There’s nothing better than a fresh salad or a crunchy salad on top of a burger, but it can be frustrating if the leafy greens go moldy a few days after you buy them.
It may seem obvious to put lettuce leaves in the fridge, but lettuce has a high water content, which means it will wilt and get soggy very quickly if left in its original packaging.
Instead, Emilie Raffa, chef and founder of The Clever Carrot, uses a “dark brilliant” food preservation technique that takes just 10 minutes but keeps the salad fresh for seven days longer.
She said: “It’s really simple to make, it saves on waste and you have a ready-to-eat salad at your fingertips every day of the week.”
How to keep lettuce fresh longer
You only need to wash and dry the lettuce before proper storage, as soaking the lettuce in water helps to remove mold-causing bacteria from the surface.
Fill a clean sink with water, close the drain and then add the lettuce to the water.
Emilie: “Let the leaves soak until all the dirt floats to the bottom. Then dry thoroughly in a salad spinner.”
If you don’t have a salad towel, place the salad on a clean kitchen towel and pat it dry with another kitchen towel.
Make sure the lettuce is completely dry, as it spoils quickly and becomes moldy if the leaves are left with moisture.
When the salad has dried, store and place a small kitchen towel at the bottom of the refrigerator and a paper towel on top.
If you want, you can also line the container if you are storing lettuce leaves instead of a whole head of lettuce.
Emilie said: “Line the bottom of the crisper box with a kitchen towel and place the salad inside for storage. Don’t overfill the bin. Place a paper towel on top to absorb excess moisture. Refrigerate until ready to use. It’s so easy!”
It may seem unusual, but the key to preventing lettuce spoilage and mold is to reduce the amount of moisture in the lettuce storage area.
Lettuce naturally sheds excess moisture due to its high water content, so storing it in something absorbent will help keep it fresh for much longer.
Emilie said: “Your salad will stay fresh and crunchy this way for up to a week. All you have to do is open the box and take out what you need.”
