Can You Freeze Lettuce?
Lettuce is a leaf vegetable that grows in bunches and has a mild taste. It is most commonly used as a salad ingredient or as part of a sandwich, but you can do so much more with it.
Lettuce is actually really versatile. Aside from mixing them raw with other vegetables and fruits to make salads and smoothies, you can even use them for hot or cold lettuce soup!
So, can you freeze lettuce? Yes, BUT you have to figure out what you want to use them for first.
Suppose you’re planning on using lettuce for juices or smoothies, then yes, definitely. You can also use them on cooked dishes, but if you’re planning to use lettuce for salads or burgers then, no.
Lettuce has such a high water content, and the process of freezing will affect its appearance and texture.
Just keep that in mind, and you can freeze all the lettuce you want!
Here’s how.
Freezing Lettuce
Freezing lettuce is an effective method of preserving it. Lettuce should be kept cold until needed anyway. Lettuce varieties with thicker leaves freeze better than thinner lettuces. Use frozen lettuce within six months for best quality
Here are some different methods you can use to make your lettuce last longer:
Method #1 – Leaves in freezer bags
This method is best for lettuce for cooking, like in lettuce wraps, soup stocks, or as a substitute for recipes that ask for spinach.
- Separate your lettuce leaves from your head of lettuce and chop them as you like – this makes storing more space-efficient.
- Wash them thoroughly with cold water.
- Dry them thoroughly by gently blotting the delicate lettuce leaves with towels. Lettuce freezes better if they have as little water as possible on the surface.
- If freezing a large amount, portion them.
- Store then in freezer bags, and remove as much of the air as possible.
Tip
If you have vacuum sealing tools, then they’re perfect to use for this step. But if you don’t, you can use a straw to suck out excess air around leaves before sealing the bags!
- Seal the bag tightly
- Label and date them
- Freeze!
Method #2 – Pureed in ice trays
This method is best if you’re planning to use your lettuce in smoothies, soups, or as a water replacement for other dishes.
- Separate your lettuce leaves and wash them thoroughly
- Use a blender or a food processor to puree them with a little bit of water
- Pour your pureed lettuce into an ice tray and freeze
If you’re making a small batch or just have spare ice trays you can keep in the freezer for a long time; otherwise, you can stop in these additional steps:
- Remove the frozen cubed lettuce from your ice tray
- Transfer your frozen pureed lettuce to another freezer-safe container (so you can free your ice tray for other uses)
- Label and date properly
- Put them back in the freezer
Note:
Using an airtight bag or container is crucial to prevent your lettuce from turning brown.
You should always use different types of lettuce in different bags when freezing them. Mixing together different kinds of lettuce could cause an unpleasant taste when you thaw them.
Thawing Frozen Lettuce
To thaw frozen lettuce, you have three options.
Option #1: Fridge
Transfer them from your freezer to your fridge. Do this the night before or a few hours, or the night before you need the lettuce.
Option #2:
Leave your frozen lettuce at room temperature. Do this a few hours before you need the lettuce. If you’re doing this on your kitchen counter, place a paper towel under your lettuce to catch melted ice for easy clean-up. But leaving your lettuce in a colander on your sink would be ideal.
Option #3:
Place your lettuce in a bowl of cool water. After 30 minutes, remove the lettuce and drain it well.
Note:
You don’t need to thaw frozen lettuce puree if you’re planning to use them on smoothies.
Thawed lettuce should be placed back into the refrigerator when thawed and is waiting to be used.
Bonus!
Fun Facts About Lettuce!
- Lettuce shouldn’t be stored near ethylene-emitting fruits (apples, bananas, or avocado, for example), and lettuce is sensitive to that. Ethylene causes lettuce to ripen fast, turn yellow and go limp.
- There are hieroglyphic records of lettuce being grown over 6000 years ago.
- Lettuce is the second most popular fresh vegetable in the US.
- Christopher Columbus introduced lettuce to America during his second voyage to the New World in 1494.
- Dark green-colored lettuce leaves are more nutritious than light green-colored ones.
Final Thoughts
Lettuce tastes best if it is eaten fresh, but it can definitely be frozen. In fact, if you prefer to buy lettuce in bulk, then freezing is the best option.
Frozen lettuce will be different from fresh lettuce, but you can use it pretty much the same aside from adding it into salads because frozen lettuce will have a different texture.
So, go ahead and freeze your lettuce. Just make sure to use them within six months for best quality.