Refrigerating Raw, Cut Sweet Potatoes
Place your cut, raw sweet potatoes into a large bowl. You can peel the sweet potatoes or leave the skin on. It doesn’t matter how the potatoes were cut—they could be diced, in large chunks, or even in wedges. Use a clean bowl that is big enough to contain the potatoes without them extending up over the lip of the bowl. Check that there is enough room in your fridge for the bowl. If not, clear out some space so it will fit.
Cover the potatoes with cold water. You can use filtered or tap water. Give the potatoes a quick stir to ensure the water has gotten in between all of the pieces. You could also add a handful of ice to the bowl to make sure the water stays as cold as possible, though this isn’t required.
Keep the bowl in the fridge for up to 24 hours. If you are prepping for a big meal, dice up your sweet potatoes up to a day in advance and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to cook them. If you drain the potatoes and notice that they are turning brown, that they’ve started getting soft, or if they are slimy, you should discard them as they may be going bad. Don’t leave the bowl out on the counter for longer than 1-2 hours. The potatoes will probably be okay, but there is also a chance that the water will get warm, which could cause the potatoes to start turning brown.
Freezing Raw, Cut Sweet Potatoes
Use raw, peeled, diced sweet potatoes if you are going to freeze them. Use a vegetable peeler to remove all of the skin. Dice the sweet potatoes on a clean cutting board in about 1 inch (2.5 cm) squares. If you prefer, you could also cut the potatoes into wedges or fries. It’s important to remove the skin from the potato when you are freezing them diced so that when they defrost, bacteria from the skin doesn’t transfer onto the potato. This process is especially helpful if you have whole sweet potatoes that are on the brink of turning bad. Save your potato skins to make your own vegetable stock, or put them into your compost pile.
Blanch the sweet potatoes for 2-3 minutes. Boil water in a large pot, then boil the sweet potatoes for 2-3 minutes. Carefully drain the potatoes into a colander, then immediately transfer them to a large bowl filled with ice and water. Leave them in the ice water for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove them from the water and set them on paper towels to dry. The blanching process keeps the sweet potatoes from getting squishy and stringy once they are thawed.
Portion out your blanched sweet potatoes into resealable bags. Use either sandwich- or gallon-size resealable bags, depending on how many potatoes you have to save. Put in enough potatoes for a meal, and then squeeze out the excess air as you seal them. Portioning out the potatoes will save you time later—since the potatoes may clump together when they freeze, having pre-portioned baggies will prevent you from having to break apart a large clump of potatoes! If you have a vacuum sealer, this would be a good time to use it!
Store your raw sweet potatoes in the freezer for up to 6 months. Until the sweet potatoes have fully frozen, avoid putting anything else on top of them, as they could squish the potatoes and damage them before they have a chance to freeze. It should only take 5 to 6 hours for the potatoes to thoroughly freeze through Label the resealable bag with a permanent marker before you put it in the freezer. Either write, “Prepared on xx/xx/xx” or “Use by xx/xx/xx.”
Thaw your frozen sweet potatoes in the fridge for 2-3 hours. Avoid putting frozen sweet potatoes directly onto the counter without thawing them in the fridge first. If you put them straight onto the counter, they could develop mold or bacteria due to the extreme temperature change. Try to use your sweet potatoes within 24 hours of taking them out of the freezer. Defrosted sweet potatoes may be a little bit softer than just-cut potatoes, but they are still good to eat! If there is a lot of freezer burn on the potatoes when you take them out, they may not taste very good anymore—it’s up to you if you want to try and use them still! If you don’t have the time to let them thaw in the fridge, try using your microwave’s defrost button.
Storing Cooked, Cut Sweet Potatoes
Store cut, cooked sweet potatoes in the fridge for up to 7 days. Place your sweet potatoes into an airtight container within 1 hour of cooking them. You can also put them into the fridge while they’re still hot, though, if you want store them immediately after cooking. If you don’t have a lid for your container, cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Label the “made on” date on your storage container so you will remember how long they’ll be good for.
Freeze cut, cooked sweet potatoes in a resealable bag for up to 1 year. Mashed, cubed, whole—you can safely freeze any sweet potato that has already been cooked. Simply place the sweet potatoes into a bag, squeeze out the excess air, and pop the bag into the freezer. When you’re ready to use them, let them thaw in the fridge for several hours, and then reheat them in the microwave, in the oven, or on the stovetop. Don’t forget to label the bag with the date so you’ll remember how long the potatoes will be good for.
Discard any cooked sweet potatoes that are discolored or smelly. If you go to reheat your cooked sweet potatoes and notice that they smell a little funky, or if they’re discolored with brown or black spots (or even mold), throw them out right away. If you store your cooked sweet potatoes in the freezer and notice they have freezer burn when you take them out to defrost, it’s up to you whether you still want to eat them or not. They’re technically safe to eat, but they may not taste very good anymore. If you have sweet potatoes in the fridge and you’re worried you won’t be able to use them before they go bad, go ahead and freeze them so you don’t waste them.
Finished.
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