How to Wash and Dry Lettuce

There's something satisfying about enjoying a salad made from fresh, homegrown lettuce. Today I'm sharing tips on how to wash and dry lettuce.

Washing lettuce is an essential step in ensuring that it's free from dirt, debris and other contaminants. It doesn't take that long to wash the lettuce, but you do need some patience when it comes to drying.

Once your lettuce clean, check out these Easy Salad Recipes that would be perfect to serve as a side dish for dinner tonight.

There is nothing compared to a salad made with lettuce picked fresh from the garden.  The only problem is washing the lettuce can be a real problem.  Yes, growing lettuce in dirt can make your lettuce dirty.  Ha!

Bacteria can cause serious illnesses, including digestive problems, vomiting, and even kidney failure. However, by properly washing your lettuce, you're removing the harmful substances that may have come in contact with the leaves while it was growing.

It's also important to note that simply rinsing with water isn't enough to get rid of all the dirt! Studies have shown that a thorough washing, using methods like soaking and agitation, is necessary to fully eliminate the risk.

Looking for more fresh vegetable ideas? Check out my How to Regrow Lettuce and How to Regrow Celery.

Table of Contents

• How to Clean Home Grown Lettuce
• 🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
• How to Wash Garden Lettuce
• Best Way to Dry Lettuce
• Printable Garden Planner
• How to Dry Lettuce after Washing
• Storage Tips
• Serving Tips
• 💬 Comments

How to Clean Home Grown Lettuce

We have been growing our own lettuce for years now. If you want to follow along with our gardening journey, you can read my post on How to Build your First Garden.

While we still plant tomatoes, zucchini and more in our garden, I now use a raised garden bed that we purchased from Amazon in 2020. We have it set up on our back porch and I can easily pick just enough lettuce for our dinner.

I also find that planting in a raised bed doesn't get the lettuce as dirty. It does sound silly, but it's true!

🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools

Cuisinart Salad Spinner, Green, CTG-00-SSASVegetable Fruit Containers Fridge Food Storage Produce Saver Container Stackable RefrigeratorAcacia Wood Salad Bowl Set, 3 - Piece, Acacia WoodLeak Proof Salad Dressing Mixer Bottle

 

How to Wash Garden Lettuce

• When I come in from the garden, I immediately put the lettuce in a large container, place it in the sink and allow the cold water to run over the lettuce.
• Let the water run for a few minutes and then fill up the container with fresh, CLEAN water and let the lettuce soak for about 10 minutes.
• Rinse the lettuce again.  YES...home-grown lettuce will be filled with dirt and even bugs, so I like to make sure it's really clean.

Best Way to Dry Lettuce

• According to Delish.com, the fastest way to dry lettuce is to shake water off of lettuce leaves and lay them in a single layer on a clean dishtowel.
• You can roll the towel, starting with the edge closest to you, and continue rolling until the entire towel is rolled up with the lettuce inside.
• Finally, hold the roll over the sink and give it a few good shakes to remove any excess moisture.

How to Dry Lettuce after Washing

However, I don't really like to dry lettuce by shaking the excess moisture off. It really makes a bit of a mess. Instead, this is how I like to dry garden lettuce after washing:

• Lay a big beach towel on the kitchen counter or your kitchen table and start spreading the lettuce out in a single layer.
• Cover with another beach towel and let the lettuce dry for a few hours.
• Then if it's still not dry, I'll use a salad spinner. A salad spinner works by using centrifugal force, which is generated by spinning the inner basket of the spinner at high speeds. Once the lettuce is placed in the basket and the lid is securely fastened, then you simply turn a crank or push a button to start the spinning motion.
• I like this salad spinner from Amazon.

Some people have commented that it's so much work to wash and dry lettuce like this, but it's really worth the work! Fresh lettuce tastes so much better than what you purchase in the grocery store.

Storage Tips

• Once your lettuce is completely dried, you can store it in a plastic container using paper towels in between the layers of lettuce.
• Your lettuce will last a long time stored this way; at least a week, maybe longer.
• Check it every few days and change the paper towels if they become too damp.

Serving Tips

Now that you have a bowl of fresh home-grown CLEAN lettuce, try our favorite Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing or even this easy recipe for Olive Garden Copycat Salad Dressing.

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This recipe has been updated since it first appeared in 2013 with new photos, information and a new printable recipe card that includes nutritional information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!

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