How to Freeze Kale
Can you freeze kale? Absolutely! This post breaks down exactly how to freeze kale four different ways, depending on how you plan on using it. No blanching required!
Why You’ll Love Freezing Kale
✔ Prevents Food Waste: Did you purchase kale thinking you’d use it but never got around to it? By freezing kale, you can use it at a later date instead of throwing it out when it spoils.
✔ Budget-Friendly: Kale was on super sale at the grocery store and you decided to stock up? Preserving kale in the freezer is a great way to purchase in bulk when prices are low.
✔ No Blanching Required: Some people prefer blanching kale in boiling water to remove some of its bitterness. Personally, I don’t think it’s necessary to blanch kale before freezing which makes this method for freezing kale SO easy!
How to Prepare Kale for Freezing
With a little organization, you can easily freeze kale for use in smoothies or other recipes that don’t require kale to be fresh. Before you can freeze fresh kale, you first need to …
- Wash it thoroughly. When washing the kale, make sure to separate the leaves and really clean all the groves of the kale. Kale’s curly leaves make it easy for dirt to hide!
- Pat it dry. I like to pat it dry between two clean kitchen towels.
- Remove the fibrous stems, if desired. Depending on how you’ll be using the kale (see my notes throughout the rest of this post), you may want to remove the stems from the kale since they can be tough to chew.
Katie’s Tip: You can leave the stems on the kale if you’ll be pureeing it or using it in soups and stews later, however, that is up to you.
How to Freeze Kale (4 Ways!)
Option 1: Freezing Kale for Smoothies
Making freezer smoothies is a great way to preserve your kale for later use!
What is a freezer smoothie? It’s basically a pre-assembled baggie that contains all of the necessary ingredients for your favorite smoothie recipe.
- Stuff a freezer bag full of your favorite fruits and/or vegetables, including fresh kale.
- Label, date, and freeze.
- When you’re ready to make your smoothie, dump the contents in the blender. Then, add your liquids and blend.
Katie’s Tip: For more detailed freezer smoothie preparation instructions visit this post full of freezer smoothie how-to tips and smoothie recipe ideas. And, you can check out all of my smoothies in the smoothie recipe category.
Option 2: Freezing Pureed Kale Cubes
This method is perfect when you just want to add small amounts of kale puree to smooth, chunk-free recipes like smoothies, soups or sauces.
Use frozen pureed kale in recipes such as Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, or try adding some to this recipe for Vegan Basil Pesto.
- In a blender, puree 3 to 4 cups of packed fresh kale with 1 cup of water (my blender has a “juice” cycle that I use).
- Pour the pureed kale into ice cube trays and freeze.
- Once frozen, transfer the kale cubes to a larger freezer bag. Date and label the bag and stash in your freezer.
Option 3: Freezing Chopped Kale in Baggies
This method is perfect for anything you would want to add pre-chopped kale to. Recipes like Fall Mexican Rice Bowls or this Corn Chowder with Kale and Bacon are perfect for using pre-chopped frozen kale.
- Chop the kale (I like mine chopped pretty fine.)
- Freeze in pre-portioned amounts in small freezer baggies. The pre-portioned size depends on what you want to use the frozen kale for, but usually amounts ranging from 1/2 cup to 1 cup are ideal in our kitchen. Or, you can go as small as individual portions if that works better.
Katie’s Tip: If the recipe you are preparing won’t be affected by any extra water the frozen kale might contribute, just add the kale directly to the recipe according to the recipe’s instructions. However, if you’re preparing something where extra moisture would not go unnoticed, be sure to thaw the kale and squeeze it dry.
Option 4: Freezing Whole Kale Leaves
If you know you want to add kale to various smoothies, but don’t want to fuss with making freezer smoothies or doing any other prep work, you can transfer the kale directly to a freezer bag.
When you need a handful or two of kale to add to a smoothie, just pull it out as is — like for this Green Smoothie Bowl.
Freezing Tips
- Discard the woody stems. They’re unpleasant to eat.
- Remove excess moisture from the kale leaves. This helps prevent freezer burn. I like to do this by running them through the salad spinner to remove excess water then lay on paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. You’ll have fewer ice crystals if your kale is completely dry, which means less chance of freezer burn.
- Use the type of storage that works best for you. Airtight containers, zip top freezer bags, or a vacuum sealer with vacuum seal plastic bags will all work.
- Remove as much air as possible from the freezer bags. Less air = less chance for freezer burn. Removing the air also means the bag will take up less space.
Recipes to Make with Frozen Kale
There are many different types of kale (Dinosaur Kale, Russian Kale, Curly Kale, Lacinato Kale, and Baby Kale, to name a few), and just as many ways to use that frozen kale in recipes. Here are a few kale recipe ideas to get you started:
Stay Inspired in the Kitchen!
Want more delicious recipes, kitchen tips, and meal inspiration? Sign up for the Good Life Eats Newsletter and get:
✔ Tried-and-true recipes—from quick weeknight meals to special occasion favorites.
✔ Seasonal meal ideas—helping you make the most of fresh, in-season ingredients.
✔ Time-saving kitchen tips—boosting your confidence and creativity in the kitchen.
How to Freeze Kale
Can you freeze kale? Absolutely! Here's exactly how to freeze kale, depending on how you'll want to use the frozen kale.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Kale (any variety)*
Instructions
How to Prep Kale for Freezing
- Wash it thoroughly under running tap water.
- Dry it well (I like to use a salad spinner to remove any excess moisture, but you can also pat it dry between two clean kitchen towels).
- Remove the stems, if chopping or freezing whole. No need to de-stem if pureeing or adding to smoothies.
Make Freezer Smoothies
- Stuff a freezer bag full of your favorite fruits and/or vegetables, label, date, and freeze.
- When you're ready to make your smoothie, dump the contents in the blender, add your liquids and blend.
Puree and Freeze in Ice Cube Trays
- Puree 3-4 cups of packed kale with 1 cup of water using the "juice" cycle on your blender.
- Pour the juice into ice cube trays and freeze.
- Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a larger freezer bag. Date and label the bag and stash in your freezer.
Chop and Freeze in Baggies
- Chop the kale and freeze in pre-portioned amounts in small freezer baggies. The pre-portioned size depends on what you want to use the frozen kale for, but usually amounts ranging from 1/2 cup to 1 cup are ideal in our kitchen.
Freeze as is
- Simply remove kale leaves and freeze in baggies until ready to use.
Notes
How long will it last? If frozen properly, frozen kale will last up to 6 months. If it develops freezer burn, it's still safe to eat but the texture will be affected. (To prevent freezer burn, make sure the kale is fully dry before freezing.)
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 32Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 26mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 2g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Leave a Comment