Here's an easy recipe for frozen vegetables. These roasted frozen vegetables will make you want to eat those veggies a lot more often! It's super healthy and quick to put together whether cooking for one or a large group.
Thinking of how to cook your frozen vegetables without getting soggy? Tired of veggies tasting boring?
In this recipe post, I will show you how to roast frozen vegetables and make them taste as good as fresh. These frozen roasted vegetables will quickly become your favorite side dish. Kids and adults love it.
This recipe was inspired by this roasted broccoli with parmesan recipe on my site and pairs well with these oven-baked rosemary chicken thighs.
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Why You Should Roast Frozen Vegetables
- It makes frozen vegetables taste better. Roasting frozen vegetables make them less boring and not soggy.
- No thawing is required. Yes, you can cook vegetables straight from frozen. Just throw frozen mixed vegetables on the baking sheet, season, and roast!
- No chopping. This recipe proves that you can eat a healthy meal with little preparation. Skip the unhealthy take-out, you can turn frozen vegetables into something tasty in less than 45 minutes.
- Low in carbs and sugar. The frozen vegetables are perfectly seasoned with simple spices. They aren't cooked in a heavy sauce, most of which is high in sugar.
- Crispy edges. You'll be roasting the frozen vegetables on a large baking sheet and at a high temperature. As a result, the frozen vegetables crisp up beautifully.
Ingredients
- Frozen mixed vegetables. I used a combination of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. I purchased these frozen mixed veggies from Costco.
- Garlic salt. Garlic is a must addition to roasted vegetables. I used Lawry's garlic salt because it contains other tasty spices too.
- Black pepper. I used it to add a mild spicy kick to the vegetables.
- Oil. I used extra virgin olive oil. Avocado oil will work fine too.
- Paprika. I used paprika to add sweetness and a touch of smokiness to the vegetables.
- Thyme. To add a refreshing flavor to the dish.
How to Cook Frozen Vegetables
The preparation and cooking process of these frozen roasted vegetables is not complicated. Here's how.
1. Preheat the Oven and the Pan
- Set the oven to 450°F.
- Put the pan in the oven and warm it up.
2. Season the Frozen Vegetables
- In a large bowl or zip lock, add frozen vegetables, oil, garlic salt, onion powder, paprika, thyme, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Roast
- Remove the hot pan from the oven and carefully put the seasoned frozen vegetables onto the sheet pan, in a single layer.
- Use tongs to spread out the frozen vegetables with nothing overlapping.
- Roast the vegetables for 20-30 minutes or longer as needed (depending on the size of your veggies) until they crisp up. Flip the vegetables every 10 minutes
Tips for Roasting Frozen Vegetables so They aren't Mushy
- Use a large-rimmed baking sheet. For optimal browning and to prevent vegetables from steaming use a large-rimmed baking sheet. The vegetables must be cooked in a single layer with enough room between one another. Do not overcrowd the pan, cook in batches if needed.
- Use enough oil. Make sure that all of the veggies are fully coated with oil to help them crisp up.
- Choose vegetables of equal sizes. To ensure the vegetables cook at the same rate, pick frozen vegetables that are in a similar size.
- Do not use the crumbs/crumbles. At the bottom of the bag are usually smaller crumbs and crumbles. Don't use those, only cook the bigger pieces.
- Don't thaw the vegetables beforehand. Just cook the frozen veggies straight from the freezer to the oven. Thawing the veggies before roasting will make them lose their crunchy texture.
- Do not line the pan. Lining your sheet pan with baking paper may make it easier to clean. However, for maximum browning, skip the lining and let the vegetables have full contact with the hot sheet pan.
- Roast on the top rack. Place the pan on the top rack, which should be in the upper third of the oven. Since heat rises it delivers top-down heat that's perfect for crisping thinner or lighter cooking foods.
- Use a high temperature. This will result in vegetables that are crispy on the edges and browned.
- Hot pan. You need to preheat the sheet pan before adding vegetables. This is a great way to ensure the vegetables are evenly cooked all around and to reduce the total amount of cooking time. You know the pan is hot when you hear the sizzling sound once the vegetables get in contact with the pan.
- Flip the vegetables. Don't forget to toss the vegetables at least twice, preferably every 10 minutes so they are perfectly browned and cooked on all sides.
- Rotate the pan. You want to make sure that each side of the pan gets the same amount of heat.
FAQ
No, you should not defrost frozen vegetables before cooking. Defrosting the veggies before roasting will make them lose their crunchy texture.
Do not throw the seasoning on all at once. Use a small spoon or your fingers to gradually sprinkle the seasoning over all of the vegetables. You also need to stir and toss the vegetables often to ensure they are properly seasoned on all sides.
I personally like a mix of garlic, paprika, thyme, salt, and black pepper. As always, use this recipe as a starting point. You can customize it by adding your favorite spices to fit your taste. Curry powder, oregano, cumin, and everything bagel seasoning are some examples of spices you can use to enhance the flavor.
To reheat roasted vegetables and make them crisp back up again, put the leftover on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven at 400°F for 5 minutes or longer until hot and crispy on the edges.
Let your roasted vegetables cool to room temperature. Place the roasted vegetables in an airtight container. Properly stored, it can last up to 3 days in the freezer. Please keep in mind that roasted vegetables do not freeze well.
Check Out More Delicious Side Dish Recipes
I hope you'll enjoy this recipe and share it with friends! If you try it and don’t mind, please leave me a comment and/or give this recipe a rating. Be sure to subscribe to receive weekly recipes and follow me on Pinterest.
📖 Recipe
Roasted Frozen Vegetables
Equipment
- a x-large or jumbo sheet pan
- a pair of kitchen tongs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds frozen vegetables, (a mix of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots) - do not thaw.
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground paprika
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1¼ teaspoons garlic salt, (use less or more according to your taste)
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Set the oven to 450°F. Put the sheet pan on the top rack (in the upper third of the oven) and warm it up.
- In a large bowl or zip lock, add frozen vegetables and all of the remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine.
- Remove the hot sheet pan from the oven. Carefully put the seasoned frozen vegetables onto the sheet pan, in a single layer with nothing overlapping.
- Roast the vegetables for 20-30 minutes or longer as needed (depending on the size of your veggies) until they crisp up (on the edges). Flip the vegetables and rotate the pan every 10 minutes.
Notes
- Don't thaw the vegetables beforehand. Just cook the frozen veggies straight from the freezer to the oven. Thawing the veggies before roasting will make them lose their crunchy texture.
- Choose vegetables of equal sizes. To ensure the vegetables cook at the same rate, pick frozen vegetables that are in a similar size.
- Do not use the crumbs/crumbles. At the bottom of the bag are usually smaller crumbs and crumbles. Don't use those, only cook the bigger pieces.
- Do not throw the seasoning on all at once. Use a small spoon or your fingers to gradually sprinkle the seasoning over all of the vegetables. You also need to stir and toss the vegetables often to ensure they are properly seasoned on all sides.
- Do not line the pan. Lining your sheet pan with baking paper may make it easier to clean. However, for maximum browning, skip the lining and let the vegetables have full contact with the hot sheet pan.
- Use a large-rimmed baking sheet. For optimal browning and to prevent vegetables from steaming use a large-rimmed baking sheet. The vegetables must be cooked in a single layer with enough room between one another. Do not overcrowd the pan, use multiple sheet pans or cook in batches if needed.
- Roast on the top rack. Place the pan on the top rack, which should be in the upper third of the oven. Since heat rises it delivers top-down heat that's perfect for crisping thinner or lighter cooking foods.
- Storage. Let your roasted vegetables cool to room temperature. Place the roasted vegetables in an airtight container. Properly stored, it can last up to 3 days in the freezer. Please keep in mind that roasted vegetables do not freeze well.
- Reheat. To reheat roasted vegetables and make them crisp back up again, put the leftover on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven at 400°F for 5 minutes or longer until hot and crispy on the edges.
- Product. I used a combination of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. I purchased these frozen mixed veggies from Costco.
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