Can you freeze mashed potatoes?

Plain boiled potato freezes badly: USDA lists it among the foods that turn soft, crumbly and watery. Mash is the exception, because the fat in butter and cream coats the starch granules and limits how much water can separate out. The richer the mash, the better it survives. Reheat gently with extra liquid, and beat it back together rather than trying to reheat it undisturbed.

How to do it properly

1. Make the mash richer than usual — more butter, more cream
2. Cool completely, then freeze in flat portions or scoops on a tray
3. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating
4. Reheat in a pan over low heat with a splash of milk, stirring
5. Or reheat covered in a 180 °C oven with a knob of butter on top

What goes wrong

• Low-fat mash separates into water and starch
• Reheating too fast makes it gluey
• Potatoes mashed with a food processor go gluey before they ever reach the freezer

Other "can you freeze" questions

• Can you freeze cheese? It depends — Yes, and it stays safe indefinitely — but hard cheese comes out crumbly and soft cheese comes out wet.
• Can you freeze milk? Yes — Yes — leave headspace for expansion and shake it hard after thawing.
• Can you freeze eggs? It depends — Not in the shell. Beat them first, or freeze whites on their own.
• Can you freeze bread? Yes — Yes — freezing is the best way to store bread, far better than the fridge.
• Can you freeze bananas? Yes — Yes — peel and slice them first, because the peel turns black and welds itself on.
• Can you freeze cooked rice? Yes — Yes, and freezing quickly is the safest way to keep leftover rice.
• Can you freeze raw chicken twice? It depends — Only if it thawed in the fridge and never got above 4 °C (40 °F).
• Can you freeze breast milk? Yes — Yes — freeze it flat in bags, and use within six months for best quality.
• Can you freeze avocado? It depends — Yes, but only as a purée — frozen slices go grey and watery.
• Can you freeze soup? It depends — Yes for most soups; cream, milk and potato-based ones separate or go grainy.
• Can you freeze butter? Yes — Yes — butter freezes better than almost anything else in the fridge.
• Can you freeze cooked pasta? Yes — Yes — undercook it slightly and toss it in oil first, or it thaws into a solid block.