Can You Freeze Make Ahead Mash?

Our answer

Nigella's Make-Ahead Mash (from SIMPLY NIGELLA) are mashed potatoes that can be made ahead, stored in the fridge and are reheated in the oven. The potatoes can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored, covered, in the fridge until needed.

Mashed potatoes can be frozen, but when they defrost they tend to become watery and it is better to reheat them in a saucepan and heat them almost to boiling point, stirring frequently, to help the texture recover. This helps the water to be reabsorbed and also some excess to evaporate. Some people also feel that defrosted mashed potatoes can be little tasteless. So if you were to freeze them then we would suggest freezing them after mashing with the butter and sour cream then thawing them overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a saucepan, stirring frequently, until piping hot, season with Parmesan, salt and pepper, transfer to the baking dish, top with the cheesy breadcrumbs and bake for 20-30 minutes. However, this is quite labour intensive and hence they are no longer an easy dish to just put in the oven.