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Learn all the tips and tricks for freezing spinach to save time and money. Learning how to freeze spinach for smoothies, soups, and sauces is a great way to preserve this healthy staple of so many recipes. 

four cubes of frozen spinach stacked on top of a muffin liner
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Frozen veggies that are ready to be added to meals are incredible time savers. Having components ready to go to add to dinners or smoothies helps make your day just a little bit easier. 

Of course, you can buy frozen spinach. But if your garden is producing more than you can eat, or you have a bag in the fridge you won’t be able to finish, freezing your own spinach helps reduce waste and saves money.

If you’re already googling things like “can you freeze spinach” like a cool kid, check out our posts on Can You Freeze Kale and Freezing Swiss Chard.

Can You Freeze Fresh Spinach?

Yes, absolutely! Fresh spinach often comes in huge bags and goes bad in the blink of an eye. Freezing fresh spinach is an easy way to prevent waste.

And because it’s so simple to do, you’ll never have to toss out wilted spinach again!

TOOLS FOR FREEZING Spinach

Step By Step Instructions

*I’ll walk you through it here with some photos and tips, and you’ll also find a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post with exact details, etc.

Start by washing the spinach in a large bowl or salad spinner. Discard any woody stems or spoiled damaged leaves.

Grab a medium-sized bowl and fill it halfway with ice water. Set that aside; you’ll need it once you have blanched the spinach.

Bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil. Once it has reached a rolling boil, add the spinach, pushing all the leaves under the water with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Set your timer for 2 minutes.

Using tongs or a large slotted spoon, remove the spinach from the saucepan and transfer it to the ice water. Push all the leaves under the ice water. Set your timer for 3 minutes.

After 3 minutes, drain the spinach in a strainer and allow it to fully drain. You may need to squeeze some excess water out by wrapping the spinach in clean kitchen or paper towels.

Transfer the spinach to muffin tins, Souper Cubes, or your freezer-safe item of choice.

6 photos showing the steps to freezing fresh spinach

how long do you blanch spinach for freezing?

The spinach just needs two minutes in boiling water for the blanching process. 

Do you blanch spinach before freezing?

Yes and no. It depends on how you want to use it. If you plan to use the frozen spinach within a few weeks, there is no need to blanch it first.

Unblanched spinach left in the freezer for too long will turn brown because of enzyme actions which will change the texture, flavor, and coloring.

freezing spinach for smoothies

If you’re planning on using your spinach for smoothies, you can chop it in a food processor or blender with a splash of water until it is puree. I find it easiest to freeze in ice cube trays or silicone trays for smaller and easy-to-blend portions. I’ve even used these silicone egg molds that are for making Instant Pot Egg Bites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does freezing spinach change the taste?

No, freezing spinach will not change the taste. It will however change the texture.

Raw spinach is great in fresh salads, whereas frozen spinach is best reserved for being added to casseroles, dips, or soups.

Is it better to freeze spinach raw or cooked?

It all depends on how you intend to use it. Spinach used within a few weeks does not need to be blanched prior to freezing.

Is it safe to freeze spinach without blanching?

No. For the safest storage of frozen spinach, anything longer than 3 weeks should be blanched.

The blanching and proper storage of the spinach in the freezer will also help prevent freezer burn.

Pro tips/recipe notes

frozen chunks of spinach in muffin liners.
5 from 4 ratings

How to Freeze Spinach

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 2 minutes
Freezing time: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 12 minutes
four cubes of frozen spinach stacked on top of a muffin liner
Learn all the tips and tricks for freezing spinach to save time and money. Learning how to freeze spinach for smoothies, soups, and sauces is a great way to preserve this healthy staple of so many recipes.

Ingredients 

  • 20 oz spinach
  • ice

Instructions 

How to Blanch Spinach

  • Wash spinach, discarding old leaves and woody stems.
    20 oz spinach
  • Fill a bowl halfway with ice water. Set aside.
    ice
  • In a large saucepan bring water to a boil. Add spinach, making sure it is all under the water and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove spinach and add to the ice water. Chill for 3 minutes.
  • Transfer chilled spinach to a strainer and allow it to drain.

How to Freeze Blanched Spinach

  • Squeeze excess water out of the spinach (I squeeze portions in my hand over the strainer).
  • Transfer to freezer containers or a muffin pan lined with parchment paper liners.
  • Freeze for 3 hours. If using the muffin pan method, transfer to freezer bags once spinach has frozen solid.

How to Freeze Unblanched Spinach

  • Place washed and dried spinach in a freezer bag.
  • Remove excess air from the bag and freeze for up to three months.

How to Freeze Spinach for Smoothies

  • Add unblanched spinach to a food processor or blender and a splash of water. Pulse and then gently blend.
  • Pour the puree into ice cube trays. Freeze for 3 hours and transfer to freezer containers.

Notes

  1. Use unblanched spinach within 3 weeks.
  2. Use pureed spinach within 3 months.
  3. Blanched spinach should be used within 3-6 months.
  4. There is no need to thaw the spinach before adding it to soups or sauces.
  5. 5 oz of spinach will wilt down to about 1 cup for freezing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 33kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 112mgPotassium: 791mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 13292IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 140mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: How To
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @sustainablecooks or tag #sustainablecooks!

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About Sarah

Helping you serve up budget-friendly sustainable recipes with a side of balanced living.
Come for the food. Stay for the snark.

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9 Comments

  1. The spinach cooking water will be super high in oxalates which cause medical problems for many people. It’s usually recommended that you discard the spinach cooking water, even though it may be high in some nutrients.

  2. This has been very helpful. For some reason, it’s been almost impossible to find spinach in the frozen food aisle lately. I have a LOT of fresh baby spinach on hand that I need to use up, so finding this pin was quite timely. My morning smoothies say thank you.

    1. I *might* know the answer to that or at least part of it. Because I listened to a supply chain podcast a few months ago and now I’m an “expert”. šŸ™‚

      With the supply chain being so wonky, and droughts (or flooding like in the PNW) everywhere, FRESH produce was harder to find and more expensive. But frozen produce often has a 3-4 month inventory in the warehouses so those prices basically remained unchanged.

      So, when people couldn’t find fresh items or couldn’t afford them, they turned to frozen. And then probably got used to purchasing it. And now, that inventory is finally starting to catch up with the rest of the supply chain.

  3. Our family garden has been spitting out leafy greens at an alarming rate. I used the method from this post to freeze swiss chard. It was easy, simple, and now I have a freezer full of greens for later!5 stars