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!)
- Rinse Spinach: Rinse raw spinach to remove dirt and debris and to discard brown looking and soggy leaves.
- 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!)
- 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.
- Freeze Spinach: Put the spinach filled freezer bags in the freezer and store for up to 1 month.
- 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!
- Rinse Spinach: Rinse raw spinach to remove dirt and debris and to discard brown looking and soggy leaves.
- 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).
- 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.
- Squeeze Excess Water: Lay the spinach out on paper towels and blot them to remove some of the liquid.
- Ice Cube Trays: Evenly distribute the blanched spinach in ice cube trays and freeze for 2-3 hours or until solid.
- 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
- Freeze Spinach: Store freezer bags filled with frozen spinach in your freezer.
- 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
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.
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby spinach
Instructions
HOW TO FREEZE SPINACH LEAVES FOR SMOOTHIES
- Rinse raw spinach to remove dirt and debris and to discard brown looking and soggy leaves.
- 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!)
- 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.
- Put the spinach filled freezer bags in the freezer and store for up to 1 month.
- 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
- Rinse raw spinach to remove dirt and debris and to discard brown looking and soggy leaves.
- 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).
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. (about 2 gallons per 1 pound spinach)
- Fill a large bowl of water and ice.
- 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.
- Transfer spinach from boiling water to the bowl of water filled with ice.
- Remove from ice water and set aside leaving spinach in basket, sieve or colander so the excess water can drain.
- Spin the blanched spinach in a salad spinner or pat excess water from the spinach with paper towels.
- Evenly distribute the blanched spinach in ice cube trays and freeze for 2-3 hours or until solid.
- 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.
- Put the freezer bags filled with spinach cubes in the freezer and store for up to 3 months.
- No need to thaw - add spinach cubes right to soups, stews and skillets while cooking.