Freezing watercress is a great way to preserve it for future use in soups, stews, and other dishes. However, since watercress has a high water content, it doesn’t maintain its crispy texture when frozen. It’s best used in cooked dishes rather than salads after freezing. Here’s how to freeze watercress while maintaining its nutrients and flavor:
1. Choose Fresh Watercress
Pick fresh watercress with vibrant green leaves and no signs of wilting or yellowing. Watercress should be as fresh as possible to freeze well.
2. Wash and Prep the Watercress
Since watercress grows in water, it can sometimes have dirt or sand on the leaves. Here’s how to clean it:
- Rinse thoroughly: Wash the watercress leaves thoroughly under cold water. You can soak them in a bowl of water and gently swish them around to remove any grit.
- Trim the stems: If the stems are long or tough, trim them off, leaving mostly the tender leaves and thinner stems.
3. Blanch the Watercress (Optional)
Blanching helps preserve the nutrients and color of watercress during freezing. While not essential, it can help prevent the loss of flavor and maintain the best possible texture when you use it later.
- Boil water: Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Prepare ice water: Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water to create an ice bath.
- Blanch the watercress: Submerge the watercress in the boiling water for about 1 minute. This quick blanching helps to stop the enzymes that could degrade the watercress.
- Cool immediately: After blanching, transfer the watercress to the ice water for a minute to halt the cooking process.
- Drain and dry: Drain the watercress well and gently pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove excess moisture.
4. Flash Freeze the Watercress
Flash freezing ensures the watercress doesn’t clump together and maintains its shape when stored.
- Spread out on a baking sheet: Arrange the blanched (or unblanched) watercress in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Freeze for 2-3 hours: Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 2-3 hours or until the watercress is frozen solid.
5. Store the Frozen Watercress
Once the watercress is frozen, you can store it for long-term use.
- Transfer to bags or containers: After flash freezing, transfer the watercress into freezer-safe bags or airtight containers. Be sure to remove as much air as possible to reduce freezer burn.
- Label the bags: Label each bag with the date of freezing so you can track its storage time.
6. How Long Does Frozen Watercress Last?
Frozen watercress will maintain its best quality for about 3 to 6 months. It can still be safe to eat after this time, but the flavor and texture may degrade.
7. Using Frozen Watercress
- Use in soups and stews: Frozen watercress is best used in cooked dishes, such as soups, stews, or stir-fries, where its texture won’t be a problem. Just add it directly to the cooking pot from the freezer.
- Smoothies: You can also use frozen watercress in smoothies. Simply toss the frozen leaves into your blender.
Additional Tips
- Don’t use in salads: Since freezing watercress makes it soft and limp, it’s not suitable for raw salads after freezing.
- Freezing with ice cubes: You can also freeze watercress in ice cube trays, adding a little water or broth to the cubes before freezing. This can be handy for adding pre-portioned amounts to soups or stews.
By following these steps, you can preserve the fresh flavor of watercress for months, making it easy to add this nutritious green to your cooked dishes any time you need it!
