The Best Way to Freeze and Reheat Mashed Potatoes

When it comes to crowd-pleasing comfort food, especially amongst Thanksgiving sides, there’s no question that mashed potatoes are an absolute must. Another thing to love about this dish? It’s easier to make ahead than you might think. But — you may be thinking — can you freeze mashed potatoes? Why yes. Yes you can.

You can freeze mashed potatoes made with plenty of butter and cream, and then reheat them on the big day using one of four methods. Here’s how to ace the time management portion of prepping your thanksgiving dinner.

Cook your mashed potatoes as you normally would, making sure to include plenty of cream and butter. Once the potatoes are completely cooled, use one of two easy methods to freeze them:

• Scoop one-cup mounds of the mashed potatoes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Then, transfer to the freezer for at least a few hours up to overnight, until the mashed potatoes are completely frozen.
• Transfer the individual servings to a large freezer bag or container, and store in the freezer until Thanksgiving.

If you prefer not to portion the potatoes, here’s what to do:

• Transfer all of the cooled mash to a large freezer bag or food container.
• Either let it thaw in the refrigerator ahead of time or store it in a way that’ll make it easy to reheat them from frozen.
• To reheat, the reserved mashed potatoes will need to fit in a large pot, baking dish, slow cooker, or microwave-safe dish.

Mashed potatoes last up to one month in the freezer. After that, their liquid and solid components separate, and they unfortunately won’t regain their creamy, pillowy consistency when reheated.

According to the USDA, cooked potatoes can last 3-4 days in the fridge. This is important to note if you plan on de-thawing the mashed potatoes before you reheat.

You can reheat mashed potatoes on the stovetop, in the oven, in a slow cooker, or even in the microwave. The best method is whichever works best with your schedule.

The mashed potatoes may be a bit watery when you reheat them, so it’s a good idea to add in some sour cream or cheese to thicken it up right before serving.

• Reheat the potatoes, thawed or straight from the freezer, in a large pot, over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. (Alternatively, to avoid over-stirring and a gluey texture, you can put the potatoes in a bowl above a pot of simmering water for a gentler heat.)
• Once heated through, add additional seasoning and butter, as needed.

• Put the potatoes in a covered oven-safe dish.
• Reheat the potatoes, thawed or straight from the freezer, in the oven at 350°F for about 30 minutes (or until the potatoes are completely heated through).

• Thaw the mashed potatoes in the refrigerator.
• Add the potatoes to the slow cooker and heat on low for 2 to 4 hours.

• Add the potatoes to a covered microwave-safe dish (it’s best to thaw them in the fridge before heating).
• Heat them in the microwave at half-power for five minutes, stirring halfway through. Note: This time may vary based on the amount of potatoes to be cooked, and microwaves can also vary.
• Once cooked through, stir well, and add additional seasoning and butter, as needed.

Once reheated, if the potatoes seem to be on the watery side, stir in some sour cream or cream cheese to give them a thicker, creamier consistency. Taste the potatoes, and add more butter, cream, and seasoning as necessary.

Because mashed potatoes are so popular, there are countless ways to prepare them. Here are some of our favorite mashed potato recipes:

• How To Make Perfect Mashed Potatoes for Thanksgiving
• How To Make Mashed Potatoes in the Slow Cooker
• Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Mashed Potatoes
• How to Mashed Potatoes for Just Two People
• French Onion Mashed Potatoes
• Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
• Cheesy Baked Mashed Potatoes
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Stovetop Rustic Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Make-Ahead Mashed Potato Casserole