According to an article by PMA, lettuce is one of the top 10 consumed vegetables in the US alone. An average American consumes 30 lbs of lettuce a year! Seriously, that’s a lot of lettuce!
And their use is not just limited to making salads. Doesn’t matter what you’re gonna have! Soups, salads, stir-fries, smoothies, sauces, even wraps! You can literally add lettuce to most of your food items for an added punch of freshness and crunch!
But what about storing lettuce? How do you keep them fresh? Can you freeze lettuce to make it last longer?
Can You Freeze Lettuce?
Yes, you can. But whether your lettuce will stay fresh, or if it’ll change its texture will completely depend upon how you freeze them.
Some dishes ask for lettuce in pureed or finely chopped form or they cook lettuce so that its texture is barely noticeable later on. But if you’re looking to freeze lettuce for your salads or wraps, it might get just a tad bit complicated.
I know I said that you can freeze lettuce. But the question remains. Should you?
Should You Freeze Lettuce?
That depends. Are you looking to freeze it for use in other recipes? If yes, then you should.
If you wish to use your frozen lettuce in salads and wraps, it’s best you don’t freeze it at all. Unless you want to end up with a soggy, watery salad, you shouldn’t freeze lettuce. But for other cooking and flavoring purposes, there shouldn’t be a problem.
How to Freeze Lettuce to Make it Last Longer
The most important thing to remember while freezing lettuce is to completely dry it off and get rid of its moisture content. Since lettuce already has a high moisture content, you do not want to freeze it with added moisture.
If and when stored in an airtight container or freezer bag, lettuce can last you a long time. But the moment your lettuce is exposed to the freezer air, you risk freezer burn. Not to mention it loses its texture.
It is also a good idea to freeze your lettuce with a dry paper towel inside a freezer bag. The paper towel absorbs any excess moisture, keeping your lettuce fresh and crunchy.
Can You Freeze Lettuce for Salad?
As I said, it is not really a good idea to freeze lettuce and use it in salads once thawed.
We enjoy our coleslaw salads, or other salads, with lettuce because it gives you the much-needed hint of extra crunch and freshness. But adding sloppy lettuce to your salad can very quickly turn into a disaster.
But when you feel the need to freeze it, remember to keep these steps in mind.
- Opt for thicker leaved lettuce like butterhead or romaine lettuce. This lettuce variety has a comparatively lower water content and will freeze better than the others.
- Although it is usually recommended to not wash lettuce leaves until you need to use them, you HAVE TO wash them before freezing them.
- Remember to rinse them thoroughly, and dry off any moisture left on the leaves before you freeze them.
- Always wrap them into a loose roll and freeze them in a freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible.
- Make sure your freezer remains at a uniform temperature throughout the process of freezing your lettuce.
- Do not expose your lettuce to a drastic change in temperature.
While you may still experience a slight texture change in your frozen-and-thawed lettuce, following these steps will optimize your results.
Can You Freeze Lettuce for Smoothies?
Absolutely! In fact, lettuce freezes excellently when it needs to be used for soups, smoothies, and other liquids.
As a general rule of thumb, the thicker your lettuce leaves are, the better they will freeze. So ideally romaine lettuce would be the best choice for freezing. It also goes without saying that romaine lettuce would be the best choice for a smooth, creamy, and rich smoothie.
To freeze lettuce in this way:
- Take a sink full of clean water, break off your lettuce leaves from their stem, and soak them in the sink.
- Lightly rinse them in a while to let any dirt settle down to the bottom of the sink.
- After about 15 minutes, take out your leaves and leave them on the counter.
- Roughly chop your leaves and then blend them in a mixer using very little water.
- Freeze this puree in an ice cube tray.
- Once your ice cubes are frozen solid, pop them in a freezer bag and you’re done!
You can use these cubes whenever you want! The best part is that you don’t have to worry about drying the leaves and keeping them away from any moisture. No hassle at all!
You don’t even have to thaw your lettuce ice cubes! Add them directly to your preferred recipe!
How Long Can You Wait to Freeze Lettuce?
Frozen lettuce, whether shredded, whole leafed, or cubes, can last in the freezer for up to 6 months. Although it goes without saying that the sooner you use it, the better.
When using it for salads, it is best to use it within 2-3 weeks of freezing. Pureed ice cubes will last you much longer, and you don’t need to worry about them going bad in this case.
As a general rule of thumb, if you’re going to freeze lettuce, freeze it right after you get it. Waiting for a few days until you decide to freeze it will ruin its texture and composition.
Lettuce develops ice crystals in the freezer due to its high water content. The longer you wait to freeze it, the more watery it will turn when thawed.
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How to Thaw Frozen Lettuce?
Fortunately, you do not have to worry about taking out your lettuce from the freezer and placing it in the fridge overnight. There’s no fuss when it comes to thawing frozen lettuce!
If you’re using frozen lettuce cubes, directly add them to your soups, smoothies, or rice.
If you want to defrost whole lettuce leaves, take them out of the bag and lay them out in a single layer on your kitchen counter. I usually place a dry paper towel beneath them to absorb any extra moisture. Give it 5-10 minutes, and you’ll have fresh lettuce leaves at your disposal!
FAQ
Can you freeze Romaine lettuce?
Yes! In fact, thicker lettuce varieties like Romaine lettuce freeze great and stay fresh for a long time!
How long does lettuce last in the refrigerator?
When properly wrapped in a paper towel, lettuce can last for 7-10 days in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze iceberg lettuce?
Not unless you want to end up with a soggy, sloppy mess! You can freeze iceberg lettuce, but you shouldn’t.
Can you freeze lettuce salad?
It is better to keep your salad in the refrigerator instead or make it in small quantities. The high water content of a salad bowl, plus ingredients like mayonnaise do not freeze well at all.
How to keep lettuce fresh?
The best way to keep your lettuce fresh and crisp is to wrap its head in a paper towel and refrigerate it in a container or a ziplock bag meant for storing veggies. This will ensure air circulation, and also keep it fresh.
Conclusion
Whether you should freeze lettuce or not completely depends on what you will be using it for once it has thawed. Lots of people like to buy lettuce in bulk and then keep it at hand in case you need a quick green smoothie or a bowl of soup. You should certainly try it too!
As for freezing lettuce, remember to follow the article right. Lettuce hope you get it right!
Eva M. Smith is the owner of this website. She is a 4 year old mother of two kids and a professional chef. Eva loves to cook for her family, but being a working mom has a lot of challenges. From squeezing in time to do the groceries to make three meals for the day. Eva knows how challenging cooking can be without a kitchen game plan.
That’s why she perfected techniques of preserving staple ingredients and several foods so that you have something pre-cooked or pre-baked to use for an array of meals. And they do not come short in flavor! And she does not want to sacrifice flavor with convenience. That’s why she is the best person to ask.