What Are Mixed vegetables and How Can I Use Them?

If mixed vegetables have turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use them with confidence and how to choose them, cook them, store them, what to substitute, and 195 recipes to try them in.

What are mixed vegetables?

Mixed vegetables is the catch-all name for a ready-made blend. Usually that means the classic frozen mix of corn, peas, green beans, and carrots, sometimes with lima beans added.

It's the bag in everyone's freezer, picked and frozen at peak so it's there whenever a recipe wants color and substance. The whole appeal is convenience: one bag handles the chopping and the blanching for you, which is why mixed vegetables anchor so many weeknight soups and casseroles here.

How to Use Mixed Vegetables

The single most useful rule: don't thaw them.

Frozen vegetables are already blanched, so add them straight from the bag and let the dish's own heat finish the job. Thawing first just leaves you with mush and a puddle of water.

In soups and stews, stir them in during the last 5 to 10 minutes so they heat through without overcooking, as in this Kansas City Steak Soup or a brothy Turkey - Vegetable Soup.

For stir-fries and skillet meals, drop them into a hot, dry-ish pan so the surface moisture flashes off instead of steaming. That's the trick behind a fast Quick & Easy Vegetable Curry or Stir-Fried Pork.

They also bake straight into bound dishes like omelets and pot pies, for example these Ziploc Omelets, where the surrounding egg or sauce holds everything together.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Mixed vegetables are deliberately neutral, so they take on whatever you build around them: soy and ginger in a stir-fry, curry and coconut in a braise, broth and herbs in a soup, cheese and cream in a casserole.

The biggest mistake is overcooking. These vegetables were already cooked once during blanching, so a long simmer turns the peas gray and the carrots to paste. Add them late and pull the dish promptly.

The second mistake is not draining off the water they release. A handful tossed into a stir-fry sheds liquid as it heats; cook over high heat and give it room, or you'll braise instead of fry.

Salt at the end, too. The blend has no seasoning of its own.

Substitutes

The easiest swap is any other frozen vegetable blend, whether an Italian, California, or stir-fry mix, used cup for cup.

You can also build your own from single-vegetable bags: equal parts frozen corn, peas, green beans, and diced carrots gets you the classic mix exactly.

Fresh vegetables work too, but they need a head start. Cut carrots and green beans into small pieces and give them a few minutes' jump on the quicker peas and corn, since fresh isn't pre-blanched the way the frozen blend is.

Canned mixed vegetables are the last resort. They're fully cooked and soft, so drain them well and add them only to warm through at the very end.

Buying and Storing

Squeeze the bag in the store before you buy. It should feel like loose, individual pieces; a solid frozen brick means the bag thawed and refroze, which wrecks the texture.

Keep mixed vegetables at 0°F (minus 18°C) and they stay good for 8 to 12 months. They're safe well beyond that, but the texture and color slowly fade, so older bags are best in soups where it matters least.

Once you open a bag, press out the air and reseal it tightly. That guards against freezer burn, the dry, frosty patches that leave vegetables papery and dull.

Scoop out what you need and return the bag to the freezer fast, since repeated thawing is what does the most damage.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find mixed vegetables: Mixed vegetables are usually found in the frozen foods section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Mixed vegetables are a member of the Vegetables and Vegetable Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

混合蔬菜

British (UK) term

Mixed vegetables

en français

légumes mélangés

en español

vegetales mixtos

How much do mixed vegetables weigh?

Related

Vegetables and Vegetable Products

Recipes using mixed vegetables

There are 195 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Veg Manchurian

Vegetable Manchurian was a great combo with Egg Fried Rice.We normally make Cauliflower Manchurian as a side dish for Fried Rice.This dish ends up being a clean up dish as you can add all your veggies that you might have left overs and tastes great.

Veg Manchurian

Vegetable Manchurian was a great combo with Egg Fried Rice.We normally make Cauliflower Manchurian as a side dish for Fried Rice.This dish ends up being a clean up dish as you can add all your veggies that you might have left overs and tastes great.

Stuffed Rava/Sooji idli

Here's a delicious, quite filling idli recipe that can be enjoyed as a snack or the main dish. Learn how to make stuffed idli. So here's a colourful idli recipe that's packed with the goodness of vegetables.

Chili Con Carne Winchester

Chili con carne Winchester loads ground beef, kidney beans, and stewed tomatoes with a sneaky can of Veg-All for one-pot nutrition. Easy weeknight chili in under an hour.

Homemade Baked Noodles

Asian-style baked noodle casserole layered with stir-fried vegetables, creamy white sauce, and a golden breadcrumb crust. A fusion comfort dish that transforms simple ingredients into something special.

Creamy Navrattan Korma

Vegetable Korma is a delicious combination of several vegetables in a creamy sauce. It is often served in Indian restaurants. Korma can be served with any Indian bread or rice.

Sindhi Curry

One of my favourite things to have for a meal is Sindhi curry with plain boiled rice accompanied by crispy vegetables. The Sindhi Curry is by far the nicest curry I’ve had. Sour, spicy and tangy – some of the flavours I’m especially biased towards. This is also good because I end up eating a variety of vegetables.

Spaghetti with Vegetables & Toasted Almonds

This easy to make one-skillet dish is an ideal busy weekday dinner. Whole wheat spaghetti, lots of vegetables and toasted almonds lend the dish lots of nutrients, and it tastes simply delicious.

Red Wine Braised Roots Vegetables & Mushrooms

In this fabulous recipe, we use several kinds of seasonal root vegetables, braising them with red wine, let the whole dish become more tasty, you can serve it as a vegetarian dish or a side-dish with turkey, chicken or beef.

Stir-Fried Veggies with Soba Noodles

You can say this is a combination of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Because it uses Chinese stir-fry technique, spices; Japanese noodles, miso paste; and Korean chili sauce. It has lots of yumminess and goodness in this one pot meal.

Ground Turkey & Veggie patties

A very flavorful, juicy and moist turkey pattie, loaded with vegetables and melts in your mouth.

Chicken Pot-pie

Easy chicken pot pie that skips the roux: cream of potato soup, mixed vegetables, and cooked chicken baked between two flaky crusts with thyme. A fast way to use up leftover meat.

Mama D's Busy Night, Not Quite Chicken Pot Pie

All the essential goodness of chicken pot pie without all the hassle. Perfect for a busy work night when you just don't have a second to spare. Quick and delicious, perfect for the family on the go.

Mexican Tortilla Pizzas

These delicious tortilla pizzas are quick and easy to make, they are great for a week day dinner when you don't want to spend too much time preparing dinner.

Sesame Beef Strips

Easy Chinese sesame beef strips and broccoli. With both stir-fry and microwave directions. Colorful with punchy Asian flavor.

Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

Used snow peas, mushrooms and red peppers for the veggies, and didn't add any cashews. It still came out delicious.

Quick & Easy Vegetable Curry

Quick vegetable curry simmers potato and frozen mixed vegetables in a spiced tomato sauce built from bloomed curry powder and tomato paste. A budget-friendly, vegan weeknight dinner in about 35 minutes.

Tuna & Rice Creole

Tender rice simmered with tuna, stewed tomatoes, mixed vegetables, and melted cheddar in a one-pot Creole-style dish.

Dijon Chicken

Pan-seared chicken breasts in a creamy Dijon mustard sauce served over noodles with mixed vegetables. A comforting one-skillet weeknight dinner ready in under an hour.

Stir-Fried Pork

Thin pork strips stir-fried with teriyaki sauce, red pepper flakes, and crisp-tender mixed vegetables in a tangy cornstarch glaze. A no-fuss weeknight dinner ready in 25 minutes.

"Gotta Go!" Soup

Leftover vegetable soup pureed smooth with chicken broth and seasoned with Tabasco, herbs, and a touch of cream. The thrifty cleanout-the-fridge soup that turns leftovers into something genuinely good.

Shrimp Savoy(Makua Tait Savoy)

Thai-style stuffed tomatoes filled with seasoned ground pork, shrimp, peas, and corn, flavored with pounded garlic, peppercorns, coriander root, and fish sauce. Gently steamed until tender and fragrant.

Quarter-Hour Sweet-N-Sour

Quick sweet and sour chicken with frozen breaded chicken, mixed vegetables, rice, and bottled sweet and sour sauce. A 15-minute weeknight dinner using pantry shortcuts.

Chili Bean Casserole

A vegetarian chili casserole with dried kidney beans, bulgur wheat, mixed vegetables, and red wine simmered in a spiced tomato broth. Hearty, filling, completely meatless.

Light Sabayon

Try this variation of a French sauce as a topping on pancakes.

Spicy Tofu

A Thai-style tofu salad with toasted rice powder, roasted chili, fresh mint, lime, and soy sauce served over lettuce with rice and vegetables. Bright, herbaceous, and fiery.

Beef Stew Casserole

Beef stew casserole topped with golden buttermilk biscuits, like a shortcut pot pie. Browned beef, vegetables, and rich gravy baked under a fluffy biscuit crust for a cozy cold-day dinner.

South of the Border Chicken Soup

Quick Mexican-style chicken tortilla soup with crispy fried corn tortilla strips, bell peppers, chili powder, and mixed vegetables. A warming, hearty bowl from pantry staples in 40 minutes.

Ranch Flavored Pasta Primavera

Four-ingredient ranch pasta primavera with rotelle, frozen vegetables, olive oil, and ranch dressing mix. A pantry-raid dinner ready in under 30 minutes.

Three Cheese Vegetable Lasagna

A layered vegetable lasagna with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan, featuring both spinach and mixed vegetable fillings in a creamy béchamel sauce. Feeds eight in about an hour.

Hearty Turkey Bake

Turkey casserole baked in a mashed potato shell with mixed vegetables, cream of mushroom soup, and melted cheddar. A low-fat way to use leftover turkey.

Moo Shu Vegetables

Moo shu vegetables is a fast, meatless take on the takeout classic: shredded vegetables and bean sprouts stir-fried with ginger, garlic, scrambled egg, and hoisin. Light, quick, and great wrapped in pancakes.

Minestrone in Minutes

Quick minestrone soup with potatoes, frozen mixed vegetables, kidney beans, and Italian seasoning in vegetable broth. Vegetarian, Parmesan-topped, and ready in 35 minutes.

Lattice Top Turkey

Lattice top turkey casserole with leftover turkey, mixed vegetables, and cheddar in cream of mushroom soup, topped with a golden Bisquick lattice. Classic post-holiday leftover dinner.

Vegetable Soup (Santa Maria)

Light Filipino-style vegetable soup with stir-fried mixed vegetables, soy sauce, and fresh watercress stirred in at the end. A simple, nourishing bowl ready in about an hour.

Potato-Crust Quiche...Magazine

Potato-crust quiche with mashed potato shell instead of pastry, filled with mixed vegetables, cheddar cheese, and an egg-milk custard. Naturally gluten-free and hearty.

Robin's Vegetarian Pot Pie

Vegetarian pot pie with seasoned tofu, sauteed vegetables, and chickenless gravy baked in a double-crust pie shell. All the comfort of classic pot pie, completely meat-free.

Super Easy Pasta Primavera

Ready in a hurry with only 4 ingredients this easy pasta recipe can be on the table quickly.

Navrathna Kurma

Navrathna kurma is a creamy North Indian vegetable curry with fried paneer, mixed vegetables and tomato-onion gravy enriched with milk, cream and warm spices like turmeric, coriander and garam masala.

Chiken Pot Pie

A freezer-friendly chicken pot pie with pre-cooked chicken, mixed vegetables, and cream of mushroom soup in a flaky double crust. Make ahead and bake straight from frozen.

Creamy Egg & Vegetable Bake

Hard-boiled eggs and mixed vegetables layered over potatoes in a cheddar-mustard cream sauce, topped with tomato slices and baked. A budget-friendly, low-calorie meatless dinner.

Sesame Vegetable Rice

Simple vegetarian sesame vegetable rice bowl with brown rice, stir-fried mixed vegetables, toasted sesame seeds, and liquid aminos. A clean, wholesome weeknight dinner in 40 minutes.

Bay Country Crab Soup

Maryland-style crab soup simmered with beef shin, tomatoes, mixed vegetables, and a pound and a half of crab meat. A slow-cooked Chesapeake Bay classic loaded with briny sweetness and deep beefy broth.

Food for the Brain Dead Pasta Salad

Easy pasta salad tosses cooked pasta with frozen mixed vegetables, sweet potato, and low-fat dressing for a five-minute brown bag lunch. Pantry-staple weeknight side or work-from-home meal.

Veggie Quiche

Light veggie quiche with whipped egg whites folded into a yogurt-Swiss cheese base with sauteed broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms. Airy, souffle-like, and satisfying.

Italian-Style Fish & Vegetables

One-skillet Italian fish with mushrooms, fennel, basil, and tomato slices topped with melted Parmesan. Use catfish, orange roughy, or sole for a complete dinner in under 25 minutes.

Dhansak

Vegetarian dhansak with mixed legumes, vegetables, garam masala, turmeric, and green chili cooked in ghee. A hearty Parsi-inspired Indian lentil stew with fresh cilantro.

Oven Easy Turkey & Potato Dinner

One-dish turkey and potato casserole with a hash brown crust, brown gravy, mixed vegetables, and melted cheddar. A smart way to use leftover turkey for a fast weeknight dinner.

Microwave Casseroled Chicken

Microwave casseroled chicken: whole roaster cooked in the microwave with cream of celery soup, egg noodles, and mixed vegetables. Full dinner in 50 minutes.

Minestrone in Minutes (Potato Board)

Quick minestrone soup ready in 35 minutes with potatoes, kidney beans, and mixed vegetables in herb-seasoned vegetable broth. Topped with Parmesan.

All 195 recipes