How to salvage wilted veggies

Whether it’s been at the end of the month, after returning from a well-deserved holiday, we’ve all opened the fridge to find a bunch of sad-looking vegetables staring back at us. But not all’s lost! Wilted veggies can be revived, or used for their texture, flavour and nutritional benefits in many dishes before they’re truly past saving and suited for the compost heap.

In this article, we provide tips for reviving wilted veg, dishes to make with them, and signs to look out for when they’re too far gone.

Reviving techniques

Often times, wilted veggies need some tender, loving care to get their vibrance back. Here are a few tips and tricks to help revive that sad-looking bunch of veggies, just in time for dinner:

Leafy greens (like spinach, kale, lettuce, herbs)

• Soak leaves in a bowl of ice water for 10 to 15 minutes to help restore crispness.
• Pat dry with a clean towel, or spin dry in a salad spinner.
• Use immediately as intended, or store, wrapped in damp kitchen paper, in the fridge for a couple of more days.

Root vegetables (like carrots, beets, radishes, potatoes)

• Trim tops of carrots, beets, turnips, and radishes. Soak in cold water (add a good handful of ice cubes for good measure) for a few hours. They’ll soak up the water, rehydrate and plump back up.
• Use immediately.

Cruciferous veggies (like broccoli and cauliflower)

• Peel off any wilted leaves (revive like you would leafy greens), trim any bruised or brown bits from the stem and florets.
• Blanch in boiling water for no more than 2 minutes, then shock in an ice bath for 3 minutes.
• Use immediately.

Soft veggies (like tomatoes, peppers, zucchini)

• Trim any bruised or brown bits; top and tail; de-stem and de-seed.
• Soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
• Use immediately.

Signs it’s too far gone

If you’ve tried your best to revive your veggies or found one too many soft, squishy bits, it might be the end. To make sure, check for these signs before laying the bunch to rest on your compost heap:

• Slimy texture: Especially in leafy greens and soft veggies, slimy textures are a clear sign to toss.
• Off smells: Sour, mouldy, or fermented odours mean it’s unsafe to consume.
• Dark or mushy spots: You can usually trim these, but if they’ve spread far into the interior or are oozing liquid, toss them.
• Mould growth: Pretty straightforward here – you can’t salvage it, it’s time to compost.

Recipe ideas

Wilted veggies that perked up during your reviving attempt are probably good to go for whichever dish you had in mind when purchasing them. However, if you notice slight texture or appearance changes, you can still make a delicious dish out of them! Wilted, revived veg love:

• Being sauteéd with olive oil, garlic, seasoning and a sneaky knob of butter.
• Being roasted or grilled. It brings out their natural sugars and flavourful oils.
• Getting blanched and puréed – no texture problems here.
• Being added to stock, soup and gravy bases. This process draws out their flavours, natural oils, and minerals that add complexity to any dish.

Here are some of our favourite recipes that work well for wilted veg:

• Easy sheet pan soup: perfect for soft carrots, peppers, or tomatoes.
• Homemade stock: ideal for onion peels, wilted leafy greens and herbs, and any other veggies that are packed with flavour.
• Veggie and chickpea fritters: ideal for grated zucchini, carrots, beets, potatoes, you name it.
• Root vegetable pasta bake: an easy and nutritious mid-week meal sorted.
• Sumac roasted vegetables: roasted veggies allow you to rescue multiple veggies in one easy dish.
• Pesto and veggie fritata: Blend those wilted leafy greens into a pesto, and add any remaining veg into this fritata recipe.

With a little TLC and know-how, even wilted veggies can find new life in the kitchen. Next time you’re tempted to toss them, try reviving, repurposing, or roasting instead – your wallet and the planet will thank you!

Also See: No backyard, no problem: A beginner’s guide to kitchen counter composting