Can I Substitute Frozen Spinach for Fresh Spinach?

The convenience of frozen spinach certainly can’t be overstated: It takes up a fraction of the space that fresh spinach does (since it is blanched and then compacted), keeps much longer, and is more affordable. It also can pack more nutrients than fresh because frozen vegetables are usually frozen at their peak, before nutrients have a chance to degrade.

Unfortunately, any time I taste a recipe that calls for fresh spinach side by side with its frozen spinach counterpart (and believe me, we’ve tried this often in the test kitchen), the frozen spinach version is just, well, meh. It has a muddier flavor and a stringier, more fibrous texture, and it lacks the verdant brightness that fresh spinach can add to a dish. 

In a pinch, though? It’s fine. Truly. 

Especially in a dish like our Spinach-Artichoke Macaroni and Cheese, where there are enough other delicious things going on to distract from the frozen spinach. Just be sure to thaw it and fully squeeze out any liquid before using it. And be prepared to bump up the flavor in other ways in case the dish is tasting flat: Think a squeeze of lemon, some extra garlic, or a splash of hot sauce. 

And keep in mind: It’s also perfectly fine to use frozen spinach in any of our recipes that call for it (that means the recipe was developed with frozen spinach and it works well there).