7 Best Frozen Vegetables You Can Easily Substitute for Fresh
They're an affordable alternative to always have on hand.
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Truthfully, there's nothing wrong with frozen vegetables. That's especially in the dead of winter when you're craving spring or summer vegetables and the produce aisle looks a little sad. Remember, the best frozen vegetables are flash frozen at the peak of their freshness during their growing season so they will retain a lot of the color, flavor, and vitamins even after being defrosted!
Frozen vegetables are also often a great way to save money on groceries. They don't spoil like fresh veggies and they are often cheaper at the store than the "fresh" varieties that are imported during the off season. They're usually pre-chopped and prepped for you, too. So once they're defrosted, all you have to do is throw them in whatever family meal you're making to heat them up. Mix them with in-season winter vegetables or some fresh herbs from your indoor garden, and you're good to go.
Of course, not all frozen veggies are created equal. Some get soggy and lose their texture after being defrosted. And while you can do your best to pat them dry and crisp them up, they'll never quite be as good as fresh. So what are the best frozen vegetables to stock up on? Why, there's a handy dandy list right here! Keep them on hand all year round for fast, easy, affordable swaps when you're in a pinch.
More ways to save on your grocery bill:
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- Delicious Ways to Use Up Leftover Stale Bread
- Can You Freeze Eggs? Yes, So Here's How to Do It
Corn
While you won't get the thrill of crunching down on buttery corn on the cob, frozen corn is an excellent substitute if you want just the kernels. Make corn fritters, hot corn dip, or just heat it up with some butter a a side. If you mix the kernels into taco soup or a chili recipe, you probably don't even have to defrost them first because they're so small!
Peas
Much like corn, you often don't even have to defrost when making some pea recipes because they cook so quickly once added to hot mixture. And boy, isn't life so much better not having to shell fresh pea pods for hours on end? Frozen is the way to go. Why, you can make ravioli primavera with peas for dinner tonight in just 25 minutes!
Spinach
If you've ever cooked down fresh leaves for a spinach recipe, you know just how little it yields. That's why recipes that call for cooked spinach are way more affordable if you elevate frozen spinach. You get a lot of bang for your buck! Then you can make amazing meals like spanakopita or spinach artichoke cups for a crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Carrots
Carrot recipes that call for that crispy crunch that fresh carrots shouldn't use frozen. But if you need them peeled, sliced, and tender, defrosted frozen carrots will give you three major shortcuts in one. Make candied carrots or carrot mash as a quick side or create a flavorful soup.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower recipes are everywhere these days. It's such a great low-carb alternative that you can now find it both riced and in florets in the frozen section. While, like carrots, cauliflower will never get quite as crispy once defrosted, you can still dry it off and roast it or mash it for maximum flavor without worrying about the texture as much.
Butternut Squash
While it's not super hard to cut up a butternut squash, it's okay to admit it's not particularly easy if you've got a big one or a dull knife. Skipping that entirely and using already peeled and cubed frozen butternut squash makes it so much easier to make that casserole or any other butternut squash recipe that calls for cubes done much faster.
Okra
If you live in certain states, you may be shocked to learn that fresh okra is hard to come by. It's true! And no one should be denied all those tasty okra recipes. Once defrosted, frozen okra may be a little soggy, so be sure to thoroughly pat it down and dry it before frying it up.
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