How To Freeze Dry Mashed Potatoes – Easy Pantry Staple
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Learn how to freeze dry mashed potatoes for homemade convenience food! They are as easy to make as store-bought instant potatoes but made with wholesome ingredients. Perfect for quick meals and small-space storage.
Table of Contents
When we got our freeze dryer, my goal was to preserve as much homegrown and locally sourced produce as possible.
Freeze-dried strawberries and apples quickly became pantry staples, and now I can’t cook without freeze-dried herbs and onion powder (check out my beginner’s herb garden guide to grow your own herbs for freeze drying).
But what I didn’t see on the horizon was convenience food. Honestly, it didn’t even cross my mind…until I thought of homemade instant mashed potatoes.
Now, it’s game on.
Some nights, there’s no time for an elaborate meal, but having simple, wholesome staples like homemade freeze-dried mashed potatoes in the pantry makes it so much easier.
They are just as easy to make as store-bought instant potatoes but without preservatives and artificial ingredients.
The freeze dryer has earned a permanent spot in my scratch-cooking kitchen and food preservation routine.
There’s no standing over a hot canner. Just load it up, walk away, and come back to perfectly preserved food.
These freeze-dried mashed potatoes are a go-to side for sourdough cheddar pork chops and hot honey meatloaf.
I can’t wait for you to try them!
Why You’ll Love Freeze-Dried Mashed Potatoes
- Healthy: Unlike store-bought instant potatoes, freeze-dried mashed potatoes are made with simple ingredients and nothing artificial.
- Convenient: Freeze-dried mashed potatoes are just as convenient as instant potatoes from the store. You add liquid, warm them up, and enjoy!
- Kids Love Them: Kids love mashed potatoes, and they can be made in just a few minutes as a side for an afterschool lunch.
- Space Saving: Because the mashed potatoes are powdered, they take up almost no space in the pantry. It’s an excellent food for storing in small pantry spaces.
- Easy: Making freeze-dried mashed potatoes is so easy. You just make the potatoes and pop them in the machine.
- Frugal: Potatoes are relatively inexpensive and satiating. They are a great food to cook and store on a budget.
Ingredients
- Potatoes: I used russet potatoes. I got a great deal on organic potatoes from Azure Standard. You can use any potato you prefer, homegrown or store-bought.
- Milk: Use any milk you regularly would for mashed potatoes. I prefer whole milk.
Get the full list of ingredients on the printable recipe card below.
Tools You Will Need
- Freeze Dryer: Of course, you will need a freeze dryer. Harvest Right is the industry leader for home freeze dryers. I have a medium set up in my garage.
- Stand Mixer: I like to make mashed potatoes in my KitchenAid stand mixer. The mixer’s efficiency quickly mashes the potatoes without overworking the starches. But you can always use a hand mixer or mash them by hand.
- Jars/Mylar Bags: You will need proper storage containers. I use mason jars for short-term storage and mylar bags for long-term storage (more about that below).
- Oxygen Absorbers: For long-term storage (more than a year), you will need an oxygen absorber in the storage container.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Fill a Dutch oven or stock pot halfway with cool water. Set aside near your workstation.
Step 2: Thoroughly wash the potatoes and cut them into quarters. You can leave the skins on or peel them. As you cut the potatoes, place them in the water.
Step 3: Once all the potatoes are cut and in the water, add more water until the potatoes are covered.
Step 4: Transfer the pot to the stove and boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the potatoes are tender and can be pierced with a fork.
Step 5: Drain the potatoes. Working in batches, transfer the potatoes to a stand mixer bowl.
Step 6: Using the paddle attachment, mash the potatoes to your liking, but hold off on the heavy fats until reconstituting. I usually just add enough milk to mash them.
Step 7: Transfer the mashed potatoes to a baking sheet or the freeze dryer trays and allow them to cool completely to room temperature.
Note: Once the potatoes are cool, you can pre-freeze them on the freezer trays if you prefer. I usually don’t do this because I don’t have freezer space.
Step 8: Turn on your freeze dryer and follow the prompts. It will tell you to chill the vacuum chamber for 15 minutes before loading trays of food.
Be sure to close the valve (it should be perpendicular to the drain line).
Step 9: If you haven’t done so already, transfer the cooled mashed potatoes to the freeze dryer trays. Make sure the trays are evenly filled.
Then, place the trays in the freeze dryer.
Step 10: Close and seal the freezer dryer door. Hit start, and let the freezer dryer do its thing.
The process’s length depends on the number of potatoes and the room’s temperature. But it usually takes 18-36 hours.
Step 11: Once the freeze dryer has completed the process, check the potatoes to ensure they are completely dry.
If there is any moisture, return all the trays to the machine and select “more dry time.” Dry for an additional 4 hours at a time until they are dry.
Step 12: Store your freeze-dried mashed potatoes in a glass jar with a vacuum-sealed lid (short-term storage) or mylar bags with an appropriately sized oxygen absorber (long-term storage up to 20+ years).
See below for more storage details.
When Are the Potatoes Done?
The potatoes are done when they are light, airy, and crumbly in texture.
They should NOT feel cold (cold indicates remaining moisture), moist, or spongy.
If they are not done, put all the filled trays back into the freeze dryer and continue drying for an additional 4 hours at a time until they are done.
Tips for Success
- Quality In Is Quality Out: The quality of the food before preserving it will determine the quality once it is rehydrated.
- Evenly Fill All Trays: For the freeze-dryer sensors to work correctly, all trays must be evenly filled.
- Hold Heavy Fats and Salts: Add heavy fats, like butter or cream, and salt when reconstituting. Adding them beforehand can reduce the shelf life.
- Warm the Trays: Use the tray warming feature before removing the potatoes. Doing so will prevent condensation from forming as you pack them.
Best Potatoes for Freeze Drying
You can use any potato for freeze-dried mashed potatoes, but I always recommend using the potatoes you enjoy eating.
- Russett potatoes are an inexpensive choice that is known for fluffy mashed potatoes.
- Yukon gold potatoes make buttery smooth mashed potatoes. However, they may not be as cost-effective.
- Red potatoes are a popular choice for their flavor and creamy texture. Compared to Russett, they are not as budget-friendly.
Storing and Shelf Life
No matter how you store your freeze-dried mashed potatoes, always ensure they are stored in a cool, dark, dry place.
If you are using an oxygen absorber, make sure it is appropriately sized for your food and container.
Short-Term Storage
Since I have limited pantry space, I always prep my freeze-dried foods for short-term storage.
For storage up to a year, I keep my preserved mashed potatoes in a glass mason jar, vacuum-sealing the lid and stowing it away in a cool, dry place. Freeze-dried mashed potatoes can stay fresh for up to a year this way.
Long-Term Storage
If properly packaged for long-term storage, your mashed potatoes can last up to 25 years.
To do this, store it in a Mylar bag or an airtight mason jar with an appropriately sized oxygen absorber.
Video – Freeze-Dried Potatoes and Storage Guide
I’m sharing my freeze-dryer setup, small-space food storage solutions, and a full-length freeze-dried mashed potato tutorial in this video!
Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more food preservation, sourdough, and scratch cooking inspo! New videos come out weekly.
Reconstituting Freeze-Dried Mashed Potatoes
The most technical way to reconstitute your mashed potatoes is to weigh each tray in grams before it goes into the machine and after processing.
The difference is how much water was removed from the potatoes.
However, this method works best if you are reconstituting a full tray at a time or if you do the math as you package them in smaller portions.
Usually, I follow these steps instead:
- Measure the potatoes I want to use in cups. Let’s assume I am using 4 cups of mashed potatoes.
- Add half of that measurement in liquid ingredients. Since I’m using 4 cups of potatoes, I’ll add 2 cups of liquid.
- Let the potatoes sit for 10-15 minutes to soak up the liquid.
- Add more liquid as needed to achieve my preferred consistency.
More Tips for Reconstituting
- Use Warm Liquid: Warm liquids will reconstitute your freeze-dried food faster. For mashed potatoes, I warm the potatoes and liquid together on the stovetop.
- Use Milk: Reconstituting mashed potatoes with milk makes them so creamy and delicious. I usually use half water and half milk, but it’s totally up to you.
- Give It Time: Freeze-dried food reconstitutes best if you give it a few minutes to soak up the liquid and adjust as needed.
How To Use Freeze-Dried Mashed Potatoes
- Quick Side Dish: Just reconstitute with water, milk, butter, and salt (or anything else you enjoy in mashed potatoes) and serve with homestyle meals. I like to add homemade béchamel for a simple gravy.
- Homemade gnocchi: Rehydrate mashed potatoes and turn them into gnocchi. Check out my post about how to use a gnocchi board to make beautiful Italian dumplings.
- Soups and Gravy: Freeze-dried mashed potatoes thicken soups and gravy like magic. Just toss them in dry. Add extra liquid if needed, as they absorb moisture.
- Shepherd’s Pie: You can assemble a homemade shepherd’s pie in minutes with freeze-dried mashed potatoes.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
Grainy mashed potatoes are a symptom of a few potential problems: not mashing them enough, too little fat, or insufficient hydration.
If your mashed potatoes are runny after reconstituting them, first let them sit a little longer. It can take a few minutes for the food to absorb the liquid.
If they are still too runny, you also always sprinkle in more dry potatoes.
They do! When rehydrated properly with warm milk or water, they have the same creamy, homemade taste as fresh mashed potatoes.
Adding a little butter when rehydrating elevates the flavor even more.
Absolutely! Sweet potatoes mash and freeze dry just like regular potatoes. They make an excellent base for soups, baby food, or even quick sweet potato casseroles.
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How To Freeze Dry Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 15 lbs potatoes, See notes
- 6 quarts water
- 1/2 cup milk, See notes
Instructions
- Fill a Dutch oven or stock pot about halfway with cool water. Set aside near your workstation.6 quarts water
- Thoroughly wash the potatoes and cut them into quarters. You can leave the skins on or peel them. As you cut the potatoes, place them in the water.15 lbs potatoes
- Once all of the potatoes are cut and in the water, add more water until the potatoes are covered.
- Transfer the pot to the stove and boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the potatoes are tender and can be pierced with a fork.
- Drain the potatoes. Working in batches, transfer the potatoes to a stand mixer bowl.
- Make the mashed potatoes to your liking, but save the heavy fats for reconstituting. I usually just add enough milk to mash them.1/2 cup milk
- Transfer the mashed potatoes to a baking sheet or the freeze dryer trays and allow them to cool completely to room temperature (see notes about pre-freezing).
- Turn on your freeze dryer, and follow the prompts. It will tell you to chill the vacuum chamber for 15 minutes before loading trays of food. Be sure to close the valve (it should be perpendicular to the drain line).
- If you haven't done so already, transfer the cooled mashed potatoes to the freeze dryer trays. Make sure the trays are evenly filled. Then, place the trays in the freeze dryer.
- Close and seal the freezer dryer door. Hit start, and let the freezer dryer do its thing. The process's length depends on the number of potatoes and the room's temperature. But it usually takes 18-36 hours.
- Once the freeze dryer has completed the process, check the potatoes to ensure they are completely dry. If there is any moisture, return all the trays to the machine and select "more dry time." Dry for an additional 4 hours at a time until they are dry.
- Store your freeze-dried mashed potatoes in a glass jar with a vacuum-sealed lid (short-term storage) or mylar bags with an appropriately sized oxygen absorber (long-term storage up to 20+ years).
Notes
- See the blog post for more information about short- and long-term storage and how to reconstitute your freeze-dried mashed potatoes.
- The amount of potatoes you need depends on the size of your freeze dryer). I fit about 20 pounds in my medium Harvest Right.
- The amount of milk depends on how you like your potatoes and how many you cook. Adjust accordingly.
- Once the potatoes are cool, you can pre-freeze them on the freezer trays if you prefer. I usually don't do this because I don't have freezer space.
- Add heavy fats, like butter or cream, and salt when reconstituting. Adding them beforehand can reduce the shelf life.
- Use the tray warming feature before removing the potatoes. Doing so will prevent condensation from forming as you pack them.
This is our favorite freeze-dried convenience food! We just had some with Instant Pot BBQ chicken thighs, and it was SO good.