23 Recipes That Start with a Bag of Frozen Mixed Vegetables

Updated: Jan. 30, 2024

Quick, healthy and tasty. Who says you can't have it all?

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Puff Pastry Chicken Potpie

When my wife is craving comfort food, I whip up this chicken pot pie with puff pastry. It’s easy to make, sticks to your ribs and delivers soul-satisfying flavor. —Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado

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Shrimp Fried Rice

This delectable shrimp fried rice is filled with color and taste that makes it vanish fast. Our family of four can't get enough of it. Bacon adds crispness and a hint of heartiness. Consider it when you need a different main dish or brunch item. —Sandra Thompson, White Hall, Arkansas
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Slow-Cooker Beef Barley Soup

Here’s a stick-to-your-ribs type of slow-cooker beef and barley soup. I’ve also used a chuck roast, rump roast and London broil that’s cut into bite-sized pieces with tremendous success. —Jane McMillan, Dania Beach, Florida
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Quick Chicken Lo Mein

I can throw this chicken lo mein together on a weeknight when my kids are doing their homework. It uses frozen veggies, which I always have on hand, so I don’t need to run to the grocery store for ingredients. —Natasha Kennedy, Orlando, Florida
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Easy Dutch Oven Minestrone Soup

This Dutch oven minestrone soup is quick to prepare with shortcut ingredients and is ready in less than an hour. Add a salad and a warm, crusty loaf of bread to round out the meal. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
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Quicker Chicken and Dumplings

Ready in 30 minutes, this easy chicken and dumplings recipe takes advantage of convenience items and uses time-saving, drop-style dumplings. —Willie DeWaard, Coralville, Iowa
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Cajun Beef Casserole

Your little ones who refuse to eat veggies won’t complain one bit when you bring this cheesy casserole with a cornbread crust to the table. For picky eaters, try using less Cajun seasoning. —Kelly Ciepluch, Kenosha, Wisconsin
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Cheese Chicken Soup

Kids won’t think twice about eating their vegetables after tasting this cheesy soup. —LaVonne Lundgren, Sioux City, Iowa
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Weeknight Beef Skillet

This mild but hearty family fare is chock-full of veggies, Italian seasoning and nutrition. It’s a quick-and-easy meal that just might become one of your family’s favorites! —Clara Coulston, Washington Court House, Ohio
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Mom's Paella

I enjoy cooking ethnic foods, especially those that call for lots of rice. Like my mom, I often prepare this dish for special Sunday get-togethers. Traditional paella uses saffron, but turmeric is a budget-friendly alternative. —Ena Quiggle, Goodhue, Minnesota
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Tangy Bean Soup

This soup has a great southwestern flavor and is a real winner with my family. I love it because I can have the soup cooking in my crock pot, and when I get home from work, I can quickly make the dumplings and fix dinner in a jiffy. —Joan Hallford, N. Richland Hills, Texas
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Crescent Turkey Casserole

How do you make a dinner of turkey and vegetables appealing to kids? You turn it into a pie, of course! My version tastes classic but doesn’t take any time at all. —Daniela Essman, Perham, Minnesota
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Classic Chicken Potpie

Our neighbors and a friend from back home are always after me to make "those yummy potpies". That's all the encouragement I need, since we really like 'em, too! —Ada May Smith, Citrus Springs, Florida.
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Makeover Tater-Topped Casserole

I love Tater Tot casserole, but wanted a lighter version of the recipe. The Taste of Home Test Kitchen slashed the fat in this classic dish, while keeping all the Tots my family loves. Who know you could have healthy Tater Tots?! —Scott Woodward, Shullsburg, Wisconsin
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Italian Veggie Beef Soup

My sweet father-in-law, Pop Pop, would bring this chunky soup to our house when we were under the weather. We like it so much, we take it to our own friends who need comfort. It always does the trick. —Sue Webb, Reisterstown, Maryland
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Pastry-Topped Turkey Casserole

My friends tell me this is the best potpie they've ever had. Hearty and full-flavored, my comforting classic never lets on that it’s also low in fat and a good source of fiber. —Agnes Ward, Stratford, Ontario
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Simple Chicken Soup

I revised a recipe that my family loved so it would be lighter and easier to make. It’s a hearty and healthy meal served with a green salad and fresh bread. —Sue West, Alvord, Texas
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Easy Chicken Fried Rice

After my first child was born, I needed meals that were satisfying and fast. This easy chicken fried rice is now part of our regular dinner rotation. —Alicia Gower, Auburn, New York
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Pierogi Beef Skillet

Hearty and thick with beef, veggies and potatoes, this is a complete meal in one. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Spicy Orange Quinoa

A creative way to serve the super grain quinoa, this recipe combines the flavors of citrus, crunchy Brazil nuts, vegetables, garlic and saffron. Cayenne and roasted peppers add a spicy accent. —Kathy Patalsky, New York, New York
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Chicken & Vegetable Fettuccine

This is very simple to make when you have cooked a whole chicken and have leftovers. My boys always loved this comfort food, especially after a busy day of hockey! It’s nice with a side salad and breadsticks. —Andrea Bergen, Altona, Manitoba
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Muffin-Tin Chicken Potpies

I made these personalized chicken pot pies in muffin tins for my kids, and they gobbled them up. For the record, the grown-ups did, too! —Melissa Haines, Valparaiso, Indiana
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Stovetop Goulash

I created this recipe after trying goulash at a local restaurant. The blend of spices gives it fabulous flavor, and it’s so easy to make on a weeknight! —Karen Schelert, Portland, Oregon