How to Blanch and Freeze Spinach

Three types of spinach are commercially available: savoy, smooth-leaf and baby spinach.

One of the healthiest greens you can eat, spinach is packed with nutrients such as vitamins K and A and iron. According to World's Healthiest Foods, spinach contains more nutrients than any other food, calorie for calorie. Spinach, which has a mildly sweet taste, is eaten both raw and cooked; spinach that is cooked shrinks substantially. If you have an abundance of fresh spinach, blanch and freeze the spinach for long-term storage. Blanching helps the spinach keep its color and texture.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh spinach, any amount
• Large pot
• Slotted spoon
• Large plastic freezer bag

Instructions

1. Wash the spinach leaves thoroughly under running water to remove dirt and debris.

2. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.

3. Add the spinach leaves to the boiling water and allow them to cook for 30 seconds, until the leaves turn bright green.

4. Remove the spinach from the pot with a slotted spoon, draining the excess liquid.

5. Place the leaves in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

6. Drain the ice water and squeeze as much excess water out of the spinach as possible.

7. Place the spinach in large zip-top freezer bags. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal tightly. The blanched spinach will last in the freezer for 10 to 12 months.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a vacuum sealer if possible to seal the air out of the freezer bags. The more air you remove from the bags, the longer the spinach will stay fresh in the freezer.

References

• The World's Healthiest Foods: Spinach
• Beyond Wonderful: How to Blanch Spinach
• Still Tasty: Spinach - Fresh, Raw

Resources

• Simply Canning: Freezing Spinach and Other Greens
• Spinach Recipes: Spinach Recipes.