Making stir-fry with frozen vegetables can be a good way to limit the amount of prep-work that you have to do for dinner, yet some extra steps are needed to make sure that they retain a decent texture and have the best flavor. Some of the best tips include patting the vegetables down prior to cooking them, making sure that they are as dry as possible before you add them to the pan. Cooking any meat and removing it before you add the frozen vegetables can add a lot of flavor to the dish, as can seasoning the oil before you cook the vegetables. Keeping the pan at a very high heat is also important so that the vegetables cook properly.
One of the primary issues faced when making a stir-fry using frozen vegetables is the vegetables developing a soggy texture, which is typically not the desired result when preparing these types of dishes. A good way to avoid this is to rinse the vegetables briefly before you use them to remove any ice crystals and then pat them dry to remove excess moisture. Frozen vegetables naturally have a fair amount of water, which is released when the vegetables are cooked. By doing this first, you can prevent the water from making its way into your stir-fry with frozen vegetables, which can ultimately make the dish wet. This can also help to reduce the amount of splattering that occurs when the water from the vegetables comes in contact with the hot oil in the pan, keeping your stove top cleaner and you safer.
Although frozen vegetables are often very close in flavor to their fresh counterparts, they often lack the same crispness, and can occasionally have a slightly-off flavor. To mask this and add additional zest to your stir-fry, it can be a good idea to cook any meat that you plan to use in the stir-fry first and then remove it from the pan before you add the frozen vegetables. The flavor from the meat will season the pan and the oil, and this will be carried on to the vegetables. If you are not using meat, you can season the oil that you use in your pan by sauteing aromatics such as ginger, garlic, and onion briefly in the oil before adding the frozen vegetables. To prevent them from burning, remove them from the pan before you add the vegetables or make sure that you are constantly stirring the items in the pan.
Stir-fry with frozen vegetables is meant to be a quick-cooking dish and is characterized by its use of high-heat to sear the outside of the food, enhancing its flavor. For this reason, one of the most important tips for making a stir-fry with frozen vegetables is to keep the pan at a relatively high heat, between medium-high and high, depending on how your stove cooks. This will allow the outside of the vegetables to caramelize, while still leaving the interior crisp and flavorful.