Can You Freeze Sweet Potatoes?

Can you freeze sweet potatoes? Sweet potatoes are one of the most versatile veggies out there. They are used in all sorts of dishes, both sweet and savory. Preparing and cooking (or baking) sweet potatoes are not that difficult, but it takes quite some time.

For most of us, it’s fine to take our time cooking during the weekend, but cooking sweet potatoes on a weeknight is hardly an option. With so much going on in our lives, taking an hour to prepare a healthy supper with some veggies in it is not likely to happen too often. Fortunately, we have our freezers for preserving sweet potatoes.

There are a few good options when it comes to freezing sweet potatoes, so pick one that works best for you.

How to Freeze Baked Sweet Potato Fries

This is, by far, the most time-consuming method in this guide. I use this method quite often when meal prepping. You do all the work before freezing, and after defrosting and warming up the potatoes are ready to eat. Here’s how I do it:

1. Preheat the oven to 430 degrees F (or 220 degrees C).
2. Peel or scrub (depending if you want to leave the skin on) the potatoes and cut them into fries-like strips. Choose the size that works best for you. Bigger ones are great if you’re transferring the potato fries in freezer bags. I do these as part of my meal prep routine, so I cut the sweet potatoes into smaller chips, so they fit into my containers easily.

   

3. Coat the fries with your favorite mix of spices and olive oil. Transfer the fries into a large bowl and add the spices. Sea salt and black pepper is the standard, but feel free to add whatever spices you like. After adding the spices, add a tablespoon of olive oil (or more) and give the veggies a toss to make sure each chip is coated with the oil.

   

4. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (no sticking, easy cleanup) and spread the fries into a thin layer.

   

5. Put the baking sheet into the oven and bake the potatoes for 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the size. Use a toothpick to check if they are done properly.
6. Remove the veggies from the oven and let them sit at room temperature for at least 25 minutes. They cool down really quickly.

   

7. Transfer the fries into freezer bags or containers. If you’re using freezer bags, spread them into a flat layer for easier storage and reheating.

   

8. Label the bags or containers with name and date if needed.
9. Transfer the veggies into the freezer.

How to Freeze Boiled Sweet Potatoes

This method requires little prep time and is perfect if you’re freezing sweet potatoes for the first time. Here’s how it goes:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. The pot should be large enough to fit all the potatoes you’re about to cook without cutting them into slices.
2. Scrub the potatoes and chuck them into the boiling water.
3. Boil the sweet potatoes for 10-15 minutes, depending on size (having sweet potatoes of similar size works best). You want to boil the sweet potatoes until they become tender.
4. Drain the potatoes and let them sit in room temperature until you can touch the skin without hurting your palms.
5. Peel the sweet potatoes (it’s much easier now than before cooking!) and slice or dice them, depending on your needs.
6. Portion the prepped veggies. If you already know how much you will need at a time, that’s your portion. If not, divide the potatoes into several roughly equal portions. With smaller portions, it will be easier to defrost as many sweet potatoes as you need at a time.
7. Transfer the portions into a freezer bag. Spread them evenly into a flat layer in the bag for easier storage.
8. Label the bags with name and date if needed.
9. Chuck the bags into the freezer.

How to Freeze Baked Whole Sweet Potatoes

This method requires a longer waiting time than boiling but ot gives equally good results. It’s the best choice if you’re already baking sweet potatoes for a dish you’re preparing. Just bake all of the sweet potatoes you have and freeze the leftovers. Here’s how to do it:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (or about 205 degrees C).
2. Scrub the potatoes thoroughly and prick the potatoes with a fork. The holes will help cook the sweet potatoes evenly.
3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup) and place the veggies onto it. Put it into the oven.
4. Bake the sweet potatoes for at least an hour, until they become tender. You can use a toothpick to check if the sweet potatoes were cooked thoroughly.
5. Take the baking sheet out and let the veggies sit in room temperature until they have cooled down enough for you to touch them.
6. (Recommended) Peel the potatoes and slice or dice them. You can certainly freeze whole sweet potatoes, but portioning, defrosting, and cooking them will be a huge pain. Sliced or diced sweet potatoes are easy to portion. Defrosting and cooking cut potatoes are also faster this way.
7. Transfer the sweet potatoes (whole, sliced, or diced) into freezer bags. If sliced or diced, spread the veggies into a flat layer for easy storage.
8. Label the freezer bags with name and date if needed.
9. Put the packed veggies into the freezer.

How to Defrost Frozen Sweet Potatoes

• Overnight in the fridge. This is the most popular method of defrosting or thawing pretty much any food. Just transfer the potatoes into the fridge the night before you need them. They will be defrosted and ready for reheating in the morning.
• Frying pan. Reheating the sweet potatoes on a stove is great for defrosting sweet potatoes. Just transfer the veggies onto a frying pan and heat over low. After a few minutes the sweet potatoes should defrost and after a few more they should be ready to eat.
• Throw it frozen into the meal you’re preparing. If you’re using sweet potatoes in a cooked meal, like a soup or a stew, you can toss it in frozen. Just make sure to add a few minutes to the total cooking time of that meal to account for the defrosting and warming up of the frozen veggies.