How To Preserve Spinach For Salads and More!

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Explore 3 easy preservation techniques, in this simple guide that shows you How To Preserve Spinach masterfully. With dehydration, canning, and freezing techniques laid out step-by-step, pick whichever method works best for you!

Freshly harvested spinach leaves with roots and a bit of soil, arranged on a woven basket. A green banner at the bottom reads BLESSTHISMESSPLEASE.COM—perfect for learning how to preserve spinach at its freshest.

Preserving Guide: How To Preserve Spinach

Spinach is one of the most nutritious leafy greens you can add to your diet! Packed with iron, vitamins, and antioxidants, it’s a great addition to almost any meal. However, fresh spinach has a notorious reputation for wilting quickly, often leaving you with slimy, unusable leaves just days after purchase.

Whether you’ve bought spinach in bulk, harvested from your garden, or simply want to extend the life of store-bought leaves, proper preservation techniques can keep your spinach fresh and vibrant for weeks rather than days. Making it an invaluable skill to learn!

Preserving Guide: How To Preserve Spinach
When To Harvest Spinach
How To Store Spinach
Dehydrating Spinach
Canning Spinach
Freezing Spinach
Expert Tips
More Tips For Preserving The Harvest

When To Harvest Spinach

Harvest from the time plants have 5-6 leaves until just before seed stalks develop.

How To Store Spinach

Store any spinach in the refrigerator.

Dehydrating Spinach

CUT: Select young, tender leaves. Wash. Cut large leaves crosswise into several pieces.
DIPPING: Water or steam blanch until wilted.
DEHYDRATOR: 10-16 hours
APPEARANCE WHEN DRY: dry; brittle

Canning Spinach

QUANTITY: This guide shows you how to use 10-11 pounds of spinach for canning; it simply depends on your method!

PREPARE SPINACH

Wash thoroughly in several changes of water.
Cut out tough stems and midribs.

CANNING SPINACH

Blanch 1 pound of greens at a time, until well wilted (about 3-5 minutes).
Pack hot greens loosely into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace.
Add salt to jars (1⁄4 teaspoon for pints, 1⁄2 teaspoon for quarts), if desired.
Fill jars to 1 inch from top with boiling water.
Remove air bubbles.
Wipe jar rims, adjust lids, and process in a Pressure Canner – pints for 70 minutes and quarts for 90 minutes.

A chart compares dial gauge and weighted gauge pressure canner settings: both process pints for 70 minutes and quarts for 90 minutes. Dial gauge uses 11 pounds pressure, weighted gauge uses 10 pounds.

Freezing Spinach

PREPARING SPINACH

Select young, tender green leaves.
Wash thoroughly and cut off woody stems.

FREEZING SPINACH

Water blanch greens 2 minutes.
Cool, drain and package, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Seal and freeze.

🍎🫙 Get a free Preserving Guide for all the details to dehydrate, can, and freeze 42 fruits and vegetables — get the FREE GUIDE here!

Expert Tips

Storage Time: Storage life varies by method: fresh spinach in the refrigerator with proper storage lasts 7-14 days, blanched and frozen spinach maintains quality for 10-12 months, and dehydrated spinach can last 8-12 months in airtight containers.
Wilted Spinach: Slightly wilted spinach can often be revived and preserved if it’s not slimy or showing signs of decay. Remove any damaged leaves, give it a cold water bath to refresh, then dry thoroughly before preserving. However, if the spinach has dark spots, feels slimy, or smells off, it’s best to compost it.
Blanching or Not: You can freeze fresh spinach without blanching, but the results won’t be optimal. Unblanched frozen spinach becomes mushy and loses more nutritional value due to enzyme activity that continues during freezing. For best results, make sure to blanch your spinach, as it preserves color, texture, and nutrients!