How to Freeze Kale

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Freezing kale and other leafy greens couldn’t be simpler!  We’ll show you how to freeze kale and other leafy greens so you can enjoy their freshness and nutrition all year round!

If you’d like to know how to freeze kale, how to freeze spinach, how to freeze Swiss chard, how to freeze collard greens or any other leafy green, we’ve got you covered!

Every year I grow extra leafy greens plants so that I have plenty to freeze to last through the winter months.  In years past before I had a garden I would stock up on organic greens at the store when they were on sale for the same reason.  Freezing leafy greens saves you money, saves you time, cuts down on food waste and enables you to enjoy those nutritious greens all year round.  Done properly, frozen leafy greens will last up to 6 months.

How to Blanch Kale and Other Greens

Whichever kind of leafy green you want to freeze, the process is the same.  The only difference will be how long to blanch them as some greens are thicker and more fibrous and some are very tender.

Start by selecting fresh, crisp, healthy greens with good color and no blemishes.  Cut off particularly large, woody stems as they don’t freeze well.  Rinse them several times under cold running water.  Chop the leaves and stems to the desired size (small leaves can be frozen whole).

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Place the greens in the pot and cover with the lid.  Don’t overcrowd the greens, it’s best to work in batches.  You’ll need about 1 gallon of water for every 4 cups of greens.  Fill a large bowl with ice water. Depending on what variety of green you’re preparing, the blanching time will vary:

• Collard Greens:  Blanch for 3 minutes.
• Kale:  Blanch for 2 minutes.
• Swiss Chard:  Blanch for 2 minutes.
• Mustard Greens:  Blanch for 2 minutes.
• Baby Spinach:  Blanch for 90 seconds.

As a general rule most greens will need to be blanched for 2 minutes except for collard greens, which are more fibrous, and baby spinach leaves, which are more tender. Begin counting the blanching time as soon as you place the greens in the boiling water and cover the pot with a lid.

Immediately after the allotted blanching time, drain the greens and plunge them into the ice water.  Let them cool for the same amount of time as blanching.  Drain them well and then squeeze as much water out of them as you can.

How to Freeze Kale (and Other Greens)

After you’ve blanched and cooled the greens in the ice water and drained them, give them a thorough squeeze to get as much water out of them as you can.  Now it’s time to pack them for freezing.

Place the prepared greens in freezing containers or in ziplock bags.  Squeeze as much air out of the bags as you can.  Label and date the bags and place them in your freezer.

Does Freezing Kill the Nutrients in Leafy Greens?

A good amount of research has been done comparing the nutrient levels in frozen versus fresh vegetables and the conclusion is that many of the minerals and vitamins are not easily destroyed by either the blanching or the freezing process.  In short, your frozen leafy greens are still loaded with nutrients!

Do You Have to Blanch First?

Yes and no.  If you want to store your frozen leafy greens for several months they need to be blanched first.  While you can freeze kale and other leafy greens raw they will only keep for a month to month and a half before the texture, color and flavor all start to deteriorate.

Blanching is an important step when it comes to freezing any vegetable for several reasons:  Blanching stops the enzymes that lead to spoilage, it enables the vegetables to retain their original texture, their vibrant colors, flavors and their nutrients.  Failing to blanch your veggies will result in poor textures, faded, dull colors and off flavors.  It can also cause the kale to taste bitter.

How Long Does Frozen Kale Last?

Prepared properly your frozen kale and other leafy greens will keep for 6 months in the freezer.

To Summarize:

Wash the leafy greens and chop them to the desired size.  Small leaves can be frozen whole.  Cut off particularly large, woody stems as they don’t freeze well.

Fill large bowl with ice water.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Don’t overcrowd the greens, it’s best to work in batches.  You’ll need about 1 gallon of water for every 4 cups of greens.

Place the greens in the boiling water, cover with the lid, and start counting immediately.  As a general rule, most leafy greens require 2 minutes of blanching except for collard greens which need 3 minutes and baby spinach leaves which only need 90 seconds.

Immediately drain the greens and plunge them in the ice water.  Let them cool for as long as the blanching time.

Drain the greens.

Squeeze as much water out of the greens as you can.

Place the prepared greens in freezing containers or ziplock bags.  Squeeze as much air out of the bags as you can.  Label and date the bags and place them in the freezer.

Enjoy!

Be sure to also check out our tutorials on

• How to Freeze Green Beans
• How to Freeze Okra
• How to Freeze Zucchini
• How to Freeze Leeks
• How to Cook Green Beans
• How to Cook Snap Peas
• How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet August 5, 2020