Cooking with spinach is a great way to add flavor and nutrition to your meals. It’s easy to find, inexpensive, and versatile. Canned spinach is particularly convenient, but it needs to be drained properly before use. Draining canned spinach might seem intimidating, but it’s actually quite simple with the right tools and technique. This step-by-step guide will show you when and how to drain canned spinach, so you can make the most of this delicious and nutritious vegetable.
Do You Drain Canned Spinach?
It’s important to remember that canned vegetables are already cooked, so you don’t need to worry about cooking them further. This means that draining canned spinach won’t remove any excess liquid or make it any less watery. Draining canned spinach is more about removing the excess canning liquid and any excess salt used for flavour. If you don’t drain the canning liquid, then your spinach will be too salty. Likewise, if you don’t drain excess liquid from canned vegetables, they may be watery and taste watered down.
When to Drain Canned Spinach
Canned spinach shouldn’t be rinsed before using because rinsing can cause the loss of important nutrients. Instead, you should drain the canning liquid before use. The best time to drain canned spinach is just before adding it to a recipe or serving it as a side dish. Draining canned spinach can also be useful when you use frozen spinach. Frozen spinach is often packed with water, so you should drain it before use. Drain canned spinach first, though, and then drain the frozen spinach again. This will ensure that the frozen spinach is as dry as possible.
How to Drain Canned Spinach
The best way to drain canned spinach is with a colander or strainer. This allows you to collect the canning liquid and wash the spinach at the same time. When you’re ready to use the spinach, place it in a clean bowl and add a small amount of water or other liquid. This will help the spinach leaves to separate so that you can easily grab them with your hands when you’re ready to use them in a recipe. If you’re not ready to use the spinach yet, you can cover it with a clean, damp cloth or paper towel to help keep it moist while you prepare other ingredients. Just be sure to discard the cloth or towel once the spinach is ready to use because keeping it wet will make it more likely to grow bacteria.
Tips for Draining Canned Spinach
- Drain the canning liquid before adding the spinach to a recipe. While you don’t want to wash the spinach, you do want to get rid of the canning liquid so that it won’t water down your recipe.
- If you’re using frozen spinach, be sure to drain it first and then drain the canned spinach. Frozen spinach is usually packed with water, so you don’t want to add extra liquid to your recipe.
- You can store drained canned spinach in the fridge for up to a few days or in the freezer for a few months. You can also use it to make a healthy homemade vegetable stock.
Summary
Spinach is one of the most popular vegetables in the world, and it’s easy to see why. It’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and it’s flavourful and versatile. You can find canned spinach in most supermarkets, and it’s a quick and easy way to add flavour and nutrition to a wide variety of dishes. However, canned spinach needs to be drained before use. Draining canned spinach removes the excess canning liquid, as well as any excess salt used for flavouring. The best time to drain canned spinach is just before adding it to a recipe or serving it as a side dish. You can also use drained canned spinach to make a healthy homemade vegetable stock.
