Frozen Mixed Vegetables with Pasta, Rice and Noodles

Standby Vegetables

Go directly to recipes

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.

frozen_stir_fry_mixYou’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

Pasta Alfredo with Vegetables

Macaroni with Red Lentils

Stir Fried Noodles

Fried Rice

Rainbow Rice

Oriental Rice

Rice with Spicy Vegetables

Kitchri with Vegetables

Pilau

 

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

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté mixed vegetables with pepper until heated through
  2. Add ¾ cup water with stock powder and herbs, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
  3. Set to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required for 12–15 minutes
  4. Stir in lemon juice
  5. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Pasta Alfredo with Vegetables

  • ½ cup pasta
  • ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1/3 cup low-fat milk
  • 1 tsp. cornflour
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Dried onion, garlic granules, parsley and pepper
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. In a small saucepan, boil pasta for 5 minutes
  2. Add vegetables, return to the boil and continue until pasta is al dente (approx. 12 – 15 minutes)
  3. Drain and set aside
  4. Dissolve cornflour in cold milk and stir in Parmesan cheese and spices
  5. Melt butter in saucepan and return pasta and vegetables
  6. Sauté to heat through
  7. Add milk mixture to pasta, bring to the boil gently and simmer while stirring until sauce thickens

 

Macaroni with Red Lentils

  • ½ cup small macaroni or elbows
  • 2 tbsp. red lentils
  • ½ cup mixed frozen vegetables
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
  • Garlic, pepper, parsley and oregano
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with spices
  2. Add vegetables and sauté
  3. Add tomato paste and heat through
  4. Add ¾ cup water with herbs
  5. Bring to the boil and stir in lentils and macaroni
  6. Simmer for 12 minutes, stirring often and adding more water if required
  7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

 

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

 

  1. Douse noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes, teasing them apart, drain and set aside
  2. In a wok, stir fry onion with spices
  3. Add diced bacon and stir fry
  4. Add vegetables and stir fry until wilted
  5. Add soy sauce, lemon juice (optional) and stock powder with a little water if required
  6. Stir through noodles until the sauce is absorbed

 

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

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté diced bacon with dried onion and spices
  2. Add vegetables and sauté
  3. Dissolve stock powder in a little hot water and add to vegetables with soy sauce
  4. Sauté until vegetables are cooked
  5. Microwave rice for 10 seconds less than instructed
  6. Break up rice and stir in 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)

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with diced bacon
  2. Add vegetables and stir until heated through
  3. Add rice and stir until translucent
  4. Add ¾ cup boiling water with stock powder
  5. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
  6. 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

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with diced bacon
  2. Add vegetables and sauté
  3. Add rice and stir until translucent
  4. Add ¾ cup water with stock powder, soy sauce and spices
  5. 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

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and spices
  2. Add mixed vegetables and sauté until heated through
  3. Add ½ cup water with stock powder
  4. Bring to the boil and add rice
  5. 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

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with curry powder
  2. Add vegetables and sauté until heated through
  3. Add rice and lentils and stir until translucent
  4. Add ¾ cup boiling water
  5. 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

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with curry powder
  2. Add vegetables and sauté
  3. Add rice and stir until translucent
  4. Add ¾ cup boiling water with sultanas
  5. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
Back to Top