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The best ways to freeze potatoes in all forms
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Freezing potatoes helps increase their shelf life, which can be handy if you have a lot of extra potatoes on hand. Whether they’re whole, mashed, or in some other form, we’ll guide you through the right ways to prep your potatoes so they stay as fresh and delicious as possible. When you’re ready to use them, we’ll even walk you through the proper way to thaw and reheat your potatoes as part of a tasty meal.
Can you freeze potatoes?
Yes, you can freeze potatoes, but cook them first to improve the taste and texture. Simply clean and boil whole or cut potatoes for 4 to 10 minutes, then put them in an ice bath. Drain the potatoes and store them in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months.
Steps
Section 1 of 5:
Freezing Whole or Cut Potatoes
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Clean the potatoes. Give your potatoes a good rinse and peel off the skin (or keep the skins on, if you prefer). [1] X Trustworthy Source Penn State Extension Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities Go to source
- Optional: To keep your potatoes from getting discolored in the freezer, place them in a bowl filled with 1 US gal (3.8 L) of water mixed with 1 tsp (3,000 mg) of ascorbic acid . [2] X Trustworthy Source Penn State Extension Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities Go to source
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Boil small potatoes for 4 to 6 minutes and large ones for 8 to 10. This short boiling process is known as blanching, and helps prep your spuds before they go in the freezer. [3] X Trustworthy Source Penn State Extension Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities Go to source After boiling, soak the potatoes in an ice-water bath right away to keep them from cooking further. [4] X Research source
- A “small” potato qualifies as one that’s 1 1 ⁄ 2 in (3.8 cm) thick or smaller. [5] X Trustworthy Source Penn State Extension Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities Go to source
- While you don’t have to boil your potatoes beforehand, the process helps prevent them from discoloring further down the line. [6] X Trustworthy Source Penn State Extension Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities Go to source Boiling the potatoes ahead of time also helps improve their texture and taste.
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3Drain the potatoes and transfer them to freezer-safe storage bags . Drain the potatoes from their ice-water bath and leave them whole or cut them into smaller chunks, if you so desire. Transfer the potatoes to freezer-safe bags (with 1 ⁄ 3 in (0.85 cm) headspace leftover) and pop them in the freezer. [7] X Trustworthy Source Penn State Extension Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities Go to source
- Pro tip: If you’re cutting the potatoes into smaller pieces, freeze the chunks on a baking sheet first. Then, transfer the frozen chunks to a storage bag so they don’t stick together while in the freezer.
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Section 2 of 5:
Freezing Mashed Potatoes
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1Form your leftover mashed potatoes into cakes. Shape your mashed potatoes so they resemble burger patties that are about a 1 ⁄ 2 in (1.3 cm) thick. [8] X Trustworthy Source Penn State Extension Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities Go to source
- For tastier mashed potatoes, choose a recipe with fatty ingredients like butter, sour cream, and the like.
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Freeze the mashed potato patties so they’re firm. Transfer the patties to a baking sheet and stick them in the freezer until they’re solid. [9] X Trustworthy Source Penn State Extension Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities Go to source
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3Transfer the frozen mashed potato cakes to a freezer-safe bag. Now that the individual patties are frozen solid, place them all in the same bag and put the bag in the freezer. [10] X Trustworthy Source Penn State Extension Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities Go to source
- To be safe, place sheets of freezer paper between the mashed potatoes as you store them.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do you freeze diced potatoes?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerFreeze diced potatoes much like you would larger chunks, blanch them, dry them off well and then freeze in a plastic bag. However, blanching will happen much faster because the potatoes are in small pieces. For diced potatoes, 30 seconds or so is about all the time you need.
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QuestionCan you freeze raw potatoes without blanching?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerFreezing potatoes raw is generally a bad idea because it will affect their texture negatively.
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QuestionCan you cook potatoes and freeze them?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerYes, cooking potatoes or blanching before freezing is highly recommended to preserve the flavor and texture of the potatoes.
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Tips
- Due to the physical process that occurs when potatoes freeze, they'll likely be a bit more watery when you heat them up again. [21] X Trustworthy Source Penn State Extension Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities Go to sourceThanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- When the soup you are making calls for diced potatoes, drain and rinse one or more cans of diced potatoes to add to the soup. The soup will freeze well and the potatoes will keep their taste and texture.
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References
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/freezing-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/lets-preserve-potatoes-and-sweet-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/freezing-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/vegetable-blanching-directions-and-times-home-freezer-storage
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/freezing-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/lets-preserve-potatoes-and-sweet-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/lets-preserve-potatoes-and-sweet-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/freezing-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/freezing-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/freezing-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/lets-preserve-potatoes-and-sweet-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/lets-preserve-potatoes-and-sweet-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/freezing-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/gh1503
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/lets-preserve-potatoes-and-sweet-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/lets-preserve-potatoes-and-sweet-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/lets-preserve-potatoes-and-sweet-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/lets-preserve-potatoes-and-sweet-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/lets-preserve-potatoes-and-sweet-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/gh1503
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/freezing-potatoes
About This Article
Article Summary
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To freeze potatoes, start by scrubbing off the dirt with a stiff-bristled brush and using a vegetable peeler to remove the skins. Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil and put the potatoes in it for 5 minutes if they're small or 10 minutes if they're large. Then, remove them with a slotted spoon and put them in a bowl of ice water for 5 to 10 minutes. Finally, place them in airtight storage bags, and store them in your freezer for up to a year! To learn how to freeze cooked potatoes, scroll down!
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"I've had many unsuccessful attempts freezing a dish with potatoes (i.e. veggie soup) or putting on top of a dish (i.e. mashed on top of shepherd's pie). Reading this article, I'm clear on how this should be done and stop wasting so much. Great instructions!"
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"I had a huge excess of potatoes. I really did not want them to go to waste as they are a good source of nutrients (in particular for me potassium). I used the tips and information to freeze blanched hash browns, home fries, and wedges. Great success."
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"The fact that one can freeze raw potatoes is amazing to me. I live alone and hated to lose ten pounds of small red potatoes. I will check with you for other foods I might want to freeze. Thank you so much."
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"It's great to know that you can freeze potatoes, especially since they often go bad because you can forget you have them, as they are usually stored in a cool dark place and are not seen often enough."
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