Can You Freeze Mashed Potatoes? What to Look Out For

It’s easy to go overboard when making mashed potatoes, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Did you know you can freeze mashed potatoes? Find out how here.

Overestimated how many mashed potatoes you’d need for dinner? Want to cook in bulk to save time and money? You’re in the right place. You can easily freeze mashed potatoes and pull them out of the freezer at a moment’s notice to use in many delicious ways. Let’s take a look at how to freeze mashed potatoes. 

Freeze Mashed Potatoes: Simple Steps

Once you’ve made your batch of mashed potatoes, follow these simple steps to freeze them for later. 

1. Allow your mashed potatoes to fully cool down to room temperature. 
2. Add them to a freezer-safe storage container, reusable freezer bag, or tightly covered casserole dish and place them in the freezer. 
3. If using a reusable freezer bag, try and remove as much air as possible from the bag before sealing. A stainless steel or glass straw can help with this. 
4. Remove when ready to use. 

Tip: freshly harvested potatoes contain about 80% water, so while you can freeze mashed potatoes, you’ll want to use them up within a month. Otherwise, the water will start to crystallize and they’ll end up freezer burned. 

Reheating and Using Frozen Mashed Potatoes

If you’ve frozen mashed potatoes, you’re left with the task of reheating them. Luckily, there are a variety of methods you can use depending on the resources you have available to you. You might need to add additional liquid like plant-based or regular milk to create a smooth consistency. 

• Stovetop: add your frozen mashed potatoes to a pot and heat over low heat until they start to thaw. Cover with a lid, and stir occasionally until they’re heated through. 
• Oven: if you froze your mashed potatoes in a casserole dish, you’ll need to allow them to thaw for a couple of hours in the fridge before placing it in the oven. Bake in a covered dish in the oven at 350F for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are heated through. 
• Microwave: if you’re short on time, this might be the best method for you. Simply add your frozen mashed potatoes into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for approximately 3 minutes. Then give the potatoes a stir, and continue to microwave in small time increments until the frozen mashed potatoes are heated through. 
• Slow Cooker: for a lazy reheat hack, add your potatoes to a slow cooker and cook on low-heat for 2 hours. Then give the potatoes a stir to check if they’re heated through.

You can eat them as a side with gravy, on top of dishes like shepherd’s pie, or check out our leftover mashed potato ideas for further inspiration. 

Read more: 

• Potato Water: 4 Ways to Save and Use It
• Storing Potatoes: 8 Tips to Keep Them Fresh for Months
• Freeze Foods without Plastic: 6 Sustainable Household Hacks

** Links to retailers marked with ** or underlined orange are partially partner links: If you buy here, you actively support Utopia.org, because we will receive a small part of the sales proceeds. More info.

Tags: Guide Nutrition Vegetarian