A substrate processing method includes forming a liquid film of a processing liquid covering an entire upper surface of a horizontally-held substrate; heating the substrate to make the processing liquid of the substrate evaporate to form a gas phase layer between the upper surface of the substrate and the processing liquid and maintain the liquid film on the gas phase layer; blowing a gas at a first flow rate onto the liquid film on the substrate to partially remove the processing liquid to open a hole in the liquid film; heating the substrate to spread the hole to an outer periphery of the substrate and move the liquid film on the gas phase layer to remove the processing liquid, constituting the liquid film, off the substrate; and blowing a gas at a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate onto a region of the upper surface of the substrate within the hole after the hole opening step to spread the hole to the outer periphery of the substrate and move the liquid film on the gas phase layer to remove the processing liquid, constituting the liquid film, off the substrate.