How to Freeze Spinach

Learn How to Freeze Spinach so you always have a stash of spinach on hand to add to soups, stews, skillets and smoothies.

Fresh spinach doesn’t take long before it starts turning brown and soggy in the refrigerator, so I like to keep freezer bags full of frozen spinach that I can add it to recipes on a whim.

If you’ve ever wondered how to freeze fresh spinach… well freezing spinach couldn’t be easier!  These are two quick and easy methods that I like to use for freezing my fresh baby spinach leaves so I can add to recipes later.    When using spinach leaves for salads though, the spinach should always be fresh and never frozen.

How to Freeze Spinach Leaves for Smoothies

I  freeze baby spinach leaves whole to add to my smoothies.  Here’s how….(super easy!)

1. Rinse Spinach:  Rinse raw spinach to remove dirt and debris and to discard brown looking and soggy leaves.
2. Dry Spinach:  Either pat the spinach dry with paper towels, or use a salad spinner to separate the liquid from the leaves. (I love my salad spinner!)
3. Freezer Bags:  Mark the date on the outside of your freezer bag.  Place the rinsed and dried baby spinach leaves in freezer bags, filling them up about 2/3 of the way.  Press out as much air as you can while you seal.
4. Freeze Spinach:  Put the spinach filled freezer bags in the freezer and store for up to 1 month.
5. Add to Smoothies:  No need to thaw, just add the frozen spinach leaves right from the freezer to your blender when making smoothies.

Freezing Spinach to Cook with Later

For spinach that I plan on adding to soups, stews and skillets, I first blanch the baby spinach leaves then freeze them in ice cube trays so spinach can easily be added to recipes on a whim.   One pound of spinach will wilt down to about 1 cup when blanched.  I use these spinach cubes a lot!!!  They’re super handy to have stashed in the freezer!

1. Rinse Spinach:  Rinse raw spinach to remove dirt and debris and to discard brown looking and soggy leaves.
2. Chop:  Coarsely chop spinach discarding any long and tough stems. (The spinach will be in bite-sized and more manageable pieces while it cooks in soups, stews and skillets).
3. Blanch Spinach:   Place spinach in a wire sieve or colander with a handle then submerge it in pot of boiling water for about 1 minute.  The spinach will turn bright green.  Remove spinach from boiling water then dunk it in ice water to halt the cooking process. 
4. Squeeze Excess Water:  Lay the spinach out on paper towels and blot them to remove some of the liquid.
5. Ice Cube Trays:  Evenly distribute the blanched spinach in ice cube trays and freeze for 2-3 hours or until solid.
6. Freezer Bags:  Mark the date on the outside of your freezer bag.  Place the spinach cubes in freezer bags filling them up about 2/3 of the way.  Press out as much air as you can while you seal
7. Freeze Spinach:  Store freezer bags filled with frozen spinach in your freezer.
8. Add to Recipes:   No need to thaw, just add frozen cubes of spinach right from the freezer to the soups, stews and skillet dishes that you’re cooking.

Recipes with Spinach

• Breakfast Skillets:  Vegan Breakfast Skillet
• Fritatta:  Spinach Leek Onion Frittata
• Soups:  Vegetarian Tuscan White Bean Soup, Italian Wedding Soup, Spring Chicken Vegetable Soup
• Dinner Skillets:  Easy Italian Chicken Skillet
• Smoothies:  Blueberry Spinach Smoothie

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Yield: 4 servings

How to Freeze Spinach

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Learn How to Freeze Spinach so you always have a stash of spinach on hand to add to soups, stews, skillets and smoothies.

Ingredients

• 1 pound baby spinach

Instructions

HOW TO FREEZE SPINACH LEAVES FOR SMOOTHIES

1. Rinse raw spinach to remove dirt and debris and to discard brown looking and soggy leaves.
2. Either pat the spinach dry with paper towels, or use a salad spinner to separate the liquid from the leaves. (I love my salad spinner!)
3. Mark the date on the outside of your freezer bag.  Place the rinsed and dried baby spinach leaves in freezer bags, filling them up about 2/3 of the way.  Press out as much air as you can while you seal.
4. Put the spinach filled freezer bags in the freezer and store for up to 1 month.
5. No need to thaw, just add the frozen spinach leaves right from the freezer to your blender when making smoothies.

FREEZING SPINACH TO COOK WITH LATER

1. Rinse raw spinach to remove dirt and debris and to discard brown looking and soggy leaves.
2. Coarsely chop spinach discarding any long and tough stems. (The spinach will be in bite-sized and more manageable pieces while it cooks in soups, stews and skillets).
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. (about 2 gallons per 1 pound spinach)
4. Fill a large bowl of water and ice.
5. Place spinach in a steaming basket or wire sieve or colander with a handle then submerge it in pot of boiling water for about 1 minute.  The spinach will turn bright green. 
6. Transfer spinach from boiling water to the bowl of water filled with ice.
7. Remove from ice water and set aside leaving spinach in basket, sieve or colander so the excess water can drain.
8. Spin the blanched spinach in a salad spinner or pat excess water from the spinach with paper towels.
9. Evenly distribute the blanched spinach in ice cube trays and freeze for 2-3 hours or until solid.
10. Mark the date on the outside of a freezer bag.  Place the spinach cubes in freezer bags filling them up about 2/3 of the way.  Press out as much air as you can while you seal.
11. Put the freezer bags filled with spinach cubes in the freezer and store for up to 3 months.
12. No need to thaw - add spinach cubes right to soups, stews and skillets while cooking.