How to Wash and Dry Salad Greens So They Stay Crisp

Sturdy greens such as kale and spinach can quickly turn limp when improperly stored. Here are a few useful tips from an expert to extend the shelf life of lettuce, arugula, and other leafy greens.

Work in small batches when drying greens to ensure they dry evenly without clumping together.

Washing

Greens are among the most perishable vegetables, making their preservation a serious challenge. Selecting high quality greens from reliable suppliers is key, while proper preparation can extend their shelf life significantly.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert from Kerrville, Texas noted that one key to keeping greens crisp and tasty is water loss. Leafy vegetable cells function similarly to tiny balloons when exposed to oxygen; once water leaves these balloons deflate and the leaves wilt. Reducing excess moisture through washing and drying promptly may help stop this wilting process altogether.

Begin by washing the greens in a large bowl of cold water rather than a sink, which could harbor bacteria. This will ensure all dirt and sand that has collected on their leaves have been eliminated, as well as ensure all soil particles have been eliminated from your greens. It may be beneficial to rinse twice in order to ensure all residue has been completely rinsed away from them.

After washing, dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner. This step is especially essential when working with soft-leaf vegetables such as romaine, baby spinach and spring mix which have delicate cell walls and require special handling when cleaning.

After your greens have been harvested and dry, place them in a plastic bag or wrap them in paper towel before placing in your refrigerator crisper. This technique helps protect them from being crushed or bruised and provides a slightly humid environment to reduce mildew and rot growth.

Rinsing

No matter the source, whether it’s iceberg lettuce or bagged salad greens that need washing, rinse under cold running water to eliminate any remaining dirt and bacteria that could potentially lead to food-borne illness. Use a salad spinner for this step for optimal results and rinse batches at a time to prevent your greens clumping together or becoming soggy.

Tearing leaves instead of cutting them is also recommended, as this reduces strain on the greens while providing more surface area to absorb dressings. To core a head of lettuce, grip both sides tightly before gently slamming it on your countertop; once separated from its center pull out any unwanted stems.

If you prefer purchasing prewashed or cut greens that have already been bagged on the same day of harvesting, select those from a farm that harvested earlier so they have less exposure to air and sunlight which could speed their deterioration.

Line a sturdy glass or plastic container with some dry paper towels, scatter your greens on top, leaving some space for air circulation, and store. This method is an effective way of keeping greens fresh and crisp for longer. However, if they become slimy and emit an offensive aroma or start losing their crispiness or becoming slimy again it should be discarded immediately as these signs indicate spoilage which could result in bacteria contamination of lettuce that poses serious threats to children, elderly adults and pregnant/breastfeeding women who could develop illnesses from eating contaminated lettuces.

Drying

Cleaning removes dirt and debris, but any residual moisture can lead to wilting. To stop this happening, thoroughly dry the greens using either a salad spinner or paper towels rolled up around a log of lettuce for longer-lasting freshness.

If you do not own a salad spinner, use cold running water in a bowl instead of a sink to rinse your lettuce under cold running water; this reduces the chance that germs might sneak on as you submerge it in water. Once rinsed, pat the greens dry using cloth or paper towel before placing them into plastic bag or gallon ziplock and placing in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer for storage (the coolest place).

Even when purchasing prewashed loose-leaf greens, it’s wise to check their leaves carefully for signs of damage before refrigerating them as soon as possible. Bacteria can quickly spoil these greens, leading to discoloration, foul smells and sliminess; though slimy leaves might not cause many issues for most healthy adults, children, older adults and pregnant women may find them problematic and cause foodborne illness. If any loose-leaf greens becomes soggy or smells strangely it should be discarded immediately!

Storage

Your salad texture depends heavily on how long the lettuce stays fresh in the refrigerator, with firmer varieties like kale or iceberg holding up better than soft varieties like baby spinach. For maximum crispiness in your salads, plan to use all purchased greens within several days of purchase.

Rinsing leaves removes both debris and moisture, but not all can be extracted at once, particularly if washing large quantities. A salad spinner works best to eliminate extra water after washing; Chef McCarthy suggests lining it with paper towels to absorb any extra liquid that remained. After this step is complete, Chef McCarthy advises storing your leafy veggies in an airtight plastic container which keeps air circulating around it; this should keep them crisp for up to 10 days after being stored away from humidity.

Maintaining freshness of leafy vegetables requires slowing water loss, according to produce expert Jeffrey K. Brecht of the University of Florida’s Postharvest Physiology department. Cell walls in greens act like balloons; when too much moisture evaporates they deflate and turn slimy. In such instances, bacteria that inhabit these fruits and vegetables break down more rapidly resulting in discoloration, bad odors or foodborne illness.