How to Freeze Three Types of Sweet Potatoes

Nutritious, flavorful sweet potatoes are available year-round, and there are few vegetables as versatile. Sweet potato can be baked whole or diced, or used in savory dishes like gratins, bread, biscuits, and casseroles. The root vegetable also makes delicious desserts, including sweet potato pies, moist cakes, muffins, and even cookies.

With all those amazing ways to eat sweet potatoes, you'll want to stock up in the fall when prices are lowest. You can then slice, dice, bake, or mash what you won't eat immediately and freeze the sweet potatoes for up to 12 months.

Freeze Boiled Sweet Potatoes

Boiling is an easy, quick way to prepare sweet potatoes for the freezer. You can dice or slice them to fit your most common uses. Frozen sliced or diced sweet potatoes are perfect in lentils or stews or in recipes with brown sugar or syrup, such as candied sweet potatoes.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Scrub the sweet potatoes, then slice or dice them to the preferred size. Make sure the pieces are all about the same size so they cook evenly. Cook sweet potatoes with the skin on unless a specific recipe that you're using the cooked sweet potatoes for directs otherwise. The skin is easily removed once the potatoes are cooked.
3. Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until they just begin to become tender but are still quite firm.
4. Remove the sweet potatoes and let them stand at room temperature until cool.
5. Put the sweet potatoes in freezer storage bags. Remove as much of the air from the bags as possible. If you don't have a vacuum sealing system, try the straw method: Close the bag, leaving just enough of an opening for a straw, then suck out as much air as you can. Finish closing the bag and freeze.

Freeze Baked Sweet Potatoes

Baked sweet potatoes are delicious but they require a lot of time in the oven. You can have whole, pre-baked sweet potatoes ready in the freezer for a quick side dish any time you like. All you have to do is warm them up.

1. Heat the oven to 375 F. Place a large baking pan or sheet of heavy-duty foil on the bottom rack of the oven.
2. Scrub the sweet potatoes, poke each in a few places with a fork, and place on the oven rack.
3. Bake the sweet potatoes for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Let the potatoes cool for about an hour in the oven.
4. Wrap the cooled sweet potatoes in foil and freeze them whole in freezer bags for up to 12 months.
5. To reheat whole baked sweet potatoes, remove the foil. Rewrap them in a new sheet of foil and bake in a 350 F oven for about 25 to 35 minutes. Split and add a little butter and cinnamon sugar for serving.

Freeze Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Another option is to freeze mashed sweet potatoes. These can be topped with honey, maple syrup, or other sweeteners. You can also use them in sweet potato casserole, bread, biscuits, puddings, cakes, or sweet potato pie.

1. Follow the baked sweet potato method until step three. Then, take the cooled sweet potatoes out of the oven, slip the skins off, and put the flesh in a large bowl.
2. Beat the sweet potatoes until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for every 1 pint of sweet potatoes, if you wish. Lemon juice helps prevent browning, but it isn't absolutely necessary.
3. Pack the sweet potato mixture into bags and flatten the bag to remove as much air out as possible before placing it in the freezer.