How to Freeze Spinach and Kale, Recipe for Joe's Special (2024)

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How to Freeze Spinach and Kale, Joe’s Special

This is a recipe I posted back in 2013. I’m bringing Joe’s Special back because it’s simple, paleo, keto friendly and a dish you may have never heard of. We love Joe’s Special for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

How to Freeze Spinach and Kale, Recipe for Joe's Special (1)

What is Joe’s Special?

It’s a medley of ground beef, spinach and eggs, made famous in San Francisco at New Joe’s, an Italian restaurant in 20’s, and was later placed on the menu at a place called Original Joe’s. Eventually, it landed on many menus in California and even ventured out of state. Isn’t it interesting how recipes develop and migrate, and this was all before the internet?

I first learned about this heavy protein, paleo, keto friendly breakfast, brunch or dinner when I lived in Southern California. Lots of restaurants served it and everyone quite familiar with it, except me.

I decided to bring you this recipe when gigantic bag of spinach was placed on my doorstep. I remembered Joe’s special, which, while many recipes use frozen spinach, I think is much better with fresh.

After I made a few green spinach and kale smoothies, and my Joe’s special in my cast iron pan, I still had this huge bag of spinach, and I didn’t want it going to waste.

I’ve never had to think about freezing spinach or kale because we eat it up fast enough, but was to go on and discover something amazing.

How to Freeze Spinach and Kale

You would think that I know just about everything concerning spinach, but I needed google (don’t I always) to help me discover that spinach can be frozen, but there is a specific way to do it, with varying opinions.

Some insist that spinach must be blanched and shocked before freezing, while others take the green super food directly to the freezer. I chose the latter, and was shocked at the results. I’m not sure what I expected, but this is what my spinach looked like when I took it out of the freezer. It looked exactly the same as the day I put it in, only it was frozen. By the way, you can also freeze kale the exact same way. Another great culinary discovery!

How to Freeze Spinach and Kale

  1. If you are getting it fresh from the dirt, triple wash it. Spin it dry with a salad spinner longer than you think you should. It has to be dry.
  2. Leave it out on towels for a few hours to really ensure it is dry.
  3. Wrap it in up gently in gallon size freezer bags. Don’t be concerned with quantities for future use. The spinach didn’t freeze into one cube and I was able to take only the amount out of the bag I wanted to for my recipe.

This is not spinach for spinach salad, but it most certainly can be sauteed, made into a smoothie, spinach manicotti or your favorite spinach recipe. The kale is especially good put into soups.

Joe’s special, a long time classic of ground beef, spinach and eggs, is something I’m making a little more frequently, now that I have all that spinach.

So tell me, have you ever had Joe’s Special and do you freeze your greens?

More Ground Beef Recipes from Spinach Tiger

Crack Slaw

Cuban Picadillo

Beef and Bacon Taco Meat

Ground Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers

No Beans Chili

How to Freeze Spinach and Kale, Recipe for Joe's Special (6)

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Joe's Special and How to Freeze Spinach

Joe's special, a medley of ground beef, spinach and eggs, first made famous in San Francisco

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4

Author: Angela Roberts

Ingredients

  • olive oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • few sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
  • 1 bunch fresh spinach can use frozen, but must thaw and drain first
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Saute onion until softened. Add in garlic and cook for one minute.

  • Add in ground beef and stir fry with onion and garlic until cooked through.

  • Add in salt, pepper, chili flakes and herbs.

  • Add in big handfuls of spinach. If frozen using my method, just add in frozen at this point. Spinach will soften right way.

  • Add in 4 beaten eggs.

  • Continue to cook until eggs are done.

  • Season again with salt and pepper.

  • Top with parmesan cheese.

Freeze Spinach

  • Wash, dry thoroughly. This is important. Once dry, place in plastic bags, freeze.

Please follow me oninstagram. If you make this recipe, please tag me #spinachtiger.

If you love this recipe,please give it five stars. It means a lot. xoxo

How to Freeze Spinach and Kale, Recipe for Joe's Special (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you freeze spinach without blanching? ›

Frozen spinach also works well in dips, quiche, and pasta dishes. It brings flavorful nutrition to homemade egg rolls, meatballs, and marinara sauce. If you know you'll use your frozen spinach within six months, you can freeze it without blanching. This method yields more of a slimy product upon thawing.

How to prepare spinach for freezing? ›

Wash the spinach well. Pat or spin it dry in a salad spinner, being sure to remove as much water as possible. Lay the spinach in flat layers in freezer zip-top bags. Press down.

How to prepare kale for freezing? ›

How to Freeze Kale
  1. Wash and dry kale. ...
  2. Remove the leaves from the fibrous stem. ...
  3. Place kale leaves into a freezer-safe container. ...
  4. Seal and place into freezer for at least 3 hours.
  5. Remove frozen kale from the freezer and use as desired in smoothies, soups, or defrost to add to muffins and pancake batter.
Jan 5, 2023

Is it better to freeze kale raw or cooked? ›

Kale can be frozen without blanching but should be used within 4 weeks. Blanching greens before freezing stops the naturally-occurring ripening enzymes in the leaves. This will ensure that the leaves taste fresh and will not develop a bitter taste. Blanched kale will last up to 1 year in the freezer.

How to prepare greens for freezing? ›

Remove soil and grit by rinsing several times under cold running water. Cut or tear large leaves as desired. Small leaves can be frozen whole. Blanch greens in small quantities: 4 cups packed greens per gallon of boiling water.

How do you make frozen spinach not soggy? ›

Counter: Leave the frozen spinach on the counter in a bowl at room temperature. You can also thaw the frozen spinach in a colander over a sink so the excess water from the melted spinach can drain.

Does cooked spinach freeze well? ›

"Once cooked, store cooled spinach in airtight containers. Label and date whatever you freeze to help you keep track of its quality," Beitchman says. Frozen spinach will last in the freezer for about three months, but if you bought it from the store already frozen, Bruning says to follow the sell-by date.

How do you revive frozen kale? ›

It won't have the same flavor or texture as fresh kale. So, try to revive it. Cut off the stems and place them in water for about eight hours. That should revitalize your kale, making it crispy and delicious!

What can I do with too much fresh kale? ›

Freezing kale is another easy way to preserve your extra kale leaves. I like to freeze my kale in 1/2 cup portions that can be quickly and easily added to soups, stews, quiches, and so much more.

Does kale last longer in the freezer? ›

How Long Does Kale Last? Like all produce, kale's shelf-life depends on how you store it. Raw kale will last up to a week in the refrigerator and about six months in the freezer. Cooked kale, meanwhile, will only keep for three to five days in the fridge.

Do I need to blanch spinach before freeze drying? ›

You can freeze dry vegetables whether they are raw or cooked. If you plan to rehydrate your vegetables, we've found that blanching them beforehand will help bring them back to that perfect texture.

Can you freeze greens without blanching them? ›

However, you can technically freeze them without blanching. To do so, wash and dry the greens, chop, and transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Seal tightly, removing as much air as possible, and label. Store in the freezer and use within 1 month for best results.

What is the best way to preserve kale? ›

Store Whole Bunches In the Fridge

To avoid excess moisture, wrap the whole bunch of kale in a layer of paper towels, and store in a supermarket plastic bag or a zip-top plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer. The kale should keep for 1 week.

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