WASHING LEAFY GREENS-TIPS

How To Wash Leafy Greens


Leafy greens (kale, Swiss chard, spinach, collards, mustard greens, etc.) will sometimes be very dirty, so it’s important to clean them properly. The best way to do this is by immersing them in cold water. (The dirt from the greens sinks to the bottom of the water.) We typically wash our leafy greens in a salad spinner, but, as you’ll see below, you can just as easily do it in a bowl.



Step 1
The bottom ends of the stems of leafy greens can sometime be a little ragged, so it's a good idea to trim them off. Keep the bunch of greens tied together, as this will make it easier to cut all the stems at once.

Cut about an inch or two above the bottom of the stems. Discard those bottom pieces. Remove any rubber bands or ties that are holding the greens together.



Step 2
To wash leafy greens in a bowl, fill a large bowl with very cold water or ice water. (Cold water will help keep the greens crisp.)


Step 3
Add your greens to the water and, very gently, press them under the water. Carefully, and only briefly, swish the greens around in the water with your hands. (Make sure your hands are clean!)



Step 4
Lift the greens out of the water. (Never pour out the greens along with the used water. If you do this, you’ll be pouring dirt right back on top of the greens!)



Step 5
You can place the greens in another bowl for the meantime…



Step 6
…and pour out the water that the greens were soaking in.



Step 7
Rinse out the bowl to remove any leftover dirt or other particles.



Step 8
Refill the bowl with ice water or cold water, put the greens back in the water, and repeat this process until the greens are clean. (You’ll know the greens are clean when there is no dirt left in the water.) Some greens may require only 1 or 2 soakings until they’re clean, while others may take several.

Step 9
Once the greens are clean, dry them.


Step
1 Alternatively, you can wash your leafy greens in a salad spinner. (Salad spinners are as great for washing greens as they are for drying them.) Remove the lid from the salad spinner, keeping the mesh basket inside the main, outer bowl, and fill up the bowl with very cold water or ice water. (It’s important to use cold water, as this will help keep the greens crisp.)

Step
2
Add your greens to the water and, very gently, press the greens under the water. Carefully, and only briefly, swish the greens around in the water with your hands. (Make sure your hands are clean!)
Step
3 Lift the mesh basket out of the water. (Never pour out the water while the basket of greens is still in the bowl. If you do this, you’ll be pouring dirt right back on top of the greens!)



Step
4
Pour out the water from the main, outer bowl…


Step
5
…and rinse out the bowl to remove any leftover dirt or other particles.






Step
6
Refill the bowl with ice water or cold water...




...put the mesh basket full of greens back in the water, and repeat this process until the greens are clean. (You’ll know the greens are clean when there is no dirt left in the water.) Some greens may require only 1 or 2 soakings until they’re clean, while others may take several.



Step
7
Once the greens are clean, you can — conveniently — spin them dry in the salad spinner.