A dish of frozen vegetables. Subtleties of cooking and useful recipes. How to cook frozen vegetables

Frozen vegetables are a real salvation for the modern housewife, who, in between cleaning, laundry, children and working from home, must still have time to prepare delicious dishes for her household. In this article we will tell you how to deliciously cook frozen vegetables at home.

The British were the first to learn how to freeze vegetables back in the 19th century. An inventor from England, G. S. Baker, who moved to the USA, decided to build a real business on this matter. He collected unusable crops, froze them, and then sold them. This idea was quickly picked up by the world, so today in every supermarket you can find entire departments where frozen vegetables are sold.

Although there are still unscrupulous sellers of frozen vegetables and fruits, and there is no escape from them. They are easy to recognize - you just need to look at the packaging of vegetables to understand whether the product in front of you is of high quality or not:

• The packaging must have a consistent appearance;
• There should be no frost or icing on it (this indicator will indicate to you that the vegetables have already been defrosted several times);
• At the time you decide to buy frozen vegetables, their production date should not exceed six months;
• Pay attention to the temperature at which vegetables are stored in the refrigerator in the store (the optimal temperature for frozen products is -18 degrees).

However, if you are afraid of using low-quality store-bought produce, freeze the vegetables you grow yourself when they are in season, and then use them to prepare wonderful meals for your friends and family. Only for this you need to know the correct freezing technology. It should be instant:

• Immerse the vegetables, chopped into equal pieces, into boiling water for three minutes (if you are freezing greens, then I put them in boiling water for literally one second);
• Pour ice water over the vegetables and place them on a flat surface to dry;
• Seal the cooked vegetables in an airtight container and place them in the freezer.

And if you do not neglect these rules, then you don’t have to worry - frozen vegetables and fruits will retain all their beneficial properties.

Important! When you think about what can you cook from frozen vegetables, remember that the main thing is not to defrost them, but to use them frozen during the cooking process - under no circumstances should they melt, otherwise they will lose their value.

What can you cook from frozen vegetables: recipes

Frozen vegetables can be prepared in completely different ways - stewed, fried, boiled, baked. The only thing you need to keep in mind when preparing any dish is that frozen vegetables cook very quickly. It’s best to put them in the dish at the very end, a few minutes before serving the dish.

Several interesting recipes, how to cook frozen vegetables, we will introduce you in our article. They can even come in handy when you're planning a dinner party. Your guests will never guess that you used a ready-made semi-finished product, because it will turn out tasty, nutritious and healthy.

How to cook frozen vegetables in a frying pan?

If you're looking for a way how to deliciously cook frozen vegetables as a side dish, use the traditional method - fry them in a frying pan in some tasty sauce. To do this you need:

• Buy a mixture of frozen vegetables, which should include broccoli, different types of cabbage and onions, as well as carrots;
• Heat the frying pan over high heat (do not add sunflower and butter at this point);
• Pour frozen vegetables into a hot frying pan, but do not cover them with a lid - this will cause the water to evaporate from them;
• When the moisture is completely gone, add either vegetable or butter to the vegetables, as well as spices to taste;
• After 5 minutes, pour any tomato sauce over the vegetables.

This vegetable side dish can be served with meat, porridge, boiled potatoes or pasta.

Exactly the same cooking method is suitable for those who are looking for an interesting recipe, how to make stew from frozen vegetables. But there are some nuances here:

• There is no need to evaporate the water from frozen vegetables (they can languish in it)
• Before frying the vegetables, first fry the meat of your choice in butter in the same frying pan.
• Vegetables should simmer together with meat under the lid for half an hour.

How to cook frozen vegetables in a slow cooker?

Those who follow a diet are probably interested in knowing how to steam frozen vegetables? Of course, there is no better device for this method than a slow cooker. To cook vegetables you need:

• Fill the multicooker container with water (two glasses will be enough)
• Install a special bowl in the multicooker for steaming dishes
• Pour a mixture of frozen vegetables into this bowl.
• Turn on the “Steam” cooking mode and turn it off after 12 minutes

At the same time as steaming vegetables, you can cook any cereal (you need to pour it into a container into which water is poured). This is a great way to cook rice with frozen vegetables. Just keep in mind that then the vegetables will take the same amount of time to cook as the rice. When the cereal is cooked, you will need to mix it with vegetables directly in the slow cooker or pour the dish into a regular pan.

In a container where you can cook cereals, you can even cook first courses. Let us briefly tell you, how to make frozen vegetable soup:

• Fill the container with water and immediately place the frozen vegetables in it.
• When the vegetables are boiled, add all the ingredients for the soup (potatoes, meat, processed cheese, mushrooms, etc.)
• Select the “Soup” mode on the multicooker

Some people blend the resulting mixture in a blender. It turns out to be a very tasty and healthy puree soup.

How to cook frozen vegetables in the oven?

Fans of baked food will be interested in learning how to cook frozen mixed vegetables in the oven. Before we move on to describing specific recipes, we list a few basic recommendations that it is advisable to consider when using frozen vegetables for baking in the oven:

1. The oven must be preheated to 180 degrees before placing a baking sheet with frozen vegetables in it.
2. To prevent the dish in the baking dish from spreading due to excess moisture released from frozen vegetables, they must first be fried in a frying pan or in a saucepan.
3. To prevent the dish from turning out dry, frozen vegetables should be placed on parchment greased with vegetable or butter.
4. Add spices to baked vegetables at the very end before serving.
5. Frozen vegetables are baked in the oven for no longer than half an hour.

Now, using specific examples, we’ll figure out how to cook a couple of dishes with frozen vegetables in the oven:

1. How to cook meat with frozen vegetables?

• Place the prepared meat on a baking sheet (cut it into slices or slices and immediately season with spices)
• Pour sour cream or cream sauce over the meat
• Sprinkle the prepared frozen vegetables on top of the sauce and place the pan in the oven for half an hour
• Before serving, the dish must be cooled for 10 minutes, and then decorated with herbs or sprinkled with grated cheese.

1. How to cook potatoes with frozen vegetables?

• Peel 6 potatoes and cut them into rounds
• Soak them in sauce and spices
• Place onion, sliced ​​into rings and prepared frozen vegetables on top of the potatoes.
• Bake potatoes and vegetables for half an hour
• Before serving, cool the dish, sprinkle with cheese and season with spices.

On the Internet you can find a huge number of different recipes for preparing frozen vegetables. Don’t be afraid to experiment and surprise your family with delicious dietary dishes.

Video “How to cook frozen vegetables?”

Complexity

Frozen vegetable mixtures appeared on supermarket shelves not so long ago, but have already won the love of many customers. They are especially popular with people who care about their appearance and healthy eating, because such sets are a storehouse of various vitamins and minerals. Dishes and recipes made from frozen vegetable mixtures are very tasty and easy to prepare.

Before you start cooking, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the range of this product.

Varieties of frozen vegetable sets

Each manufacturer of this product can use different packaging, take vegetables from different countries, write their own recipes on the label, but the main component of the product almost always remains the same. Regardless of the season, these vegetables are always fresh, and cooking with them is a pleasure.

There are several main compositions:

• Lecho: onions, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots and paprika;
• Mexican: carrots, corn, green beans, peas, corn, celery, red beans, peppers;
• Hawaiian: corn, rice, peas and peppers;
• Chinese: bamboo shoots and soybeans, onions, peppers, celery, green beans, corn, cabbage, Chinese black mushroom;
• Country style: potatoes, onions, broccoli, peppers, beans, carrots, corn;
• Spring bouquet: 3 types of cabbage (broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts), carrots, peas, onions, bean pods;
• Mushroom soup: champignons, carrots, onions, potatoes;
• For scrambled eggs: tomatoes, onions, paprika, zucchini, celery.

You can also buy frozen vegetable mixtures for making sorrel soup and borscht, and individual vegetables (for example, green beans, tomatoes, French fries).

It is recommended to purchase sets that are no more than six months old. Cut vegetables should move freely throughout the package and not be stuck together in one lump. Which company to give preference to is up to everyone to decide for themselves. Frozen vegetable mixtures “4 seasons” are of fairly high quality. It is pleasant to cook any dishes from them.

The simplest recipes are to pour the contents of the bag into a steamer or frying pan, add meat, cereals or other vegetables if desired, and thoroughly steam everything under the lid. But this is an option for the lazy. Below we will tell you how to prepare frozen vegetable mixtures quickly and tasty.

Recipes for cooking from frozen mixtures

Since packaged vegetables have been blast frozen, they can be cooked fairly quickly. There is no need to defrost them first; they are added to soups and stews as is.

Recipes can be found on the back of the package, you can come up with them yourself, or you can find them on the Internet:

These recipes are simple and don't require much time. You can also save on the mixtures themselves if you know how to prepare them during the autumn-summer season.

Freezing vegetables

Ingredients:

• different types of cabbage (cauliflower, white cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli);
• tomatoes;
• carrot;
• green peas or green beans;
• pepper;
• zucchini or eggplant.

You can add greens, but it is better to freeze them separately.

Cooking method:

1. We carefully sort and wash all products.
2. After this they need to be cut.
3. For these purposes, you can use a shredder, a figured or regular knife or a grater.
4. How to cut - decide for yourself. In order for vegetables to be useful throughout the season, they must be frozen correctly. To make cooking easier later, and for the products to retain their bright color and rich taste, it is better to blanch them. Each culture is dipped separately from the others.
5. Place the vegetables in a colander and rinse with cold water, then dry them with a towel.
6. Some recipes, such as soup, are designed for raw rather than semi-cooked foods, so you don't need to dip the vegetables in boiling water for these dishes.
7. In a large container, mix all the ingredients except the tomatoes and place in plastic ziplock bags.
8. It is better to put in portions of 500 g.
9. All that’s left is to add the tomatoes and you’re ready to close.
10. We squeeze the edges tightly and release excess air from the bag, then fasten the lock.
11. The mixture is ready to put in the freezer.

Are frozen mixed vegetables healthy?

This type of product has many advantages. The main one is naturalness. Modern technologies make it possible to prepare them without losing the vitamins and minerals they contain. Such products are mainly made from domestic vegetables, and they are much healthier than imported ones.

By purchasing vegetable mixtures, you save not only money, but also time. This product is usually inexpensive and can be stored in the freezer for more than 1 year.

The recipes are printed right there, but even without them you can whip up a complete breakfast or dinner. The soup will be rich and aromatic, the salads will be low-calorie, and the stew will be satisfying. Therefore, such sets are very useful and popular. Bon appetit!

Greetings to all readers!

How to cook frozen vegetables? This question usually arises when for some reason there is no ready-made food, and the family has already gathered and is banging spoons. Prepare frozen vegetables according to this recipe - and in 15 minutes you will have a tasty and healthy side dish on your table, bright, like a piece of summer.

Of course, you won’t be satisfied with just one “herbal” dish; I have an excellent quick recipe for chicken with spices.

How to cook frozen vegetables

Frozen vegetables are not only an inexpensive way to replenish vitamin reserves during the winter, but also a significant saving of time and effort on preparing tasty and healthy food. You can freeze vegetables for future use yourself in the fall or buy them at your local store at any time of the year. Not only are each vegetable frozen individually - corn, peas, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower and other crops - but also in the form of various mixtures.

You can cook frozen vegetables quickly and tasty in just a few minutes, because unlike fresh vegetables, they are already washed, peeled and cut, and they cook twice as fast. And there are much more vitamins and beneficial properties in such products than in vegetables that are sold in stores out of season.

Types of vegetable mixtures

You can freeze any vegetables; thrifty housewives even prepare potatoes for future use, already peeled and chopped, for example, for quick preparation of French fries or “country-style potatoes”; this is very practical and such preparation can help out in any situation.

However, the most convenient option is to use a frozen mixture of different vegetables. This will help you quickly prepare a wide variety of dishes, from stews to casseroles and soups. Vegetables are combined according to your taste or you buy time-tested mixtures, the most popular of which are:

• Hawaiian blend. Consists of half-cooked rice, corn kernels, green peas and sweet paprika. Thanks to the presence of rice, you can prepare a full-fledged side dish or vegetarian dish from it in 15 minutes without any effort. The mixture goes very well with shrimp, various seafood or mushrooms.
• Lecho. A popular dish, the obligatory ingredients of which are sweet bell peppers and tomatoes. In addition, onions, carrots, zucchini are added to this mixture, and during the cooking process, fresh garlic and herbs are also added.
• Mexican vegetables. The mixture got its name from the presence of red beans and corn, which are so popular in this sunny country. In addition, it includes green beans, peas, onions, sweet peppers and carrots, sometimes with the addition of eggplant and celery. This mixture makes excellent burritos and savory salads.
• Ratatouille. This dish does not need additional advertising. Traditionally contains zucchini, eggplant, pepper, tomato and onion.
• Paprikash. The mixture is used to prepare goulash or stew. The main mass is paprika; in addition, the composition includes tomatoes, zucchini, beans, carrots and onions.
• Chinese mixture. The popularity of oriental cuisine is growing every day, so a mixture of black mushroom, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, cabbage, carrots and onions is becoming more and more in demand. It is fried in sesame oil with the addition of chili pepper, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.

Separately, I would like to note that you can even freeze the mixture for making borscht, regular or green. You need to chop and freeze the necessary ingredients - beets, carrots, onions, tomatoes, peppers or spinach with onions, carrots and sorrel.

Delicious dishes

What can you prepare from this variety of frozen vegetables? There are many options:

• soup, cream soup, cream soup;
• vegetable and meat stew;
• stewed vegetables in sour cream, tomato and cream sauce;
• fried vegetables;
• side dishes;
• salads;
• omelet and scrambled eggs;
• casseroles.

Frozen mixtures allow you to prepare your favorite dishes in the shortest possible time. Vegetables are added 10-12 minutes before the dish is ready. Prepared with fresh seasonal vegetables, meat, fish, mushrooms and seafood.

Cooking methods

Frozen vegetables are boiled, fried, stewed, baked and steamed. To do this, use a regular stove, slow cooker, oven or double boiler. Each method has its own characteristics. If vegetables are cooked with meat, fish, or other fresh vegetables, then they are added towards the end of cooking; the vegetables must not be overcooked, otherwise there will be no benefit to them.

Frozen vegetables are fried, stewed and boiled on the stove. Cook them in salted water, placing the mixture in boiling water without defrosting, cooking time according to the instructions on the package. If you froze the vegetables yourself, the cooking time is approximately as follows:

• all types of cabbage, carrots, zucchini, eggplants are boiled for 7-8 minutes;
• beans and corn will be cooked in 5 minutes;
• green onions, spinach, sorrel and other leafy crops will be ready in 2-3 minutes.

In a frying pan

The easiest and most affordable way is to cook frozen vegetables in a frying pan. They can be fried or stewed.

To fry, place the product in a very hot frying pan with a small amount of oil, cook for several minutes until the moisture evaporates, sprinkle with spices and add soy sauce if desired. Fry for another 3-5 minutes until done. If you cover the pan and cook over low heat, they will simmer.

In a slow cooker

Cooking frozen vegetables in a slow cooker is a matter of just a few minutes. The sequence of actions is as follows:

• vegetables are placed in a special net;
• pour water into the multicooker;
• add spices;
• turn on the “steam cooking” mode, time 30 minutes.

This method will preserve the maximum amount of vitamins.

Before cooking frozen vegetables in the oven, they are first fried in a pan for a few minutes to remove excess moisture and prevent the vegetables from turning into soup in the oven. You can pre-defrost them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

Next, the mixture is placed on a baking sheet and sprinkled with oil. Salt the dish and sprinkle with spices at the end of cooking. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 180 degrees. A few minutes before cooking, you can sprinkle the vegetables with grated cheese.

Food preparation

It is not recommended to defrost frozen vegetables, because this may cause them to lose some of their vitamins. They are removed from the freezer immediately before cooking and placed on a hot surface or in boiling water.

It is also important to take into account that during the cooking process, vegetables will release a large amount of moisture, so it is important to choose the right processing method to obtain the required consistency of the dish.

You can freeze vegetables yourself, and you will be confident in the quality of the raw materials; you can choose not only what products to add to this or that mixture, but also the cutting method.

When preparing frozen vegetables and mixtures of them, you need to consider several important nuances:

• You cannot cook such a product for longer than 10-12 minutes, otherwise the vegetables will become soggy and lose their taste and benefits;
• vegetables inside the package should not be collected in a solid lump;
• You should not purchase the mixture if the manufacturing date has exceeded six months;
• no need to rinse frozen vegetables before cooking;
• When purchasing, you need to make sure that the vegetables were prepared using the “shock” freezing method, which preserves most of the vitamins and microelements.

Frozen vegetables are not only an inexpensive way to replenish vitamin reserves during the winter, but also a significant saving of time and effort on preparing tasty and healthy food. You can freeze vegetables for future use yourself in the fall or buy them at your local store at any time of the year. Not only are each vegetable frozen individually - corn, peas, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower and other crops - but also in the form of various mixtures. Content.

Modern stores offer a huge selection of frozen vegetables - separately by type, as well as in various mixtures. And almost every housewife has at least one package of this product in the freezer of her refrigerator. Let's figure out where and how you can use frozen vegetables.

Innovative technologies, especially in food processing, have made life much easier for modern women. After all, few of them are now engaged only in housework - the overwhelming majority of the female population is actively working. But this circumstance does not at all relieve many people from solving such a pressing question as “what to cook today?”

And frozen vegetables sometimes become indispensable helpers in solving this problem. After all, this product does not need to be cleaned, does not need additional processing, it does not even require defrosting. Prepares quickly.

And another undoubted advantage of the mixtures is that they are able to supply the necessary vitamins to our table all year round. And if at the height of summer more preference is given to fresh vegetables, then in other seasons, especially in winter and early spring, frozen vegetables are simply irreplaceable.

Indeed, during the freezing process, almost all of their beneficial properties are preserved.

The right approach to choosing

Many supermarkets offer frozen vegetables, both packaged and in bulk. And if the loose ones can be carefully examined and any major discrepancy can be noticed, then the packaging reliably hides the product from our eyes.

What do you need to do to buy a quality product?

Features of preparing frozen vegetables

So, the mixture has been purchased, all that remains is to figure out how to prepare it and what to serve it with. It is worth remembering some nuances before you start cooking:

1. The time required to cook frozen vegetables is approximately half the time required for standard cooking of raw vegetables. Don't forget about this when storing products. In soup, for example, such ingredients should be added almost at the end of cooking;
2. You don't necessarily need to cook these vegetables; they are edible raw. But in this case they require defrosting. It is best to defrost without opening the package, placing the closed bag in a bowl. The dishes must not be made of metal, have a lid or be covered with film. Defrosting is carried out not in a warm place, but in a cool place. The best place for this is the shelf at the bottom of your refrigerator.

How to properly cook frozen vegetables

If you are planning a side dish of boiled frozen vegetables, then you need to prepare them just before serving. Don’t be afraid to be late and delay your meal - such mixtures cook very quickly. Plus, you don't need to defrost them. You simply open the package and place it in boiling water.

In order to boil a standard packet of vegetable mixture weighing four hundred grams, you will need to pour about one and a half liters of water into the pan.

Then the pan is placed on the fire and the water boils. During the process, add salt and the seasonings you need to the water.

After the water boils, pour the vegetables into it, stir them, wait until the water boils again, loosely cover the pan and cook the mixture for ten minutes.

After which the vegetables are placed in a colander to drain the liquid. Then the vegetables are placed in a bowl and seasoned to taste with vegetable or butter, vinegar, sour cream, or some sauce of your choice.

How to deliciously cook frozen vegetables without spending a lot of time and effort

Quick dinner recipe

Frozen vegetables are a lifesaver, especially when you need to cook something and there is very little time. Instead of using instant semi-finished products that are not always healthy, it is better to use a package of frozen mixture, which will make a tasty, healthy and easy-to-fit dish. What we need:

First of all, cut the onion into small pieces. Then add vegetable oil to the pan and place the onion in the pan.

When the onion turns golden, add the vegetables and stir well. Then add salt and spices, stir again, add water.

Simmer with the lid closed for twenty to twenty-five minutes. After which a delicious and healthy dinner is ready.

Frozen vegetables in a frying pan

This is another way to quickly cook food. The whole process does not take much time. And it doesn’t require any effort on your part - all you need to do is open the package and place the mixture in the frying pan. But this easy task has its own nuances.

So, the frying pan is placed on the fire, and the vegetables are placed in it. The frying process begins.

The heat should be high for two to three minutes; do not cover the pan with a lid, because it is necessary to get rid of the moisture that will result when the mixture defrosts during the cooking process.

When the water has completely evaporated, add vegetable oil, salt and seasonings.

Stir the mixture, cover the pan with a lid and fry until done.

Such a dish can be independent, or can act as a side dish for potatoes, cereals or fish.

Steamed vegetables in a slow cooker

As is known, steam, of all types of heat treatment, best preserves the beneficial properties of products. And all multicookers are equipped with a program for steaming dishes. All we need for cooking:

• Water - a couple of glasses for a multicooker;
• Frozen vegetables - 1 pack.

Pour water into the main bowl of the multicooker and place a bowl on top for steaming dishes. Pour vegetables into it. Close the multicooker lid and set the “Steam” program, setting the time to 8-12 minutes.

You can find out the exact time from the table in the instructions for your multicooker, everything is indicated in detail there. After the time has passed, transfer the prepared vegetables into a dish, salt them and season to your liking.

Also, you can cook two dishes at once by placing some kind of grain, such as rice, in the main bowl, and putting a vegetable mixture in the upper bowl as a side dish. The total cooking time will depend on the time of the mode selected for cooking the cereal.

You can also cook all kinds of dishes in a slow cooker with the addition of frozen vegetables.

Quick and healthy breakfast

To prepare an omelet with green beans you will need:

• Frozen green beans - one hundred grams;
• Eggs - 2-3 pieces;
• Garlic - 1 clove, or a pinch of granulated;
• Some milk;
• Salt to taste;
• Vegetable oil.

Pour the bean pods into the frying pan and wait for the liquid to evaporate. At this time, beat the eggs with milk in a container using a whisk, add garlic and salt.

When the water has completely evaporated from the pan, add vegetable oil and stir the vegetables. Then pour in the egg mixture and mix everything again. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the omelette until done.

Buckwheat with vegetables

To prepare this dish you will need the following ingredients:

• Buckwheat - 1 cup;
• Water - 2 glasses;
• Frozen mixture - 1 pack;
• Vegetable oil.

Place the washed buckwheat in a pan with water and add salt. Boil the cereal until tender. Then pour oil into the frying pan and pour the vegetable mixture into it, mix and salt it.

Cook the vegetables for about ten minutes, then pour the buckwheat porridge into the frying pan. Mix everything and leave on low heat for another five minutes with the lid closed. After which you can serve the dish on the table.

How to freeze vegetables yourself

You can stock up on a storehouse of vitamins at home by freezing your own vegetables. What needs to be done for this?

So you have become acquainted with various ways of preparing such a healthy product as frozen vegetables. Now you know how to fry them, boil them, steam them with rice, etc., without spending a lot of time on cooking.

And if you find the time to freeze vegetables yourself, then in winter you will always have a product on hand of which you can be sure of its quality.