How to Freeze Sweet Potatoes

Learn how to freeze sweet potatoes to preserve them for later use. Tips for freezing blanched, roasted, and mashed sweet potatoes are included.

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You can freeze just about any vegetable, and sweet potatoes are no exception! In fact, you can freeze these tubers in multiple ways — from raw (as long as they’re blanched first) or cooked. If you have a lot of sweet potatoes on hand or want to preserve sweet potatoes before they go rotten, this post is for you.

How to Freeze Sweet Potato Cubes or Fries

If you want to freeze raw sweet potatoes that you cut into cubes, fries, or wedges, you have to blanch them first. Blanching is the process of boiling vegetables for a short period of time followed by plunging them into an ice bath. This helps to preserve nutrients, color, and texture.

When you blanch sweet potatoes, you can use then them in recipes that call for cooked sweet potatoes without sacrificing the final texture. I have roasted and pan fried frozen sweet potatoes and the final product tastes similar to how it would with fresh sweet potatoes.

Can you freeze raw sweet potatoes?

It’s not recommended to freeze raw sweet potato fries or cubes. They won’t hold up well in the freezer and they won’t cook correctly in recipes. Blanching or cooking sweet potatoes fully is the way to go.

How to Blanch Sweet Potatoes for Freezing

1. Peel sweet potatoes to remove skin. Dice into desired shape: cubes, fries, or wedges. See my tutorial on How to Cut Sweet Potatoes for more tips.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop the sweet potatoes into the boiling water. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Wait until the water comes back to a boil to start the timer.
3. Remove the sweet potatoes with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl filled with ice water. Let them sit for a few minutes. Drain the potatoes.
4. Spread the potatoes out in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place the baking sheet in the freezer, somewhere it won’t be bumped, for an hour or two until the potatoes are frozen solid. This helps prevent them from lumping together.
5. Transfer the frozen potatoes to a labeled freezer bag. I love to use reusable Stasher bags. Remove as much air as possible before sealing. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

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How to Freeze Cooked Sweet Potatoes

You can also preserve sweet potatoes that have already been cooked. Here are some of the most common preparations of cooked sweet potatoes and how to freeze them.

• Roasted Whole Sweet Potatoes: To roast whole sweet potatoes, scrub them clean and use a fork to poke several holes in the skin (to let air escape). Roast at 400 degrees F on a piece of aluminum foil on the center rack of the oven for 50 to 70 minutes until cooked through. Cooking time depends on the size of the potato. Let them cool completely then wrap each one in aluminum foil and transfer to a freezer bag. Store for up to 6 months in the freezer.
• Boiled Sweet Potatoes: Boiled sweet potatoes can also be frozen. Peel and slice a sweet potato into chunks, then boil for 10 to 15 minutes until tender. Drain and let them cool completely. Transfer to a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible, and seal. Store for up to 6 months in the freezer.
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes: If you mashed sweet potatoes after you boiled or roasted them, let them cool completely then transfer to freezer bags or containers. Use your hands to flatten the potatoes in the bag. Remove as much air as possible before sealing. Store for up to 6 months in the freezer.

How to Thaw and Use Frozen Sweet Potatoes

Blanched sweet potato cubes, fries, or wedges can be used in recipes directly from frozen. You may need to decrease the cook time by a few minutes when using frozen sweet potatoes. However, I’ve found that it takes them a little longer to get crispy when using them in roasted sweet potato recipes. So I usually keep the cook time as is or even increase it a little.

Use blanched then frozen sweet potato cubes or fries in these recipes:

• Sautéed Sweet Potatoes
• Loaded Sweet Potato Fries
• Arugula Sweet Potato Salad with Cumin Lime Dressing
• Ancho Chile Black Bean Sweet Potato Tacos
• Sweet Potato Black Bean Meal Prep Bowls

Frozen cooked sweet potatoes, like mashed or roasted whole ones, should be thawed in the fridge overnight. You can reheat them in the microwave, on the stove top (mashed), or in the oven (whole ones). If you need to thaw them quickly and did not put them in the fridge overnight, try reheating in the microwave in increments until warmed through.

Use frozen then thawed cooked sweet potatoes in these recipes:

• Easy Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies
• Walnut and Sweet Potato Smoothie
• Oatmeal Raisin Sweet Potato Cookies
• Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burgers
• Sweet Potato Blueberry Flax Muffins

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📖 Recipe

Enjoy your sweet potatoes! – Lizzie