Frozen Mixed Vegetables in Soups

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Frozen mixed vegetables are always handy to have on hand. They can be steamed, boiled or sautéed, or used to make vegetable medleys, stir fries, or served with rice or pasta. They can also be used to make a hearty soup, and there’s nothing nicer on a cold winter evening than a hot soup, especially one that can come together in little more time than it would take to open a can of condensed soup or boil a kettle to make an instant soup.


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. These 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 these recipes can be made entirely from Standby Vegetables and Pantry Essentials with the option of including some Crisper Essentials.

Most of the recipes begin with liquid chicken or vegetable stock but can also be made with stock powder and water. (1 tsp. stock powder plus 1 cup water equivalent to 1 cup liquid stock.)

For more soup recipes where you could use frozen mixed vegetables see Hot Soups from the Pantry or Soups-in-a-Mug.

As Frozen Mixed Vegetables are so versatile, this is only one of three entries for them, which also include:

   »     Frozen Mixed Vegetables in Vegetable Medleys which includes Quick Side Dishes

   »    Frozen Mixed Vegetables with Pasta, Rice and Noodles

 

Recipes:

Vegetable and Noodle Soup

Tomato and Vegetable Soup

Vegetable and Pesto Soup

Vegetable and Lentil Soup

Cream of Vegetable Soup

Spicy Vegetable Soup

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Spicy Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Tuna Chowder

 

Vegetable and Noodle Soup

  • ½ 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

 

  1. In a small saucepan, bring stock to the boil with tomato paste, herbs and spices
  2. Add mixed vegetables and simmer for 15–20 minutes
  3. Break noodle cake into 2 pieces
  4. Add noodles, simmer for 3–5 minutes, teasing to loosen

Variation: substitute a portion of frozen spinach for ¼ cup frozen mixed vegetables

 

Tomato and Vegetable Soup

  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1 tbsp. red lentils (optional)
  • Garlic and chilli (optional)
  • Pepper, basil and dried onion
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

 

  1. Liquidise the diced tomatoes in the small cup of a bullet blender with herbs and spices
  2. Place in a small saucepan with an additional 2 tbsp. water
  3. Add stock, bring to the boil and add vegetables and lentils (optional)
  4. Simmer until vegetables are tender

Variation: substitute 125gm can four-bean-mix or chickpeas, drained, for ½ cup mixed vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes before adding vegetables

 

Vegetable and Pesto Soup

  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • 2 tbsp. small macaroni or elbows
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1–2 tsp. basil pesto
  • Garlic, pepper and paprika
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onions with garlic and pepper
  2. Add mixed vegetables and sauté
  3. Add diced tomatoes and sauté
  4. Add stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 5–10 minutes
  5. Add macaroni and simmer for a further 12–15 minutes
  6. Stir in pesto and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)

Variation: substitute 1 portion frozen spinach for pesto and add during Step 5 at the 10-minute mark

 

Vegetable and Lentil Soup

  • 2 tbsp. red lentils
  • ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1/3 cup canned potatoes, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic, mild curry powder and coriander
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice (optional)
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and spices
  2. Add mixed vegetables and sauté to heat through
  3. Add chopped potatoes
  4. Add stock with tomato paste and lemon juice (optional)
  5. Bring to the boil and add lentils
  6. Simmer for 20 minutes

 

Cream of Vegetable Soup

  • 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • ¼ cup low-fat milk
  • Dried onion, pepper and garlic granules
  • Parsley
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 tsp. cornflour
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)

 

  1. Place stock in a small saucepan with dried onion and spices
  2. Bring to the boil and add vegetables
  3. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until tender
  4. Allow to cool, place in large cup of bullet blender and liquidise thoroughly
  5. Return to saucepan
  6. Add milk, Parmesan, parsley and cornflour to bullet blender cup and liquidise thoroughly
  7. Stir into saucepan and slowly bring to the boil
  8. Simmer until mixture thickens
  9. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt (optional)

 

Spicy Vegetable Soup

  • 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1 x 165ml can light coconut milk
  • Dried onion and garlic granules
  • Mild curry powder and chilli
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)

 

  1. Place vegetables in small saucepan with coconut milk, stock powder, dried onion and spices
  2. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15–20 minutes until tender adding water if necessary
  3. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt (optional)

Variations:

  • substitute 1 tbsp. red lentils for ½ cup vegetables and add at Step 2
  • for a low-fat option, thoroughly blend 2 tbsp. almond meal with 2/3 cup water in a bullet blender and substitute for the coconut milk

 

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

  • 1 x 85gm can shredded chicken in water
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • ¾ cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • Dried onion, pepper and parsley
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • Canola or olive oil
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté vegetables until heated through
  2. Add stock with tomato paste, herbs and spices
  3. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes
  4. Stir in shredded chicken
  5. Simmer until vegetables are tender
  6. Stir in Parmesan cheese (optional)

Variation: substitute ½ cup chopped cooked chicken for the canned chicken

 

Spicy Chicken and Vegetable Soup

  • 1 x 85gm can shredded chicken in water
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ¾ cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • Garlic, chilli, mild curry powder
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic, chilli and mild curry powder
  2. Add mixed vegetables and sauté until heated through
  3. Add stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes
  4. Stir in shredded chicken
  5. Simmer until vegetables are tender

Variation: substitute ½ cup chopped cooked chicken for the canned chicken

 

Tuna Chowder

  • 1 x 95gm can tuna, drained
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables (preferably corn, peas and carrot)
  • ½ cup low-fat milk
  • 2 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • Garlic, pepper and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in melted butter
  2. Add vegetables and sauté until heated through
  3. Add stock with pepper and parsley
  4. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes
  5. Add milk and slowly bring to the boil
  6. Add instant mashed potatoes and stir until thickened
  7. Add tuna and simmer for 1–2 minutes until heated through
  8. Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

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