How to Freeze Potatoes So They're Perfect for All Your Favorite Dishes

Indeed, raw potatoes don’t freeze well; ice crystals rupture their cell walls, leaving them mushy once thawed—and many people think that means you cannot freeze potatoes. The secret to freezing potatoes without ending up with a sad, soggy mess is simple: cook them first. A quick blanch, roast, or mash before freezing locks in their texture and flavor. Learn the best way to prep potatoes for freezing, depending on how you will be using them later.

Why You Should Freeze Potatoes

When a grocery order gone wrong left me with nearly 40 russet potatoes and no hope of eating them all in time, I experimented with freezing. While preparing for a holiday dinner, I ordered five medium russet potatoes to make latkes for four people, only to receive five 5-pound bags of potatoes. Thanks to a few simple freezer techniques, I was enjoying ready-to-cook hash browns, scalloped potatoes, and French fries for months to come.

Extended Shelf Life

Freezing excess potatoes is a great way to extend their shelf life. Potatoes are best stored in a well-ventilated, cool, dark place, such as a pantry or basement. In the right conditions, a raw potato can last a couple of months before you see any sprouting, softening, or rotting. Once cooked, prepared potatoes can be refrigerated for up to four days—but frozen potatoes can last as long as a year.

A Jump Start on Cooking

Potatoes are the kitchen chameleon and ultimate workhorse, from weekday breakfasts to holiday feasts. But a good workhorse shouldn't require constant work from you. Freezing prepared potatoes allows you to enjoy those busy breakfasts on the go without early-morning labor, and it lightens the load on the day of big holiday gatherings so you too can enjoy the party.

The Fundamentals of Freezing Potatoes

Always cook or parcook potatoes before freezing. The water content in raw potatoes freezes into ice crystals that rupture cell walls, causing a mushy, grainy texture when thawed. All types of potatoes can be parcooked or cooked and then frozen, but as with fresh potatoes, some excel more than others in certain applications.

The Best Potato for the Job

Waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold, red bliss) hold their shape and retain their silky, firm texture in scalloped potato or au gratin dishes.

Starchy potatoes (russets) freeze best when combined with fat (cream, butter), which helps mashed or baked dishes stay smooth instead of turning mealy or grainy.

Sweet potatoes (Garnet, Jewel, Beauregard) are dense and moist. They retain their luscious texture much like waxy potatoes. Starchier sweet potatoes (white, yellow) behave more like russets and benefit from added fat before freezing.

Our Dish-by-Dish and Step-by-Step Freezing Guide for Potatoes

How to best prepare your tuber for freezing depends on its intended final use.

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed russets are prime freezer candidates. The added fat from cream and butter coats starch molecules, helping them to reheat with a rich, velvety texture.

1. Prepare the mashed potatoes with slightly more liquid than usual; freezing and reheating tightens them up.
2. Cool completely. Scoop portions onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. (If you plan to serve them in casserole form, see the section below.) 
3. Freeze until solid, a few hours or up to overnight.
4. Transfer to a large freezer bag and label with the date.

Defrosting and reheating: Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Potato Casseroles

Waxy potatoes shine in potato casseroles, whether that's potatoes au gratin, scalloped potatoes, or sweet potato casserole—their structure holds up during freezing.

1. Parcook the casserole per the recipe, stopping just shy of fully done.
2. Hold off on toppings like shredded cheese until reheating.
3. Cool completely, wrap well with plastic wrap, and label with the date.

Defrosting and reheating: Thaw completely in the refrigerator, then finish baking with toppings added at the end.

French Fries and Potato Wedges

Believe it or not, French fries and potato wedges are often better when frozen first. Blanching the potatoes causes the starches on the surface to absorb water and gelatinize, and freezing causes those starch molecules to re-associate into a firmer, more orderly structure. In this case, the cell wall damage caused by ice crystals—a problem for most potato dishes— actually works in your favor. As the potatoes thaw, moisture escapes, creating tiny surface cracks and a more porous texture. When frying or roasting, the potatoes brown more deeply and crisp up beautifully.

1. Cut potatoes into fries or wedges.
2. Blanch in boiling water until slightly softened but not fully tender.
3. Shock in ice water to stop the cooking.
4. Drain, transfer cooled fries to a clean dish towel, and blot with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
5. Arrange fries in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, a few hours or up to overnight.
6. Transfer to a large freezer bag and label with the date.

Defrosting and cooking: Bake or fry the fries straight from frozen.

Hash Browns

Shredded potatoes freeze well because blanching locks in structure while removing excess starch. Drying them thoroughly prevents clumping and sogginess.

1. Shred peeled potatoes with the largest holes of a cheese grater.
2. Blanch briefly in boiling water until slightly softened but not fully tender.
3. Shock in ice water to stop the cooking.
4. Drain, transfer cooled shredded potatoes to a clean dish towel, and blot with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
5. Arrange shredded potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, a few hours or up to overnight.
6. Transfer to a large freezer bag and label with the date.

Defrosting and cooking: Cook the shredded potatoes straight from the freezer for top-notch Hash Browns.

Potato Pancakes and Latkes

The starch from the grated potatoes binds with egg and flour during cooking, so freezing doesn’t hurt the texture of potato pancakes and latkes.

1. Cook potato pancakes per the recipe instructions.
2. Cool fried pancakes completely and arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, a few hours or up to overnight.
3. Transfer to a large freezer bag and label with the date.

Defrosting and reheating: Reheat from frozen on a wire rack over a baking sheet.

Home Fries

Parcooking home fries ensures the inside stays fluffy while freezing creates a surface that browns faster in the pan.

1. Dice potatoes.
2. Blanch in boiling water until slightly softened but not fully tender.
3. Shock in ice water to stop the cooking.
4. Drain, transfer cooled potatoes to a clean dish towel, and blot with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
5. Toss with other ingredients (cooked bacon, diced onion, spices) and arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, a few hours or up to overnight.
6. Transfer to a large freezer bag and label with the date.

Defrosting and cooking: Pan-fry straight from frozen.

Stuffed and Twice-Baked Potatoes

The added fat from butter and cheese helps stuffed and twice-baked russet potatoes reheat with a velvety and lush texture.

1. Cook stuffed potatoes per the recipe instructions and cool completely.
2. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil.
3. Transfer to freezer bag, label with the date, and freeze. 

Defrosting and reheating: Reheat straight from frozen.

In Soups and Sauce

Potatoes freeze well in soup, whether pureed or left in chunks. In pureed soups, potatoes help maintain a creamy texture after thawing; in chunkier soups, they stay tender without falling apart. 

1. Cook soup per the recipe instructions.
2. Portion into containers and cool completely.
3. Cover, label with the date, and freeze.

Defrosting and reheating: Reheat from frozen or defrost in the refrigerator before using.

For Flexibility Later

Sometimes you have extra potatoes and need to stop the clock without a specific plan in mind. Here's what to do: Blanch and freeze large chunks or small whole waxy potatoes for later use.

1. Peel potatoes if desired; cut into chunks if large.
2. Blanch in boiling water until slightly softened but not fully tender.
3. Shock in ice water to stop the cooking.
4. Drain, transfer cooled potatoes to a clean dish towel, and blot with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
5. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, a few hours or up to overnight.
6. Transfer to a large freezer bag and label with the date.

Using: They can be used from frozen or defrosted in the refrigerator before using.