How to freeze Potatoes?
The key to freezing potatoes, whether boiled, fried or roasted, is to partially cook them beforehand. Because they contain a lot of water, raw potatoes do not freeze well and can become mushy or even watery.
Cooking potatoes before freezing them may seem tedious, but consider it a time saver instead. Partially cooked potatoes require less cooking time afterwards.
It’s up to you whether you peel the potatoes before freezing them, but it’s important to freeze only potatoes that are still at the peak of their freshness and not those that would be better off joining the compost.
How to freeze boiled potatoes?
Freezing boiled potatoes takes a bit of work, but the results are worth it:
- Peel the potatoes, if desired, then cut them into slices, cubes or large chunks.
- Drop potatoes into boiling water and cook until almost done, tender but still firm. The cooking time will depend on the size of your potatoes (a few minutes for small diced potatoes and up to 10 minutes for larger pieces).
- Plunge the potatoes into cold water to stop the cooking, then drain them using a colander and let them cool.
- Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure they don’t touch each other. The idea is to pre-freeze each piece of potato individually so that they don’t stick together afterwards. This will make it easier to defrost small portions. Put the baking sheet in the freezer for 6 to 12 hours.
- Once the potatoes are completely frozen, take the baking sheet out of the freezer and transfer them to a resealable freezer bag. You can use multiple freezer bags if you want to freeze individual portions.
- Seal the freezer bag tightly, squeezing out as much air as possible, label it with the date and contents, then return the potatoes to the freezer.
- The small diced potatoes do not need to be thawed, as they will be during cooking. Put them directly in boiling water or in the dish you are preparing, for a few minutes or until they are cooked through. For large pieces, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. Then finish cooking in boiling water until cooked through, drain and use.
How to freeze potatoes for roasting (hash browns, grilled potatoes)?
Freezing the potatoes you plan to roast not only saves time, but also results in even crispier potatoes:
- Peel the potatoes, if desired, then cut them into slices, cubes or large chunks.
- Blanch the potatoes in boiling water until tender but still a little crisp. The cooking time varies depending on the variety of potato and the size of the pieces you cut, but the important thing is that the potatoes are not fully cooked.
- Drain the potatoes then plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking, drain them again and let them cool completely.
- Spread the potato pieces out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure the pieces don’t touch each other. The idea is to pre-freeze each piece individually so they don’t stick together later. This will make it easier to defrost small portions. Put the baking sheet in the freezer for 6 to 12 hours.
- Once the potato pieces are completely frozen, remove the baking sheet from the freezer and transfer the pieces to a resealable freezer bag. You can use multiple freezer bags if you want to freeze individual portions.
- Seal the freezer bag tightly, pushing out as much air as possible.
- Label the freezer bag with the date and contents, then return the potatoes to the freezer.
- To roast, grill or brown your potatoes, you do not need to thaw them. Toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper, then cook until golden and crispy. Allow 10 to 15 minutes extra cooking time for large chunks of potatoes.
How to freeze fries?
As with roast potatoes, the fries need to be blanched, but this extra step has the added benefit of producing crispy fries on the outside and irresistibly chewy on the inside:
- If desired, peel the potatoes, then cut them into thick or thin fries, depending on your preference.
- In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the fries for about 2 minutes, adjusting the time according to the variety of potatoes and the thickness of the fries. Then plunge the fries into cold water to stop the cooking. Drain the fries and let them dry completely.
- Next, toss the fries with a little vegetable oil (about a tablespoon for every pound of fries), then spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure the fries don’t touch each other. The idea is to pre-freeze each fries individually so that they don’t stick together afterwards. This will make it easier to defrost small portions. Put the baking sheet in the freezer for about 6 hours.
- Once the fries are completely frozen, remove the baking sheet from the freezer and transfer the fries to a reseal able freezer bag. You can use multiple freezer bags if you want to freeze individual portions.
- Seal the freezer bag tightly, pushing out as much air as possible. Label the freezer bag with the date and contents, then return the fries to the freezer.
- Home fries can be cooked as is and do not need to be thawed first.
How to freeze stuffed potatoes?
Stuffed Potatoes are easy to make ahead and freeze for quick weeknight meals:
- Prepare the stuffed potatoes following your favorite recipe, then let them cool completely.
- Wrap stuffed potatoes individually in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, then place in a resealable freezer bag.
- Seal the freezer bag tightly, pushing out as much air as possible. Label the freezer bag with the date and contents, then put the stuffed potatoes in the freezer.
- You can thaw stuffed potatoes in the fridge or reheat them in the oven or microwave.
How long do potatoes last in the freezer?
Potatoes, blanched or cooked, will keep for about 10 to 12 months in the freezer.
How to defrost potatoes?
In most cases, you can reheat or cook pre-cooked potatoes directly without defrosting them first. Whether boiled potatoes, fries or roast potatoes. However, you will need to adjust the cooking time, as the cooking will take a little longer than usual.
If you want to thaw your potatoes, take them out of the freezer and put them in the fridge to thaw overnight.
Can you refreeze potatoes?
No, potatoes should not be frozen more than once. Once you have thawed your potatoes, you must eat them within 48 hours to prevent them from spoiling. Store them in the refrigerator if you are not using them immediately.
Can you freeze raw potatoes?
Raw potatoes have a very high water content, so they should not be frozen raw. The water in them crystallizes during freezing, and once thawed, the potatoes become mushy and often unusable.
If you don’t want to cook your potatoes completely before freezing them, you should at least boil or blanch them. The method to do this is mentioned above. You should boil your potatoes for a few minutes and then immediately plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking.
Can you freeze potatoes with other vegetables?
Yes, you don’t have to freeze your potatoes alone. You can mix them with other root vegetables like rutabaga, carrots, beets or turnips. Freeze them all together in freezer bags.
Can you freeze seasoned potatoes?
Seasoning potatoes before freezing them can affect their texture. Instead, season the potatoes after thawing and reheating them.
Can you freeze potato salad?
Typically, potato salads are topped with a mayonnaise-type dressing that gives them a creamy character. It is precisely the latter that causes problems when freezing. The sauce will often separate.
Instead, we recommend that you freeze the potatoes on their own, then season them the day you want to eat them in a salad.
