Can You Freeze Swiss Chard?: Do you have a lot of Swiss chard but don’t know what to do with it? Is the clock ticking down, and you don’t want the Swiss chard to rot? Looking for ways to freeze Swiss chard? Well, you’ve come to the right place. This article will explain how to freeze banana peppers so that you can easily store them for later use.
Swiss chard is a green, leafy vegetable that grows easily in most home gardens. It lies between spinach and kale, meaning it’s not as tender as spinach and not as tough as kale. Swiss chard is a versatile vegetable with a bitter taste when eaten raw. But when cooked, the bitterness dissipates, turning into a mild, sweet taste similar to spinach.
- Can You Freeze Swiss Chard?
- How To Blanch Swiss Chard Before Freezing?
- How to Store Swiss Chard In the Freezer?
- How Long Does Swiss Chard Last?
- How to Defrost Swiss Chard?
- How To Tell If Swiss Chard Is Bad?
- Why is Swiss chard considered a superfood?
- Is Swiss chard good for your eyes?
- Do you eat the stems of Swiss chard or just the leaves?
- How do you get the bitterness out of Swiss chard?
- Can Swiss chard withstand freezing?
- How do you use frozen chard?
Can You Freeze Swiss Chard?
Yes, you can definitely freeze Swiss chard! Having a freezer stash of prepped and ready-to-use frozen swiss chard can be used to cook lots of delicious dishes within a short period of time. You can easily use frozen swiss chard for cooking Creamy White Bean Soup, Gluten-Free Quiche, Instant Pot Tortellini Soup, Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole, and much more.
When you have more than you can use at once, follow our tips and simply freeze the excess Swiss chard. You may freeze Swiss chard in ice cube trays, on baking sheets, or in silicone trays for a smaller, easy-to-use portion. Let’s explore all the freezing details!
How To Blanch Swiss Chard Before Freezing?
Whether blanching is needed or not depends on how you want to use the Swiss chard and how quickly. If you plan to use the frozen chard within a few weeks, blanching may be skipped. But if you leave unblanched chard in the freezer too long, it will turn brown because of enzyme actions that will change the texture, flavor, and coloring. So, yes, it’s good to blanch the chard before freezing.
Follow the below-given steps to nicely blanch Swiss chard:
- First, heat a large pot of water. When the water starts boiling, use tongs to immerse the chard in the water. Put the Swiss chard in batches to ensure the water stays boiling.
- After about three minutes, or depending on your preference, transfer the swiss chard to the cold-water bath to shock the leaves. Leave the greens in the bowl until they are cool. This will stop them from cooking.
- Finally, drain the chard thoroughly and squeeze out the excess water. You can then pat dry the chard leaves with a cloth or paper towel.
Always make sure you dry the blanched greens as thoroughly as possible before freezing. Otherwise, excess water may create a layer of ice crystals on the surface of the Swiss chard that can lead to unpleasant flavor and textural changes. To know better about the blanching process and how to blanch vegetables follow our other articles.
How to Store Swiss Chard In the Freezer?
Following are the necessary steps for properly freezing Swiss chard:
Step 1: Wash the Swiss Chard
Rise and properly remove all the dirt. Separate the stalks from the Swiss chard leaves. This makes it more convenient to cook the leaves.
Step 2: Blanch the Swiss Chard
Place the Swiss chard in the pot of boiling water for a few minutes. If you have a large batch to boil, do it in smaller sections. This will ensure that the greens retain their fresh flavor after freezing. Then plunge the Swiss chard in ice water to stop the cooking process. Lastly, drain it.
Step 3: Prepare for the Freezer
Put the stalks and leaves of Swiss chard in separate freezer bags or containers. It’s best to use vacuum-sealed bags, but if those are unavailable, you can actually suck the air out of a zip-top bag. Always make sure to remove as much air from the bag as possible. Airtight storage in the freezer will help maintain quality and prevent freezer burn.
Step 4: Freeze
Freeze the Swiss chard for six months to a year. Some people like to freeze chard in smaller quantities; for this, you can simply pack the blanched greens in small portions in ice cube trays. Once frozen, remove the chard from the tray and place them in vacuum-sealed or airtight freezer-safe bags or containers.
See More: How Long Do Radishes Last
How Long Does Swiss Chard Last?
The shelf life of Swiss chard is given as follows:
- Raw Swiss chard stored in a plastic bag in the fridge will last for up to 3 days. Rinse well with water just before using.
- Cooked Swiss chard can stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- When stored properly, frozen Swiss chard can last 6 to 12 months in the freezer. Using airtight bags with as much air removed as possible helps avoid freezer burn and protects the quality of the leaves.
| Swiss Chard | Shelf Life |
| In Refrigerator | 3-5 days |
| In the Freezer | 6-12 months |
How to Defrost Swiss Chard?
It’s best to thaw the chard ahead of time before using it in dishes like frittatas and tortillas. All you have to do is take out the desired quantity of Swiss chard from your frozen stash and defrost it in a small container in the refrigerator. If using frozen chard for soups and stews, skip the extra step of thawing by placing the frozen greens directly into the pot, slow cooker, or Instant Pot.
If you want to thaw the whole bag of frozen Swiss chard, simply place the bag in the fridge for thawing. Don’t forget to consume thawed leaves within a few days.
How To Tell If Swiss Chard Is Bad?
It is important to know the quality of food before consuming it. Even if you store it in a freezer, Swiss chard needs attention and it requires to be inspected for spoilage from time to time. The various signs of spoilage to look for in Swiss chard include:
- Change in appearance: The leaves of Swiss chard that have dark spots over them are the ones that need to be discarded. A whole head of Swiss chard may not spoil in one go. Just remove the leaves with visible dark spots on them and consume the rest.
- Bad Smell: If there is an off smell coming from the stalk of Swiss chard, it may be time to dump it.
- Color change: A change in color indicates a loss of taste and nutrition. If the leaves of Swiss chard turn pale yellow or wilted, discard them.
So, go ahead and follow these tips and look if your Swiss chard is still edible or not. Refer to our article Can You Freeze Fresh Vegetables and get a better idea of vegetable freezing.
FAQs on Freezing Swiss Chard
1. Why is Swiss chard considered a superfood?
Swiss chard is a healthy food because it’s an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin K, vitamin C, and magnesium. It’s also enriched with the antioxidants beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
2. Is Swiss chard good for your eyes?
Green leafy vegetables like Swiss chard are high in lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients help reduce the risks of chronic eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
3. Do you eat the stems of Swiss chard or just the leaves?
In most cases, you can eat both the chard stems and the leaves in a single dish. If the stalks are thick, finely chop them and start cooking them a little earlier than the leaves so they become tender.
4. How do you get the bitterness out of Swiss chard?
You can use the same strategies for reducing earthy flavors as you can with the bitter flavors of the Swiss chard, such as blanching, braising, or adding more spices. Additionally, you can reduce the bitter flavors of Swiss chard using salt, fat, or lemon and vinegar.
5. Can Swiss chard withstand freezing?
Yes, Swiss chard can easily withstand several light touches of frost without protection. Moreover, this plant’s flavors sweeten when it’s been kissed by cold temperatures. But the plant might like some protection in the coldest months of winter.
6. How do you use frozen chard?
Frozen chard can be added to cooked dishes like soups, stews, pasta sauces, and quiche. You could also use this in your smoothie recipes. Young Swiss chard leaves can be eaten raw in salads.
Wrapping Up
Freezing chard lets you enjoy this versatile, nutrient-rich leafy green any time of year. So follow our guidelines and freeze this nutritious vegetable in the best possible way. Follow our latest posts on How Long Do Lentils Last to identify your food for signs that might be the reason for you to throw it out. Eat healthily, and stay healthy!