heat through
- Add garlic, onion, spices, stock powder and soy sauce with 2 tbsp. water
- Stir fry until vegetables are cooked to your taste
- Stir in rice and continue to stir fry until heated through and most of the water is absorbed
Rainbow Rice
- 1 tbsp. chopped onion
- 2 tbsp. diced bacon
- ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
- ¼ cup rice
- ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- Olive or canola oil
- Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
- In a small saucepan, sauté onion with diced bacon
- Add vegetables and stir until heated through
- Add rice and stir until translucent
- Add ¾ cup boiling water with stock powder
- Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)
Oriental Rice
- 1 tbsp. chopped onion
- 2 tbsp. diced bacon
- ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables (preferably stir fry mix)
- ¼ cup rice
- ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- Chinese 5 spice (or pepper and cinnamon)
- Canola oil
- In a small saucepan, sauté onion with diced bacon
- Add vegetables and sauté
- Add rice and stir until translucent
- Add ¾ cup water with stock powder, soy sauce and spices
- Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
Rice with Spicy Vegetables
- ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 tbsp. chopped onion
- Garlic, pepper and mild curry powder
- ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- ¼ cup rice
- Canola oil
- In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and spices
- Add mixed vegetables and sauté until heated through
- Add ½ cup water with stock powder
- Bring to the boil and add rice
- Simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally and adding more water if required
Variation: substitute 2 tbsp. chopped red capsicum for some of the mixed vegetables
Kitchri with Vegetables
- 1 tbsp. chopped onion
- 2 tbsp. rice
- 2 tbsp. red lentils
- ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
- Mild curry powder
- Canola oil
- In a small saucepan, sauté onion with curry powder
- Add vegetables and sauté until heated through
- Add rice and lentils and stir until translucent
- Add ¾ cup boiling water
- Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
Pilau
- 1 tbsp. chopped onion
- ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 tbsp. sultanas
- ¼ cup rice
- Mild curry powder
- Canola oil
- In a small saucepan, sauté onion with curry powder
- Add vegetables and sauté
- Add rice and stir until translucent
- Add ¾ cup boiling water with sultanas
- Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally