How to Freeze Sweet Potatoes (Whole, Mashed, or Diced)
If you’re like me, you load up on bags of sweet potatoes from the store. Sweet potatoes are so nutritious and delicious, but did you know they can also be frozen? This article shares how to freeze sweet potatoes whole, mashed or diced.
Sweet potatoes have a high water content. This means that if you freeze them raw, they can very easily get freezer burned, and turn mushy or mealy when thawed.
It is not recommended that you freeze raw potatoes because they just won’t act right in recipes nor will they taste their best.
If you want to freeze a whole sweet potato, then it’s also important to cook it first. Instead of blanching it whole, though, you’ll need to roast it completely. Then, you can let the potato cool and freeze it whole with its skin or without its skin.
Blanching Sweet Potatoes
Blanching is a way to preserve many vegetables, and it’s a great way if you are planning to dice your sweet potatoes to use later in Sweet Potato Hash or wedge them for Sweet Potato Fries.
By blanching your sliced or diced sweet potatoes, you are basically just taking the raw “bite” out of them before freezing. This way, when you go to use them in a recipe, you cut off some of the cooking time and still achieve the perfect texture.
Let’s go into the details on the best way to freeze sweet potatoes whole, mashed, or diced. With just a few extra steps, you can use them in different ways.
Why You Need This Guide
- Sweet potatoes are nutritious and budget-friendly. They’re also naturally gluten-free and are a fantastic complex carbohydrate (see my full list of the best gluten-free carbs).
- You can buy sweet potatoes in bulk at most grocery stores. This makes them convenient to have in your pantry. Once you cook them, you can also freeze them for added convenience.
- For people who don’t like to eat vegetables, sweet potatoes can be a welcome food. They have a naturally sweet taste and are a good option for a healthy side dish.
Steps on Freezing Whole Sweet Potatoes
Yes, you can freeze whole sweet potatoes! But, you’ll need to roast them first. Let me show you how.
Step One
Scrub potatoes well, pat them dry with a paper towel, prick with a fork, and place on a baking sheet.
I like to line my cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up.
Step Two
Bake potatoes for an hour at 400°F, or until they can easily be pricked with a fork.
Large sweet potatoes may require even longer cook time, up to 75 minutes.
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Step Three
Let cool completely to room temperature. At this point you can leave the skin on or remove the skin from the baked sweet potato.
Step Four
Wrap each cooked and cooled baked sweet potato in aluminum foil and then place them in a labeled and dated zip-top freezer bag or resealable freezer bag.
Wrapping them in foil will help retain the moisture in the potato and keep it from drying out. Store for 10-12 months.
How to Freeze Mashed Baked Sweet Potatoes
You can also peel and mash up your fully baked sweet potatoes and freeze them that way.
Step One
Bake your sweet potatoes. I like to make Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes as the easiest and fastest method. Let the potatoes cool and then remove the skin.
Step Two
Place the baked and peeled sweet potatoes in a bowl and use a potato masher to mash them.
Don’t season them before freezing, but wait until you defrost and serve them to add seasonings.
Step Three
For best results, place your sweet potato puree in quart size resealable freezer bags to freeze flat.
Step Four
Place the bag of mashed sweet potato in the freezer for up to several months. Defrost before using.
Use your mashed sweet potatoes in a Sweet Potato Casserole or as the topping on a Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie.
How to Freeze Diced or Sliced Sweet Potatoes
If you prefer to freeze your sweet potatoes sliced or diced, you can do that too. You can also freeze sweet potato pieces.
Step One
Before freezing the diced, sliced, or wedged sweet potatoes, you’ll need to blanch them in a large pot of boiling water for 5 minutes.
Step Two
Drain the blanched sweet potato cubes and lay them on a baking sheet. You can put them in a large bowl of cold water to cool down, but you don’t have to.
Always freeze your blanched or baked sweet potatoes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet before adding to an airtight freezer bag, or you risk all your hard work being frozen into a single lump.
Step Three
Freeze the cubed or diced potatoes for several hours.
Step Four
Transfer the frozen cubes to a zip top bag and store for up to several months. You can also use a vacuum-sealed bag if you prefer.
By freezing diced sweet potatoes, they will be perfect for hash browns or french fries or my Sweet Potato Smoothie.
Another great option is to slice them into rounds and freeze them after blanching them.
Recipe Tips
- You can use this cooking process for blanching and freezing sweet potatoes with white potatoes too! This is also essentially the same method for freezing carrots, freezing cabbage, freezing broccoli, and freezing cauliflower.
- If you don’t have time to prep your sweet potatoes for freezing right now, be sure to store them in a dark place like a pantry until you’re ready to cook them.
Freezer FAQs
Frozen sweet potatoes will last for 10-12 months. Be sure to get as much air out of the zip-top bags as possible.
Blanching means putting your cut potatoes into boiling water for 5 minutes or so, until just barely tender. Be sure to drain and dry completely before freezing.
Frozen potatoes are best thawed in the fridge to help retain their moisture and texture, though you can also often use them straight from frozen.
Use in any of your favorite recipes! The oven will be best for giving them a crispy outer texture, especially if you have pre-cut them. Just keep in mind that they have been parcooked, so you will need to cut some cooking time out of your recipe. It is easy to simply roast them with some olive oil and salt and watch for them to be done.
Raw potatoes are not a good idea to freeze due to their high water content. They will easily attract freezer burn and can become mushy or mealy when thawed.
The best way will depend on how you plan to use your frozen sweet potato. For the most versatile use, it’s probably best to peel and dice your sweet potatoes, blanch them, and then freeze the diced and blanched potatoes to use later in soups, stews, or hash.
Yes! Let the potato cool and then wrap it in foil and put it in an airtight bag or container. Freeze for up to 10-12 months and defrost before using.
There are numerous benefits including reducing food waste by preserving sweet potatoes before they go bad. Another benefit of freezing sweet potatoes is that you will save time in the future because then you just have to defrost the potatoes before using them in a recipe or serving them after they have defrosted.
More Helpful Freezer Guides
- How to Freeze Spinach and Kale
- How to Freeze Raw Beets
- How to Freeze Cauliflower
- How to Freeze Carrots
- How to Freeze Cucumbers
- How to Freeze Pulled Pork
- How to Freeze Avocados
Don’t Miss These Sweet Potato Recipes!
Frozen Sweet Potatoes (3 Easy Methods)
If you’re like me, you load up on bags of sweet potatoes from the warehouse store. Sweet potatoes are so nutritious and delicious, but did you know they can also be frozen? This article shares how to freeze sweet potatoes whole, mashed or diced.
- Total Time: 90 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 4 whole sweet potatoes (any type)
Instructions
- Wash and dry your potatoes. If baking whole, prick with a fork.
- Bake at 400°F for an hour, or until easily poked with a fork.
- Let cool completely before freezing in zip-top bags.
- You can also freeze mashed sweet potatoes. Cook, peel, and mash the potatoes. Let the potatoes cool slightly and then transfer to zip top bags and store in the freezer.
- Another option is to cut and blanch the potatoes. Simply boil for 5 minutes until they are slightly tender. Dry completely before freezing in a single layer on parchment. Once completely frozen, add to labeled and dated zip-top bags.
Notes
- Sweet potatoes are best either partly or fully cooked before freezing – do not freeze raw!
- You can freeze any type of sweet potato including the ones with orange, purple, or white flesh.
- Potatoes will last in the freezer for 10-12 months; be sure to remove as much air from the bag as possible.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sweet potato
- Calories: 112
- Sugar: 5.4 g
- Sodium: 71.5 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.2 g
- Fiber: 3.9 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and is studying to be a holistic nutritionist. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send her a message through her contact form.
It is very convenient to have frozen sweet potatoes on hand all year round. Thanks for sharing!
What a detailed instructions on how to freeze potatoes! Love the photos and your guide, thanks!
This was a such a delicious and easy recipe! I went perfect with my dinner meal. So good!
Recently became an empty nester so have been looking for ways to preserve leftover food. Seems like I am still buying too much so this method of freezing with really come in handy!
Beautiful post about one of my favorite veggies!
This is a helpful guide on various ways of freezing sweet potatoes!