Make Ahead Mashed Potato Recipe (Freezer Recipe) - Dessert for Two (2024)

FAQs

Can you pre-make mashed potatoes and freeze them? ›

Yes! In fact, mashed potatoes are of the most freezer-friendly potato preparations out there. The key is to coat your potatoes with plenty of butter and cream. The fat from the dairy will protect the potatoes in the freezer and help them retain their flavor.

Mashed potatoes can be kept warm in a crockpot (if serving later the same day) OR refrigerated for up to 2 days. To reheat, place them in a large pot over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and adding additional milk/cream as needed to achieve the desired consistency.

Cover the pans tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil, place them in freezer-safe bags and freeze. Re-heat - To reheat, place the potatoes directly from the freezer with the foil cover still on them into a 350-degree oven. Heat for 30 minutes, stir and continue to cook until they're warm throughout.

No matter the reason, learning how to freeze potatoes and other produce is a great way to stock your larder for months of meals. The best way to freeze potatoes is to cut and cook them first. Because potatoes are up to 80% water, parboiling helps them maintain their flavor and texture once frozen.

Schmidt tells us that, for best results, you can keep mashed potatoes in "a freezer set to 0°F or colder" for "up to one year." At this temperature and for this length of time, frozen mashed potatoes can be thawed and reheated without losing texture or flavor (and without risking the transmission of foodborne bacteria) ...

Because they contain so much water, raw potatoes don't freeze well and can turn mushy, watery or even grainy. Cooking before freezing might seem like a hassle, but instead, think of it as a time-saver.

Restaurants prepare the potatoes ahead by boiling and mashing just the potato, then just before serving, it is mixed into boiling cream (or milk or even broth or a combination thereof) to reheat it and make it nice and creamy.

When time is limited and mashed potatoes are a "must have" on the menu (which is always), keep the prepared potatoes warm by placing them in a heat-resistant bowl, covering, and setting it over a pot of simmering water. The potatoes should still be tasty 2 to 3 hours later.

For the methods mentioned here, it's best to reheat your potatoes low and slow to keep them from drying out. In the microwave and oven, make sure to keep your mashed potatoes covered, and don't be afraid to add in a bit of butter and milk to bring the moisture and fluffiness back!

Freezing mashed potatoes that have no or very few fats is more likely to change their texture, leaving them grainy and mushy. Dairy mixed into the potatoes will be fine, but can you freeze mashed potatoes with toppings like bacon and chives? Yep, these will hold up in the freezer too.

How do you thicken mashed potatoes after freezing? ›

You can use what you have on hand: Flour, cornstarch, or powdered milk are all solid options that are probably already in your pantry. Potato flour and potato starch would work as well. Stir in the thickening agent gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes have reached your desired consistency.

When it comes to freezing mashed potatoes, any recipe will do the trick—as long as cream/milk and butter are involved. The fat content in those creamy stir-ins is key to helping maintain the mashed potato flavor and texture you love.

Prepared cooked potatoes tend to lose flavor rapidly when frozen and should be stored for only a few weeks. Mashed potatoes are prepared as usual; adding butter, cream, sour cream, or cream cheese provides fat that helps the frozen mashed potatoes to maintain their texture.

You technically can freeze raw potatoes and skip the blanching step. However, they will not last as long nor maintain their quality as well as potatoes that have been blanched before freezing.

Microwave. Remove frozen potatoes from the bag and place in a microwave-safe dish. Cover the dish to keep in some of the steam, and heat them on 50 percent power for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Thawed potatoes can be heated the same way, but using less time.

Once reheated, your frozen mashed potatoes should be like freshly made. If the mashed potatoes seem a bit dry or need more flavor, add a splash of cream and a couple of tablespoons of butter to taste.

Prepping the potatoes ahead of time

To save time on peeling and chopping on Thanksgiving Day (or any other day that includes mashed potatoes), you can peel the spuds and keep them submerged in a bowl of water in the fridge, whole or cut up, for hours — even overnight — before boiling.

In theory, you could, but the texture of instant mashed potatoes probably won't hold up well to freezing because they've been dehydrated, rehydrated and then frozen. If you can't use your instant mashed potatoes immediately, it's best to leave them in the package until you're ready.