14 Creative Uses For Frozen Spinach
Raise your hand if you have a bag of frozen spinach in your freezer. Just as we thought, your hand is raised, as are ours. When you aren't sure how to eat frozen spinach other than adding it to a vegetable stir fry or an omelet, we have a lot of delicious and creative uses for this frozen veggie that you can integrate for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and appetizers.
Fresh spinach is great, but if you've ever purchased a pound of fresh stuff, it can come in a bulky box or bag that takes up a lot of room in your refrigerator. The leaves might turn slimy and gross before you get a chance to use them. However, a 1-pound bag of frozen spinach is considerably smaller and easier to store. If you don't end up using a full bag for one meal, you can close it up and dig it out whenever you need it. Whether you aim to use frozen spinach to stuff enchiladas, make creamy dips, or add it to macaroni and cheese as a veggie component, there are a lot of tasty, convenient ways to utilize this frozen vegetable.
1. Bake frozen spinach into a quiche or frittata
When you want plenty of wiggle room as far as ingredient additions, quiches and frittatas are the way to go. You can follow a basic recipe just so you know how long to cook it and how many eggs to include, but other than that, you can have fun with what you choose to include. Try a spring quiche recipe with loads of greens, such as leeks and spinach. Squeeze out the moisture of the spinach so you can skip the step of wilting fresh spinach. Add all the sauteed leeks with the garlic, salt, and pepper, and then it's time to beat the eggs. This is rich and cheesy while the vegetables give it an earthy break.
Skip the crust that you'd find in a quiche by making an easy spinach frittata. It's a bit lighter than the quiche but equally as filling. Add the frozen spinach to the sauteed garlic and then pour in the egg mixture, but you can always include other veggies, such as broccoli, mushrooms, or bell pepper. Saute them ahead of time with your onion to remove excess liquid and then drop in the egg mixture.
2. Mix it into soup for a veggie boost
Give your favorite soup a bit of vegetable enhancement with a nice heap of frozen spinach. This quick way to integrate veggies takes no time at all, especially considering that frozen spinach doesn't require much cooking time, if any. Add it toward the end of your soup-making or heating. When you want to skip making soup from scratch, frozen spinach is the secret ingredient to a heartier canned tomato soup. This is a simple way to add a vegetable component to a canned soup when you want more veggies. You could consider adding a hint of garlic powder, pepper, or Parmesan for a complementary taste.
For from-scratch soup, frozen spinach can be a delicious addition to minestrone soup, which already has a bunch of delicious ingredients like potatoes, carrots, and celery. Yes, it's loaded with colorful veggies, and you can store leftovers in the fridge or even the freezer, but one of the greatest things about minestrone is that it doesn't take long to cook. From chopping to simmering to serving up a piping hot bowl, the whole process takes just about 30 minutes.
3. Upgrade enchiladas with frozen spinach
There is such scrumptious variety when it comes to enchiladas. No matter if you order them at a restaurant, buy them from a grocery store, or make them at home, each place has its own version. If you're making it at home, you might want to add in frozen spinach, which is among the best additions to upgrade enchiladas. It gives a pop of color and nutrients as a great addition to meat-based, vegetarian, or vegan enchiladas. Spinach goes nicely with shredded chicken, but any preferred meat will do.
Whether you go the vegan route with potatoes or choose a meat to fill it with, liven up spinach-laden enchiladas by liberally seasoning them. Salt, pepper, garlic, and chili powder are great starting points, but you can customize this dish however you prefer. Try this special method for creamier enchiladas by mixing in sour cream with the salsa. Bring out as much moisture as you can, because you don't need the spinach water contributing to overly soggy enchiladas. You can leave the spinach as is or do a rough chop so there are smaller pieces.
4. Make spanakopita, Greece's spinach and cheese pie
When you're in the mood for something a bit crispy, a bit cheesy, but not too rich, spanakopita is a fantastic choice. Frozen spinach is the key ingredient in this traditional spanakopita recipe, which has freshness from the plethora of herbs and lemon zest, not to mention a pound of spinach. Thaw and drain the spinach in a colander while you prepare everything else. Thanks to the phyllo sheets, these have such a satisfying crunch once you bite into them. The combination of beautifully seasoned spinach and feta is salty and tangy.
You might've had frozen spanakopita from the grocery store, which is sometimes overloaded with the phyllo, but there's nothing like the homemade version. These strike a perfect balance to allow the filling to shine through. Eat these as an appetizer or the main course; they're satisfactory any way you serve it and are perfect to make and bring to a party. Everyone will be impressed.
5. Pair frozen spinach with chicken
Spinach and chicken are a tasty match, and there are a lot of recipes that use the two of them. Spinach and artichoke chicken is a delicious recipe to make in the slow cooker. The only preparations you need to do are cooking the onion and garlic then searing the chicken, but then everything else gets added into the cooker. This has a creamy melt-in-your-mouth quality. Easily swap frozen spinach for fresh as it saves space, because fresh spinach can be bulky before it wilts down.
Spinach and tomato-stuffed chicken breast has the look and taste of a restaurant-quality meal, but you can stay home and catch up on your favorite show. Despite seeming so fancy and advanced, it will take under 40 minutes to prepare, which makes it an alluring choice for weeknight meals. This dish mixes creamy with herby for a unique meal that you can pair with rice or quinoa. You could have a vegetable side, like roasted carrots or broccoli, but since it already has spinach and tomatoes, you can leave it as is. No matter what recipe you go for, the frozen spinach gets a lot of flavor from the seasonings that you include for your chicken recipe.
6. Include frozen spinach in dips
Dunk just about anything into a dip, from chips to crackers to veggies. When you're hunting for dips to make, frozen spinach can be the star of the show. Elevate your creamy spinach dip recipe with saffron, which isn't a popular addition to dips. It offers a nuanced flavor that makes it a fantastic choice to bring to a party or potluck when you want something other than a French onion dip.
Use frozen chopped spinach to make Buffalo spinach artichoke dip that's baked in a casserole dish for about 30 minutes. This hot and gooey dip has smokiness thanks to both blue cheese and the thick-cut bacon. It's a salty, smoky, and spicy choice for an appetizer to bring to a party. Try something a little bit more well-known with a slow cooker spinach and artichoke dip. Spinach and artichoke are a dynamic duo for a reason. Ring out the moisture of the frozen spinach and then follow the instructions as directed. Everything is slow cooked over a couple of hours, so you can let it cook as you set up for a family gathering.
7. Twist frozen spinach and artichokes into pretzels
Who doesn't love a fresh pretzel straight from the oven? It's piping hot, salty, and buttery. While mall pretzels might have a nostalgic room in your heart, making them from scratch is even better since you can customize the fillings. As one of the more creative uses for frozen spinach, get crafty in the kitchen with cheesy spinach and artichoke stuffed pretzels. You'll use frozen spinach and jar-marinated artichoke hearts to fill these baked goods. The hardest part is the prep time, but once you overcome that, the cooking process takes under 20 minutes.
However, if you try this and the dough seems a bit wonky or you can't get it to work, don't fret. Like many things in life, the more you do it, the better and faster you get at it. If you're not in the mood for artichokes, try a spinach and mushroom version instead. Swap the artichoke for the mushroom and then blend them in the food processor as directed. These are delicious and impressive to make for friends or family. They're a dish best served fresh, so eat these hot from the oven. Feel free to dip it in something like marinara sauce or queso.
8. Put frozen spinach in potato salad
There's quite an assortment of options when it comes to potato salads. The potatoes themselves, the seasonings, and then the add-ins can all vary drastically from recipe to recipe. Some have avocados mixed in like in a vegan avocado potato salad while others have bacon and eggs in them. But frozen spinach might be one of the best vegetables to add to your next potato salad when you want to hike up veggies with minimal effort. It adds an earthiness without overpowering the potato salad since there's usually a mayonnaise or mustard component that can give it a lot of flavor.
Thaw out the frozen spinach, squeeze out any moisture, and then mix in the spinach with your drained and boiled potatoes. Pick frozen chopped spinach or quickly chop them yourself, so the pieces are smaller and can be the same size as any herbs you add in. The frozen spinach is already pretty wilted so you don't have to do too much; just a light mix will do as it warms up against the hot potatoes. It adds a beautiful greenness to your potato salad that you can also pair with fresh dill or parsley.
9. Blend frozen spinach into a smoothie
There's a rainbow of fruits and vegetables to put into smoothies, and spinach has long been a sneaky veggie add-in to a breakfast or brunch smoothie. Make a plant-based matcha smoothie with frozen spinach, but make sure to thaw out the spinach and give it a quick squeeze to get rid of extra liquid. Once you remove the excess liquid, place it into the blender along with all of the ingredients for a thorough blend. This green drink has a mix of earthy notes from the spinach and matcha with banana undertones and a bit of creaminess from the milk component — you can customize it with oat milk, cashew, or a different non-dairy milk.
Whip up a healthy black forest smoothie with frozen berries and spinach. The spinach is completely disguised in this smoothie thanks to the color of both the cherries and the cocoa powder, so this is a scrumptious and discreet option when you want vegetables, but you don't necessarily want to see it in your smoothie. If you prefer a thick and creamy smoothie, wring the spinach and use frozen banana (rather than fresh banana). However, the water from the frozen spinach helps if you like a looser consistency.
10. Bring color to pasta dishes with frozen spinach
You can put frozen spinach with your favorite pasta, whether that's spaghetti or penne, while using Alfredo sauce, marinara, or whatever you prefer. It's an easy addition to pasta to give it an increase in vegetables when you want to brighten up the look of your dish. If you're not willing to wing it, you can follow a pasta recipe. Make a creamy chicken spinach pasta bake that mixes pasta, chicken, bacon lardons, spinach, and some other ingredients for a rich pasta that you can bake in the oven. This meal is perfect to get started after work since it only takes a few minutes to put together, and then you leave it in the oven to bake for the rest of the time, allowing you much-needed time to unwind or hang out before it's ready.
Try a spinach and balsamic cream pasta that mixes the green frozen spinach and red tomatoes to make a festive dish. The star is the balsamic cream sauce, which packs a tangy punch. Simply follow the directions as they are and use frozen spinach instead of fresh. Bring color to other pasta dishes, even a creamy macaroni and cheese, with frozen spinach.
11. Bake frozen spinach and sun-dried tomatoes into puffs
Puff pastry is a must-have ingredient to keep stocked in the freezer. You never know when you'll need it and you can make anything from pinwheels to a puff pastry pizza with this handy cooking item. Making pastry puffs is not only one of the many creative uses for frozen spinach, but it's also ideal to bring to a function or bake for a celebration when you want some bite-sized options for people to snack on. Use frozen chopped spinach for this spinach and sun-dried tomato puffs recipe, or if you have the regular frozen spinach leaf, do a quick chop.
This flaky and savory dish can be eaten on its own or added to a burrata board as a bite-sized snack. It has a creaminess from the goat cheese, but it's not too rich like it would be if you used something like cream cheese. This is a cheeky little appetizer to have with a glass of wine for a date night at home or to take to a friend's house for a movie marathon snack. Serve with some roasted potatoes or asparagus if you want it to be part of the main meal.
12. Stuff French toast with frozen spinach and cheese
When you conjure up an image of French toast, you might be thinking of a sweet and sticky version that's soaked in maple syrup — but there are plenty of savory ways to make this dish too. Have fun with your next batch of stuffed French toast by loading it up with frozen spinach. To get rid of as much moisture as you can, saute it along with any other vegetable you'd like to include, such as chopped mushrooms or onion. Frozen spinach is wilted enough on its own but frozen chopped spinach works best so you aren't left with large pieces when you take a bite. Cook the vegetables, and then season them appropriately with garlic powder, truffle salt, or upgraded store-bought pesto.
The best way to eat this is to pair spinach with cheese, which is one of the best ingredients to stuff French toast with. Try Gruyere cheese with spinach and bacon or brie with mushroom and spinach. Make your stuffed French toast in a sandwich form, then dunk it in your egg mixture and fry it up. This is a tasty way to put a spin on a classic brunch dish that makes an ideal choice when you're not in the mood for something sweet.
13. Turn feta and frozen spinach into savory scones
Savory scones are a delicious way to revitalize how you think of this crumbly pastry. While something like a lemon blueberry scone is synonymous with brunch or breakfast food, savory scones desire a spot on the list. They aren't necessarily seen the same way, but you could easily eat them any time of day. Spinach and feta scones are the perfect breakfast swap instead of a sweetened one. You'll see spinach and feta in omelets, which is a popular breakfast item, so why not have this combo in a scone form with your favorite tea?
This recipe calls for frozen spinach and feta cheese as the main ingredients, and then the rest of the items needed to whip up the scone, like flour and butter. These beautiful speckled green scones are evenly distributed so you aren't left with a wad of spinach or a big hunk of feta. There's an evenness so you get a great bite every time. If you're not a fan of feta, you could substitute it with goat cheese, since this will easily mix as a soft cheese; but sharp cheddar or Parmesan would work as well since they're both tangy. For a meat component, add pancetta or bacon.
14. Amp up your casseroles with frozen spinach
Weeknight meals aren't scary and overwhelming if you opt for a casserole. You can mix and match ingredients and plop them in the oven rather than constantly stirring and watching them cook. On those evenings when you want to save the most time, you can mix frozen and canned vegetables to add to your next casserole. Put together an easy chicken Florentine casserole with frozen spinach; just follow the directions and replace fresh spinach with the frozen variety. As an extra step, you could choose to chop the spinach up so it's in bite-size portions like the chicken pieces.
Squeeze out some of the extra moisture and load up on the vegetables by adding frozen spinach to a sweet potato and Brussels sprouts breakfast casserole as an added green ingredient. Mix in the spinach as you lay the vegetables on the baking dish. Easily integrate frozen spinach into vegetable-based casseroles since it requires minimal preparation or cooking time. Leaving out healthy substitutions is one of the casserole mistakes you want to avoid making, as it can enrich these meals to make them more filling and nutritionally dense.