How to Dry Lettuce

Rolling the Lettuce Up

Set a clean towel onto a flat, smooth surface. Take a clean bath or hand towel and spread it on a table, countertop, or flat surface. If you don’t have a towel on hand, try using a clean blanket instead. Whatever you use, make sure that it’s thick enough to fully absorb any excess water.

Shake each of the lettuce leaves to remove any extra water. Flick each piece of lettuce over the sink to get rid of any visibly dripping water. Depending on how you washed your greens, some leaves might be more drenched than others. Go ahead and start arranging the leaves on the towel as you finish shaking them off. Don’t worry if your lettuce leaves are still a little damp—the main goal is to get any obvious water droplets off them.

Place the lettuce leaves onto the towel so they can dry. Arrange your washed greens individually onto the towel. While they don’t have to be separated from one another, try not to have any of the leaves overlapping as you set them on the towel. Continue placing down your greens until the towel is completely covered. If you’re drying off larger lettuce leaves or are working with a large quantity of greens, you might have to lay them down in batches.

Roll the towel lengthwise until none of the greens are visible. Fold in the towel 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the end and start rolling it thinly and tightly, using the flat surface of your palms to push the material forward. Try to roll the lettuce as securely as possible so the water can be absorbed more efficiently. Continue this process until you reach the opposite end of the towel. Ideally, the towel and lettuce should mimic the form of a Swiss roll pastry during this process.

Unroll the towel slowly to use the lettuce. Take the rolled edge of the towel and pull it backwards, unraveling it back to its original position. Once it’s completely unrolled, remove the dry lettuce from the towel and place it in a separate bowl or container. If you’re drying off a larger batch of lettuce, repeat this process with the same towel. You can also use another clean, dry towel for each subsequent batch of lettuce, as well.

Swinging the Greens

Set the washed lettuce in a clean pillowcase or plastic bag. Take your clean lettuce and stack it in a clean pillowcase or plastic bag, making sure not to rip or tear any of the greens as you place them in. Continue filling the bag until you run out of lettuce, or until the bag itself is full.Tip: If you’re worried that your plastic bag has a hole in it, try doubling up the bag instead.

Close the bag or pillowcase by bringing the corners together in your hand. Bring the corners and edges of the bag or pillowcase together, forming a narrow strip of plastic or fabric that’s easy to clutch with 1 hand. Try holding the bag beforehand to make sure that the produce is secure. Consider holding the bag or pillowcase in a tight fist.

Swing the lettuce quickly in a wide circle. Pretend that swinging a lasso as you begin spinning the bag. Try swinging the bag as quickly as possible, as this will help the lettuce dry more quickly. Don’t worry about the lettuce falling out; as long as you have a firm grip on the bag or pillowcase, those greens shouldn’t be going anywhere.

Remove the dry greens and place them in a bowl. Take the pieces of lettuce out of the bag, placing each leaf into a clean bowl. Continue removing the greens until the bag is completely empty. If there’s a significant amount of water leftover in your bag or pillowcase, go ahead and dump it in the sink.

Air-Drying Your Lettuce

Set several paper towels or clean dish rags onto a cookie sheet. Find a rimmed cookie sheet and place it on a flat surface, like a countertop or table. Next, take several paper towel sheets or small dish rags or dish towels and line them along the baking pan. It’s okay if these items overlap—ideally, you don‘t want any lettuce to be touching the baking sheet. If you’re working with a large batch of lettuce, consider lining multiple baking sheets with paper towels or clean dish rags.

Place your washed lettuce in a single layer onto the lined baking sheet. Transfer the washed lettuce leaves from the sink or salad spinner to the lined tray. Try not to have any of the greens overlap too much, as this could slow down the air-drying process. If necessary, use more than 1 cookie sheet to hold all of your washed lettuce. Make sure that the lined baking trays are placed in a dry area with plenty of open air.

Blot any soaked greens with a towel once they’re on the tray. Take an extra paper towel and press it on any lettuce leaves that look especially wet. Try to soak up any visible water droplets, as this may save some air-drying time later on. Remove the towel after a few seconds of blotting, and set it aside once all the lettuce leaves no longer appear visibly wet. Have an extra paper towel on hand if you’re blotting up several trays of greens.

Wait 30 minutes for the lettuce to dry completely. Let the trays sit out in the open for at least half an hour. Depending on the amount of lettuce you’re drying, it might take a shorter or longer amount of time for all of the water to evaporate. Touch a lettuce leaf from the tray to check for any lingering moisture. Once the greens are dry, you’ll be ready to make your dish!