Freezing Mashed Potatoes

Asked by Drumchik. Answered on 16th December 2019

Full question

We are a small family but we like the look of the Make-Ahead Mash. Can we make it and freeze portions of it for later use? Also can the cheese be omitted?

Make-Ahead Mash

By Nigella

Our answer

Nigella's Make-Ahead Mash (from SIMPLY NIGELLA) can be made ahead and refrigerated. It is also easy to halve or quarter the recipe for a smaller group. Freezing mashed potatoes is a little more tricky as they can become very watery when defrosted. They can re-emulsify on reheating, but it depends on the amount of fat in the mash. So on balance we prefer not to freeze this particular dish. If you did want to try freezing the potatoes then we would suggest switching the sour cream for double cream, as this will help with the texture of the potatoes. Also we would freeze the topping separately and add it before reheating, as it will become soggy when the mash thaws. Thaw the mash in the fridge before reheating and make sure it is piping hot in the centre before serving.

The Parmesan doesn't make the mashed potatoes taste particularly cheesy, but it can be omitted. You may need to add a little extra seasoning to the mash. For the topping add 2-3 pinches of salt if you are not using Parmesan.