Can You Freeze Potatoes?

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Potatoes are one of the most versatile foods out there, as you can eat them in an incredible number of different ways, whether it’s boiled, fried, roasted, mashed, or any other!

They’re used in many meals and therefore would be ideal to stock up on and be able to keep for another time, or to even have cooked in advance. But the question is, can you freeze them to then eat them at a later date? 

The good news is that potatoes can indeed be freezed! While they will last for weeks at room temperature, they will last for several months when frozen, meaning you can keep them stored for longer and even cook them in advance so that they’re ready to go at a later date!

You can easily freeze potatoes, no matter if they’re uncooked or if you’ve cooked them in all their many possible ways. 

Taking into account that potatoes are so often sold in large bags, freezing them can even save you money by ensuring that none of them go to waste by going out of date before you have the chance to use them! 

Let’s take a look at exactly how to freeze them! 

How to freeze potatoes: 

You can easily freeze potatoes, whether they’re raw or cooked.

However, uncooked potatoes actually contain a lot of water, meaning they can struggle when it comes to freezing. It might cause them to turn mushy and watery once they’re defrosted, and they might not end up tasting as good! 

That is why, the best way to freeze potatoes is by slightly cooking and preparing them beforehand, so that you can store them in the freezer without a problem.

And then, when you’re ready to eat them, there will be enough cooking time left for them for you to finish them up and get them tasting as if they were fresh! 

Here is a step by step guide on how to freeze potatoes: 

• Start by preparing your potatoes, keeping in mind what it is you want to use them for in the future. You can wash and peel them, or you could leave them with their skin on. 
• Then, you can cut the potatoes into smaller pieces, as it’s a bit awkward to freeze the entire potato! Cut them into the size and shapes you want them in, once again taking into account how you want to use them in future. For example, you could cut them into the shape of fries.
• The next step is to cook them enough for optimal freezing, but without cooking them all the way through so that they can still be finished off when defrosted at a later date. You can do this by steaming them on a stove pot for around 10 to 15 minutes. They should end up being tender, but not soft enough to eat. Kind of like half-way to being fully cooked! 
• Drain the potatoes and place them in a bowl of ice-cold water. This is to stop them from continuing to cook on the inside! 
• Once the potatoes have cooled down, drain them again and place them on a baking tray lined with a baking sheet. Make sure you leave enough space between potatoes, to avoid them from sticking together as they freeze. 
• Place the tray with the potatoes into the freezer (ensuring it’s on a flat surface), and let it sit for around 6 to 12 hours until frozen solid. 
• Remove the tray from the freezer and place the frozen potatoes into a freezer-safe container or bag, as it will take up a lot less space and it will keep them organized until you’re ready to use them! 

You might also be interested in if you can freeze these other produce or not:
Sweet Potatoes
Boiled Potatoes
Avocados
Asparagus
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Kale
Spinach
Lettuce
Garlic
Green beans
Bananas

How to defrost potatoes: 

Defrosting potatoes is incredibly easy for one simple reason: you don’t need to do it! 

That’s right, once you’re ready to eat the potatoes you froze, there is no need to defrost them beforehand. You can directly cook them so that they’re finished off and ready to eat with your meal! 

Ways in which you can ‘defrost’ your potatoes from frozen: 

• In the oven:

If you cut your potatoes up to make fries or to roast them, you can take them from the freezer and place them straight into the oven for cooking! Just in the same way as you would do when you buy frozen fries and frozen roasted potatoes! 

• On the stove: 

Whether you’re frying or boiling your potatoes, once again, you can take them out of the freezer and place them straight into the pan to finish off cooking them.

Super easy, and they will taste as delicious as if they were fresh! 

• In the microwave: 

Another easy way to defrost your frozen potatoes is by putting them in the microwave. Just place them in a bowl, and microwave them for around 10 minutes.

Some microwaves even come with a defrosting setting, so it should be really easy. Once defrosted, just cook them into whichever recipe your following for your meal! 

Factors to consider before freezing potatoes: 

Before you go ahead and freeze your potatoes, make sure you’ve considered some of the basics to ensure you’re doing it right! Here are the factors you should consider before freezing potatoes: 

• What are you going to use the potatoes for when defrosted? That will determine the amount of potatoes you freeze and the way in which you freeze them (as in, what shape you cut them in before placing them in the freezer.) 
• Make sure to pre-cook them as specified. If frozen raw, potatoes can go mushy due to the amount of water they contain inside. 
• Make sure to store them properly, preferably in a freezer-safe container or bag. It’s also a good idea to date the bag or container, so you know when the potatoes were frozen and you don’t let too much time go by before eating them! 

Summary

Can you freeze potatoes? Yes, you can. However, for the best results, it’s best to pre-cook the potatoes half way, so that they freeze better and retain their texture and flavor. 

Once frozen they can last for several months without issue. And when you’re ready to eat them, you can stick them straight into the oven or into the frying pan! You can also defrost them in the microwave in just 10 minutes, making them super easy to have!