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You can freeze and reheat mashed potatoes! Save time and prevent waste by freezing extra mashed potatoes using these easy tips.
There once was a time when we would have leftover mashed potatoes after every big family dinner. (Now that our son is a teenager, there are never any leftovers at all.)
If you are lucky enough to have extra mashed potatoes, please don’t throw them away! It’s easy to freeze mashed potatoes for use in future recipes or for a quick dinner.
Why freeze mashed potatoes?
Good question! Mashed potatoes are a delicious side dish for roasted chicken or steak. You can also use them in potato bread, for making salmon patties, and so on.
But it’s a pain to make an entire batch of mashed potatoes when you only need one cup of them for your recipe. Having some mashed potatoes in the freezer is a helpful shortcut that will save you time in the kitchen.
Freezing mashed potatoes is also a great way to save the potatoes you grew in your garden without dehydrating or canning.
Will frozen mashed potatoes turn black?
As you know, raw potatoes will turn brown or black when exposed to air. But when you make mashed potatoes with milk and butter, the fats in those ingredients help protect the potatoes from turning dark.
If you’re making mashed potatoes with broth only (no fats), I don’t recommend freezing them.
How to Freeze Mashed Potatoes
Based on your recipes, decide what size your frozen mashed potatoes should be. I like to freeze my potatoes using ¼ cup ice cream scoops, since that’s the amount I use in recipes. You can make any size scoops you like.
Place cooled scoops of mashed potato on a sturdy cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat.
Cover with foil and place in the freezer for six hours to overnight, depending on the size of the scoops.
When completely frozen, you’ll have these handy mashed potato pucks.
Remove your mashed potato pucks from the cookie sheet and place them in a labeled ziplok bag. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
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How do I reheat frozen mashed potatoes?
If possible, let them thaw in the fridge before warming them up (instructions below). If you’re adding them to a recipe, there’s no need to reheat—just use the thawed mashed potatoes like fresh.
Reheat on the stove
Put your thawed mashed potatoes into a saucepan. Cover and warm gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Then taste and add butter, salt, and pepper if needed.
Reheat in the oven
This is the best method to use if you haven’t thawed your mashed potatoes. Place them in a single layer (if possible) in a large covered baking dish. Reheat at 350F for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until heated through. Then taste and add butter, salt, and pepper if needed.
Reheat in the microwave
While the microwave is convenient, it’s not the best way to reheat your frozen mashed potatoes. It’s far too easy to end up with a gluey mess because of the way the microwave heats.
If you must use the microwave, heat your potatoes in a covered bowl at 50% power for 1 minute at a time, stirring each time. Then taste and add butter, salt, and pepper if needed.
