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Learn all the tips and tricks forhow to freeze potatoesto build a freezer stash of this versatile vegetable. Freezing potatoes is a great way to preserve without needing to know any special kitchen skills.
Frozen veggies that are ready to be added to meals are incredible time savers. Having frozen potatoes ready to go for main dishes, soups, or casseroles helps make your day just a little bit easier.
And if you’re running out of freezer space, you can try your hand at Canning Potatoesor try dehydrating potatoes.
Can You Freeze Potatoes?
Yes, and you absolutely should! It’s a wonderful way to meal prep for future quick weeknight meals.
My preference is to freeze potatoes diced as it gives you many options for how to use them later. But, I’ll also walk you though freezing whole potatoes.
How to Freeze Potatoes
*I’ll walk you through it here with some photos and tips, and you’ll also find a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post with exact measurements, etc. You can also click “jump to recipe” to skip down.
Start by washing the potatoes under cool running water. Decide if you are freezing the potatoes peeled or unpeeled. If freezing peeled, peel the potatoes and then rinse again.
Fill a medium bowl with ice water and set it aside. Set up another large bowl of cold water, and set that aside. Set a large pot of water to boil on the stove.
Cut the potatoes into uniform pieces, and place them in the bowl of cold water. This will prevent them from oxidizing (browning) until you are ready to blanch them.
Once the pot of water is at a rolling boil, add potatoes to the pot and boil for 3-5 minutes depending on size:
- 3 min for diced (homefries size)
- 3 minutes for fry-size potatoes
- 4 minutes for quartered potatoes
- 5 minutes for halves or whole
Once the time is up, strain the potatoes through a colander or scoop pieces out of the water with a large slotted spoon and immediately add the potatoes to the ice water for two minutes. Strain again and set aside to drain.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment, waxed paper, or a silpat.Add the potatoes to the baking sheet without crowding the tray and place the tray in the freezer.
Freeze the potatoes for 4 hours. Break apart any clumps that have formed on the baking sheet and transfer frozen potatoes to freezer-proof storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to freeze potatoes?
Potatoes will quickly discolor when exposed to air, so the best way to freeze blanched potatoes is to quickly vacuum seal, or flash freeze them on a baking sheet.
Flash freezing allows each potato or potato piece to freeze separately. This will allow them to be stored together without being frozen in one big clump.
Do you have to blanch potatoes before freezing?
Yes, you do. There are many recipes out there telling you to just chop potatoes and stick them in the freezer. Uncooked frozen potatoes will discolor and turn black upon defrosting.
Thankfully, it’s super easy to blanch potatoes. You’ll just need to bring a pot of water to a boil, add the spuds, and cook for 3-5 minutes depending on the size. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and put them into a bowl with ice water. THAT’S IT.
Can you freeze potatoes raw?
No, it is not recommended due to discoloration.
Can you freeze whole potatoes?
Yes, you can freeze whole potatoes if you select smaller potatoes and blanch for the full 5 minutes.
Can you freeze mashed potatoes?
Yes! Thanks to the fat content in mashed potatoes (from cream, cream cheese, milk, sour cream, and/or butter), they freeze incredibly well. Freeze in air-tight containers for up to 3 months. Get all the details in this post on Freezing Mashed Potatoes.
I have three delicious mashed potato recipes that will freeze like a dream: Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Boursin Mashed Potatoes, and Mashed Potatoes With Wasabi.
How long will frozen potatoes last?
You can store frozen potatoes in a conventional freezer for 3 months, or 6-12 in a deep freezer.
How to Use Frozen Potatoes
To use, slightly defrost the container of frozen potatoes in cool water or on the countertop for an hour.
Use diced potatoes to make Instant Pot Beef Stew, Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup, Air Fryer Potatoes, Instant Pot Potato Salad, Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana, Instant Pot Potato Soup, or Cast Iron Potatoes. Use frozen potato “sticks” for Air Fryer Fries.
Add some cubed potatoes to these Green Beans in Tomato Sauce for a super-fast version of Fasolakia.
PRO TIPS/RECIPE NOTES
- There is no need to fully thaw the potatoes before using them in recipes.
- You can leave the skins on prior to freezing. Depending on how you cook them, the skins may slip off when reheating.
- You can also freeze sweet potatoes but they need to be almost fully cooked prior to freezing. You can find various sweet potato cooking instructions here: Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes and Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes.
- For best results, freeze your potatoes unseasoned as it gives you more flexibility for cooking them later.
MORE “HOW TO” RECIPES LIKE THIS
- Can You Freeze Hummus
- How to Freeze Corn on the Cob
- Freezing Scrambled Eggs
- How to Freeze Pumpkin
- Freezing Peppers
- How to Dehydrate Tomatoes
- Freezing Cauliflower
- Freezing Tomatoes the Easy Way
- How to Freeze Pesto
- Freezing Celery
- How to Freeze Garlic
- Freezing Peas
- How to Freeze Asparagus
5 from 9 ratings
How to Freeze Potatoes
By: Sarah Cook – Sustainable Cooks
Prep: 15 minutes mins
Cook: 5 minutes mins
Freezing Time: 4 hours hrs
Total: 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Learn all the tips and tricks forhow to freeze potatoesto build a freezer stash of this versatile vegetable. Freezing potatoes is a great way to preserve without needing to know any special kitchen skills.
Equipment
Vegetable peeler
Ingredients
- potatoes
- ice
Instructions
How to Blanch Potatoes For Freezing
Remove any dirt from the potatoes with cool running water. Peel (optional) and then rinse again.
potatoes
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
Set up a large bowl full of cold water.
Set up a bowl full of ice water.
ice
Halve or chop potatoes into uniform pieces.Place them in the cold water until you're ready to blanch them.
Add potatoes to the boiling water and boil for 3-5 minutes depending on size.
*3 min for diced (home fry size)
*3 minutes for fry-size potatoes
*4 minutes for quartered potatoes
*5 minutes for halves or whole
Once the time is up, strain the potatoes through a colander or scoop pieces out of the water with a slotted spoon and immediately add to the ice water for two minutes.
Strain again and set aside to drain.
How to Freeze Potatoes
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silpat.
Add the potatoes to the baking sheet without crowding the tray and place the tray in the freezer.
Freeze for four hours.
Break apart any clumps that have formed on the baking sheet and transfer to freezer-proof storage.
Notes
- Store in a conventional freezer for 3 months, or 6-12 in a deep freezer.
- Cook from frozen, do not fully defrost first.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cupsCalories: 60kcal
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Course: How To
Cuisine: American
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