How To Freeze Potatoes
Can you freeze potatoes? Yes, and with good results. One rule of thumb to keep in mind: raw potatoes don't freeze well because they contain so much moisture. Fully cooked potatoes (other than casseroles, soups, and other dishes made with rich and creamy ingredients like cheese and heavy cream) don't reheat well either. If you want to freeze potatoes, you will need to partially cook them before flash freezing.
Home Fries
You can freeze your own shredded potatoes and they will defrost and cook just as well as the pre-packaged kind. Shred the potatoes as directed (place them in a bowl of cold water to keep them from browning), the blanch them in boiling water for about 1 minute. Drain the potatoes, then transfer them to a large bowl filled with ice water. When they are cool, spread out the shredded potatoes on several layers of paper towels and use extra paper towels to blot off excess moisture. Place the cooled potatoes in plastic ziplock freezer bags and press as much air out of the bags as possible before placing in the freezer.
Greg DuPree
French Fries
Whether you like them in wedges or matchsticks, fries are very freezer-friendly. Blanch the sliced potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes (depending on the size) in boiling water then transfer to ice water and drain, as described above. We recommend flash-freezing fries to make sure that they don't stick together in a big clump. Pat the fries dry with paper towels, then spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet that is small enough to fit in your freezer. Freeze for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are solid, then transfer to plastic ziplock freezer bags and press as much air out of the bags as possible before placing in the freezer.
Mashed Potatoes
Fully prepared mashed potatoes made with butter and heavy cream or milk will freeze and reheat well. Place the cooled potatoes in plastic ziplock freezer bags and press as much air out of the bags as possible before placing in the freezer.
Roasted Potatoes or Hash
If you're planning to make roasted potatoes or a skillet hash, you can freeze diced or chopped potatoes as long as you blanch them in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer them to an ice bath as described above. Flash freezing is recommended as well.
Potato Salad