Oh, the frozen food aisle, keeper of conveniences. I find myself there often, snatching up dumplings for dinner emergencies, ice cream for emotional emergencies, and frozen spinach. Yep, that’s right: One of the frozen foods we endorse here at Basically is spinach. Don’t get us wrong, we still like its fresh counterpart for some things, but sometimes frozen is, in fact, better.
Frozen spinach can be subbed in pretty much any place you’d normally be cooking raw spinach. And since raw spinach is watery, you’ll probably need to cook it down anyway—otherwise, it’ll release its water and change the texture and flavor of your finished dish. Since frozen spinach is blanched (that is, boiled briefly in very hot water and then submerged in cold water to stop the cooking and retain the color) before it’s packaged, its like a shortcut.
Frozen spinach is also space efficient (have you ever tried to cram two pounds of the fresh stuff into your fridge?) and it lasts for months. Whether you’re whipping up a dip for last-minute guests or you want something nutritious (that is, green) to add to your omelette, frozen spinach is there for you.
Okay, so you’re convinced. Youre practically Popeye! But now you need to know how to use frozen spinach. The cooking instructions on the back of the package can be misleading, asking you to re-boil or microwave the greens for an inordinate amount of time. And if the greens are already cooked, do you need to thaw them at all?
In the case of soup, no. A little extra water never hurt a broth. But when it comes to pretty much everything else—be it eggs, quesadillas, or skillet pizza—moisture is the enemy, so you’re going to want to let the spinach thaw. Then grab it by the fistful, squeeze out all the water (it helps if you wrap it in a kitchen towel), and add it in.
Even with the extra step of thawing, nothing beats delicious greens at arms reach. Just make sure you leave room for the ice cream you’ll inevitably grab when you’re in the freezer section.
Defrosted frozen spinach can be added to any recipe that calls for leafy greens. “Once defrosted, squeeze out excess water, and add to fritter batters, smoothies, soups, stew, a pot of creamy beans, or my favorite, as a lasagna layer,” Bruning says.
Okay, so you’re convinced. Youre practically Popeye! But now you need to know how to use frozen spinach. The cooking instructions on the back of the package can be misleading, asking you to re-boil or microwave the greens for an inordinate amount of time. And if the greens are already cooked, do you need to thaw them at all?
In the case of soup, no. A little extra water never hurt a broth. But when it comes to pretty much everything else—be it eggs, quesadillas, or skillet pizza—moisture is the enemy, so you’re going to want to let the spinach thaw. Then grab it by the fistful, squeeze out all the water (it helps if you wrap it in a kitchen towel), and add it in.
Frozen spinach can be subbed in pretty much any place you’d normally be cooking raw spinach. And since raw spinach is watery, you’ll probably need to cook it down anyway—otherwise, it’ll release its water and change the texture and flavor of your finished dish. Since frozen spinach is blanched (that is, boiled briefly in very hot water and then submerged in cold water to stop the cooking and retain the color) before it’s packaged, its like a shortcut.
Even with the extra step of thawing, nothing beats delicious greens at arms reach. Just make sure you leave room for the ice cream you’ll inevitably grab when you’re in the freezer section.
Oh, the frozen food aisle, keeper of conveniences. I find myself there often, snatching up dumplings for dinner emergencies, ice cream for emotional emergencies, and frozen spinach. Yep, that’s right: One of the frozen foods we endorse here at Basically is spinach. Don’t get us wrong, we still like its fresh counterpart for some things, but sometimes frozen is, in fact, better.
Soup is one of those dishes that transcends cultures, seasons, and occasions. A comforting lunch, a tantalizing entrée, or a nourishing medley, soup is as unique and diverse as animal species or stars in the sky. While broth-based soups, like miso, are favored for their light consistency, other soups are relished for their thick blend of vegetables. So say you want to bulk up your soup or reach a chunkier texture quickly; what do you do? The answer is frozen spinach.
While you may appreciate frozen spinachs bite to a soup, you may also prefer a smoother consistency. No problem, frozen spinach can be added to soup and then blended. This will also turn your soup a fantastic lime green color, which may not be achieved when combining the spinach without blending. For a simple spinach soup, pour a frozen packet of spinach into a pot of stock (vegetable or chicken) and simmer until hot through, then puree the mixture and serve. This can be served hot or cold, making it perfect for summer afternoons or gloomy winter days. It can also be topped with sour cream or yogurt for added color and creamy flavor.
Need a little inspiration? Frozen spinach could easily be added to a tortellini soup. Pick out your favorite cheese tortellini (a 9-ounce pack) and simmer it in six cups of chicken stock for 3 minutes. Stir in one can of Italian tomatoes, followed by 1 to 2 teaspoons of minced garlic, and one package of chopped frozen spinach (that has been thawed and squeezed). Season this mixture with salt, pepper, and basil, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Serve hot with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan. This produces a bowl filled with glorious cheesy pasta, hearty sweet tomatoes, and tender spinach.
Frozen spinach is a mid-week lifesaver. Its a wondrous addition that can substitute fresh spinach in almost any meal (obviously, a salad may be a push). Since its likely blanched before packaging, its also a faster way to inject a boost of iron straight into a soup without waiting for it to wilt first. In the final minutes of cooking, pour a packet of frozen spinach into your soup mixture. This will give it ample time to thaw before its ready to serve. Since spinach has such a mild flavor, its easy to add to just about any soup to bulk it up.
While frozen spinach can be added straight to the soup pot, other recipes may require it to be thawed first. Why is this? The excess water in frozen spinach may offset other flavors in the soup, so prepare to balance this if youre pouring it straight in from the packet. Otherwise, you can thaw the spinach in a zip-top defrosting bag in the refrigerator overnight. If youre in a hurry, place the frozen spinach in a colander and run warm water over it until the leaves are no longer icy. Squeeze out the excess water before adding it to the soup. While you may consider canned spinach a worthy alternative that skips the defrosting stage, its worth noting that it undergoes more processing than its frozen counterpart. This, in turn, affects its taste and texture.
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FAQ
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh in soup?
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Can you substitute frozen spinach for fresh spinach?