How to Freeze Spinach: Simple Tips For Preserving Fresh Spinach
Want to learn how to freeze spinach correctly? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
Spinach is a green leafy superfood jam-packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. If this isn’t enough reason for you to add spinach to your diet on the daily basis then let me share some more information about why these leafy greens are good for you.
Spinach and beet greens are great in smoothies, sandwiches, and salads and today I’ll be sharing how to freeze spinach so you can get the most from this delicious vegetable.
First things first:
Contents
What is the Benefit of Spinach?
The answer is easy – this healthy veg helps you to live longer. It’s full of antioxidants and nutrients that will keep
- skin healthy
- hair shiny
- eyes clear
- teeth strong
Spinach Nutrition Facts
Raw spinach is full of iron so it helps to prevent anemia. It’s also high in fiber, which promotes digestive health and reduces the risk of cancer.
One cup contains only 36 calories – this means that you have more room for dessert! Which is probably why chocolate cake exists…
It’s also low in sodium and saturated fat, making it a heart-healthy addition to your diet.
Does Spinach Help You Poop?
Is spinach good for constipation relief?
The answer is yes! Both frozen and fresh spinach leaves contain fiber which helps with relieving bowel problems like constipation.
Why Is Spinach Good in Smoothies?
Yes! It’s great for smoothies because it has a mild flavor that doesn’t overpower other fruits and veggies.
It’s easy to hide dry spinach or pureed spinach into your morning smoothie.
Just blend fresh spinach or frozen, with water, milk, yogurt, or juice!
How do You Preserve Spinach from the Garden?
One way to preserve green veg from your garden is by blanching it before freezing. Blanched spinach helps keep the color and flavor of this superfood.
Will Freezing Ruin Spinach?
No, this green leafy vegetable can be kept fresh in the freezer for up to nine months.
Just make sure you blanch spinach before placing it in freezer bags.
You can thaw a big handful to use in new recipes and when you’re making smoothies. It’s so easy to freeze spinach and use in your favorite recipes.
Does Blanching Spinach Remove Nutrients?
No, you will still get a lot of nutritional value from blanched spinach.
Both blanched spinach and unblanched spinach are full of goodness. You don’t need to blanch your greens but it’s a good idea to do so.
Does Freezing Spinach Lose Nutrients?
No, freezing fresh spinach helps maintain its nutrients so you can add it to delicious recipes and have fun making spinach smoothies after you thaw the spinach out.
How Long Do You Blanch Spinach for Freezing?
Add spinach to boiling water for two minutes to blanch spinach.
When freezing baby leaves, I prefer to blanch them before freezing.
What You Should Know Before Freezing Spinach?
First, you have to be aware of what type of spinach you are going to freeze. You can either go for the regular leafy type or baby leaves. Both are great for freezing.
Decide how you want to freeze your green veg, directly in the freezer or by using the blanched spinach method.
What are the Benefits of Freezing Spinach?
Here are the benefits of freezing spinach:
1) When you freeze spinach, it has more nutrients than canned spinach, which loses many important vitamins and minerals during the canning process.
2) Frozen Spinach is convenient – it’s already cooked and ready to use in a variety of dishes.
3) Freezing spinach in freezer bags couldn’t be easier!
Just place the leaves in a freezer bag and pop them into your freezer.
What is the Best Way to Freeze Spinach?
The best way to freeze spinach is to blanch, dry, and then pack into freezer bags or containers.
Freezing fresh spinach and incorporating it into the cooking process, is a great way to add extra nutrition to your meals.
How to Freeze Spinach Leaves
The process of freezing spinach leaves is easy but it’s important to make sure you do it properly so you can enjoy this superfood for months to come…
- First, wash your spinach leaves in a large pot.
- Trim the roots and stems.
- Blanch the fresh spinach in boiling water for two minutes.
- Remove and allow to cool down in ice water.
- Remove and squeeze excess water out once your leafy greens are at room temperature.
- Lay the blanched spinach out on paper towels.
- Once dry you can bag it into zip-lock freezer bags.
- Label with the date before freezing your raw spinach.
How to Freeze Spinach in Containers:
Another great way of preserving raw spinach from the garden is by freezing it directly in containers. You will need air-tight freezer containers to help remove as much air as possible.
Label your container with a marker before placing it in the freezer.
This will make it easier to find when you need some frozen spinach on a cold winter day!
How to Freeze Spinach Cubes?
My favorite way to preserve fresh spinach for later use is to make spinach cubes using ice cube trays.
- Place your cooked and drained spinach leaves in a blender.
- Blend until it forms a puree.
- Add your pureed spinach into an ice cube tray. I prefer to use silicone trays.
- Freeze overnight.
- Remove the spinach ice cubes from the ice cube trays and add them into freezer bags or a container.
- When needed, just place the frozen cubes of spinach into a pan and warm over medium heat.
HOW TO FREEZE FRESH SPINACH FOR SMOOTHIES
The best way to freeze your fresh greens for smoothies is by freezing pureed spinach.
Spinach puree is great in a smoothie. You can grab just the right amount of frozen cubes from your freezer bag and add them to your breakfast smoothie.
Using ice cube trays and making frozen spinach puree can help prevent freezer burn which is a bonus!
When you freeze fresh spinach it allows the raw spinach to last longer. I always recommend you freeze spinach when you have too much.
How to Thaw Frozen Spinach Leaves
There are three ways to thaw frozen spinach leaves.
- Place your frozen leaves in the refrigerator overnight before using them.
- Remove spinach from the container or bag. Place the spinach submerged into a bowl of cold water for about an hour befo using it.
- Heat the frozen spinach in a microwave for 30 seconds if adding to a meal.
Best Recipes That Use Spinach
Here are some delicious new recipes you may want to try!
1) Spinach Artichoke Dip
This appetizer dip is quick and easy to make. It calls for three main ingredients.
- Thaw out the spinach in your refrigerator overnight.
- Then, drain it thoroughly and place it in a large pot or bowl.
- Next, add the artichoke hearts and the cheese.
- Stir until well combined and serve with tortilla chips or pita bread slices.
2) Spinach Salad
This salad is not only healthy but also very yummy. It calls for baby spinach, feta cheese, and croutons.
- Combine baby spinach leaves with croutons and feta cheese.
- Drizzle with your favorite salad dressing like balsamic vigar or olive oil.
You can use a salad spinner to help get this recipe just perfect.
3) Spinach Lasagna
Who doesn’t love a good lasagna recipe? This is one of the best pasta recipes.
- Cook the fresh or thawed spinach. Make sure to drain it well and place it in a large bowl.
- Add the ricotta cheese with mozzarella cheese and mix well.
- Then, spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on your baking dish before placing the first lasagna sheet.
- Add another layer of marinara sauce.
- Place the spinach mixture or spinach puree on top and continue to make layers until you are done with all your ingredients.
- Top the last layer of spinach mixture with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese before baking in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
Instant Pot Spinach Recipes:
You can cook lots of different spinach recipes in your Instant Pot. To find some great spinach pressure cooker recipes check out these ideas here!
Spinach Smoothie Recipes You Need To try
If you are wondering how to make a healthy and nutritious smoothie, try out these spinach smoothie recipes.
Spinach Banana Smoothie
- This spinach smoothie recipe calls for bananas, baby spinach, and almond milk as the main ingredients.
- First, combine the bananas and baby spinach in a blender or food processor before adding almond milk to desired consistency.
- Then, blend at high speed until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately with ice cubes if needed for texture.
- You can also top it off with some chia seeds as well as shredded coconut flakes on top of your glass for garnish.
This is one healthy and delicious snack you will love having every day!
Cherry Smoothie
The next recipe we have here is a delicious Cherry Spinach Smoothie.
- Place cherries and baby spinach into your blender before adding almond milk.
- Blend at high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Top this off with chia seeds as well as unsweetened shredded coconut flakes for texture on top of your glass for garnish.
This cherry spinach smoothie recipe not only tastes good it also provides you with lots of antioxidants!
Tropical Spinach Smoothie
This smoothie recipe calls for pineapple juice, frozen mango cubes, fresh or thawed kale leaves, baby spinach leaves, and ice cubes.
Place all your ingredients (except the ice cubes) into a blender or food processor.
Blend at high speed until smooth and creamy before adding ice cubes to desired consistency.
Serve immediately with some chia seeds on top of your glass for garnish.
Now you know how to freeze spinach, you can store it in the freezer and use it to make tasty recipes and smoothies. Enjoy!
