Blanch Spinach
Blanching spinach is a great way to bring out additional flavor, brighten the green color, and soften the texture. When learning how to blanch spinach, you must have several bags of spinach on hand because during the blanching process, a bag of spinach will cook down to a small handful. A good rule of thumb is: 1 pound (450 g) of spinach will cook down to about 1 cup (8 ounces). One pound (450 g) of spinach equals approximately 10 to 12 cups (80 to 96 ounces) of fresh leaves.
Steps
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. If desired, add just enough salt to give the water a slightly salty taste.
- Wash your spinach leaves, and pat them dry.
- Put ice cubes and water in a large bowl. Fill the bowl 3/4 of the way full with ice, and add cold water to reach the top of the ice. This needs to be readily available after the spinach is boiled.
- Put the spinach leaves in the boiling water, and allow them to boil for 30 seconds to 1 minute until you see a bright green color.
- Drain the excess water from the spinach with a slotted spoon or strainer.
- Put the spinach in the ice water. Leave the blanched spinach in the ice bath for a few minutes or until it is no longer warm. This will stop the cooking process, keep the spinach tender, and retain the nutrients.
- Squeeze the spinach with your hands to remove all excess water. Leaving too much moisture in the leaves may potentially ruin recipes. Spinach is approximately 90% water, so no additional water is required to cook spinach.
- Seal the spinach in an air-tight container to store. Freeze spinach for later use, or use immediately in a recipe.
Tips
- You can also blanch vegetables other than spinach and store them in the freezer for use when they are out of season. Other vegetables suitable for blanching include green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus. Serving these vegetables directly out of the boiling water continues the cooking process, which can give them a mushy texture on the plate.
- Blanching spinach can be also be done before drying it in a dehydrator.
- When you are ready to eat the spinach, reheat it only slightly, or just enough to warm it. Getting it too hot will re-cook it and remove most of the nutrients.
Warnings
- Leaving the spinach in the boiling water for too long will break down much of the nutrient content, robbing it of valuable vitamins and minerals.
- Do not use spinach leaves that are yellow, wilted, or bruised.
- Spinach is sensitive to ethylene. Storing it with tomatoes, apples, or melons will cause the leaves to turn yellow. These fruits naturally release this chemical.
Things You'll Need
- Spinach leaves
- Large pot
- Salt (optional)
- Slotted spoon or strainer
- Large bowl
- Ice water
- Air-tight container (optional)
Related Articles
- Select and Store Spinach
- Make Spinach Loaf
- Make Cream Spinach
- Make Sesame Spinach Salad
