If you’re planning on using your mashed potatoes in a dish, then you may be wondering how long they’ll last in the freezer. Luckily, there are ways to keep them fresh for a longer time.
How well do mashed potatoes freeze? They most certainly do. Mashed potatoes can be frozen as a terrific method to prepare for the holidays or prevent food waste. Continue reading to discover how to freeze mashed potatoes. You’ll also learn the ideal method for reheating frozen mashed potatoes while maintaining their fluffy and creamy texture.
Can Mashed Potatoes be Freeze?
If there is enough FAT, such as butter and milk, or cream, it doesn’t matter what kind of mash you choose—homemade, store-bought, instant, or for babies—it may all be frozen and kept for later. It also means that you will have delicious, creamy mashed potatoes, which are a dinnertime staple. Your mash will still be able to be frozen even if you’re adding other ingredients or seasonings.
It is still feasible to use non-dairy alternatives like soy or almond milk, though you might need to add extra milk or oil to ensure adequate fat. The most crucial thing to remember is to have enough milk, butter, or oil to keep the potatoes frozen and creamy.
How Long do Mashed Potatoes Last in the Freezer?
For up to two to six months, mashed potatoes can be kept in the freezer. Mashed potatoes should be transferred to a sealable bag or container before freezing, leaving adequate air for expansion. Before putting the container in the freezer, label it with the date.
Move the container of frozen mashed potatoes into the refrigerator for several hours or overnight to thaw them out. Additionally, you can thaw them in the microwave or by submerging the container in a basin of cold water. Once defrosted, you can microwave the mashed potatoes or reheat them in a saucepan over low heat while stirring regularly.
It’s crucial to remember that after frozen mashed potatoes are thawed and heated, they might not have the same texture as freshly produced mashed potatoes. They could lose some of their forms and feel dry or gritty.
How to Freeze Mashed Potatoes?
Any mashed potato recipe will work when it comes to freezing as long as it has cream/milk, and butter. The fat content of those creamy stir-ins is essential for preserving the beloved flavor and texture of mashed potatoes. Put cooled mashed potatoes in a freezer-safe container ($8, Target) and freeze it to preserve your family’s favorite holiday side dish. Sweet potatoes that have been mashed will freeze beautifully with this technique.
On quality characteristics of mashed potatoes made from tubers (cv. Kennebec) and from potato flakes, the effects of freezing temperature (80, 40, or 24 °C), thawing mode (microwave or overnight at four °C), and long-term frozen storage were all investigated. The texture profile analysis (TPA), cone penetration, oscillatory and steady rheometry, color, dry matter, Brix, and sensory evaluations of mashed potatoes were all performed. TPA hardness and oscillatory characteristics in natural mashed potatoes demonstrated that processing produced a softer product than the raw control. The starch released from injured cells may have caused the starch to gelatinize, as the parameters were lower in the samples that were thawed at four °C than in those that were thawed by microwave at all the freezing temperatures utilized. After the samples were frozen at 80 °C and thawed in the microwave, the differences from the newly made product became less noticeable.
How should Frozen Mashed Potatoes be Reheated?
If you have the time, our Test Kitchen advises letting frozen mashed potatoes defrost in the refrigerator for a day or two. You can reheat them with one of the following techniques once they have thawed:
On the stovetop, cook mashed potatoes to the proper temperature by stirring them occasionally in a saucepan ($20, Target).
Microwave: For approximately 5 minutes, cover in the microwave-safe bowl. Stir until heated all the way through. You might have to shorten or lengthen the cooking time depending on the power of your microwave.
Slow cooker: Heat for two to four hours on low, stirring regularly, in a slow cooker ($33, Walmart).
Oven: Heat up in a casserole dish at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until well heated.
Your frozen mashed potatoes should taste the same after being warmed. A splash of cream and a few tablespoons of butter, to taste, can be added to the mashed potatoes if they seem a little bland or require more flavor. You can add more salt and pepper, or you can add sour cream, bacon, roasted garlic, or lemon and herbs to your frozen mashed potatoes to make them creamier. Make some of our other delectable make-ahead meals to avoid the Christmas rush.
How should Leftover Mashed Potatoes be Stored?
Mashed potatoes shouldn’t be left at room temperature for two hours.
However, you should preserve the potatoes as quickly as possible if you’ve added dairy ingredients like butter, sour cream, or cream cheese.
The potatoes become less stable and more likely to develop bacteria due to these additions swiftly.
For cooked dishes, the “danger zone” is 40°F to 140°F. To stop bacteria from growing, try to keep your food hot or cold.
For the best quality and safety, keep your food at temperatures below 40 degrees in the refrigerator and 0 degrees in the freezer.
Refrigerator
Use a shallow container when storing potatoes in the fridge to ensure equal cooling and the absence of heated areas. If not, your leftovers risk spoiling more quickly.
Use a container that is tightly sealed as well. Airtight containers that are shallow will:
- Prevent the potatoes from absorbing other refrigerator odors.
- Avoid letting them dry out too rapidly.
- halt the spread of infected potatoes to other foods
- Aluminum foil and plastic wrap won’t provide as much protection for your meals. Use plastic bags or containers that can be sealed, preferably with as little air inside as feasible.
For optimal results, position the potatoes as near the back of the refrigerator as you can. The refrigerator’s coldest place is here!
Freezer
Make careful to split out any remaining mashed potatoes before storing them in the freezer. In this manner, you’ll only defrost what you require.
To prevent freezer burn, use freezer-safe bags like Ziploc bags and flatten them as much as possible. They will fit more snugly on the shelf as a result.
Before putting the potatoes in the freezer, ensure they have cooled to room temperature. In any other case, they risk warming the food around them.
How to Spot Stale Mashed Potatoes?
Before reheating potatoes, always check them first!
Your potatoes may become rotten even if the entire 3-5 days have not passed. Therefore, stop eating the potatoes and throw them away if they smell bad or taste sour.
Additionally, keep an eye out for additional spoilage indicators, including moldy patches, dry patches, or glossy-appearing regions.
How to Tell if Mashed Potatoes have Gone Bad After Thawing?
When you have leftover mashed potatoes, you may wonder how long they can stay fresh. Although they can last for several months, there are some precautions you should take to prevent them from spoiling.
The first rule of thumb when storing mashed potatoes is to store them in an airtight container. This will help them not to absorb the smells of other foods stored in the refrigerator.
Depending on the type of potato you have, mashed potatoes can go bad over time. It is important to check the flavor and texture of the mashed potatoes before serving. If they are bad, they will taste and smell off.
To maximize the shelf life of mashed potatoes, you should store them in the fridge or freezer. The best temperature for storing mashed potatoes is zero degrees Fahrenheit. This is because the temperature will kill any harmful bacteria.
What Happens When you Consume Bad Mashed Potatoes?
Food poisoning is brought on by ingesting food or drink contaminated with dangerous bacteria, viruses, poisons, or parasites. Consuming poor mashed potatoes can result in food sickness. Food poisoning symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, pains in the stomach, fever, and dehydration.
These symptoms can range in severity from moderate to severe. Food poisoning can, in extreme circumstances, result in hospitalization or even death. In order to reduce the danger of food poisoning, it is crucial to handle and store food appropriately. It’s crucial to get medical help as soon as possible if you think you may have eaten contaminated food, such as poor mashed potatoes.
Conclusion
With the major holidays quickly approaching, it’s always helpful to lighten the workload, pre-prepare as much as you can, and save time so that you can spend this holiday season with your friends and family.
Whatever mash you choose, it can all be prepared in advance and frozen, giving you more time to spend with your loved ones. We also have a great lentil. Shepherd’s pie recipe that you might try using mashed potatoes.