Make the most of your latest sweet potato haul. Keep them going as long as possible for excellent sweet potato recipes with these super simple storage tips.
Sweet Potato Storage
How to Store Uncooked Sweet Potatoes
As a sturdy root vegetable, the sweet potato is relatively easy to store. It's best to keep sweet potatoes in a cool, dry area that gets good ventilation, according to the U.S. Sweet Potato Council.
You really shouldn't store sweet potatoes in the fridge if you plan to eat them within a month or so, as refrigeration can bring on an unpleasant taste and a hard center. They technically will last longer if they're refrigerated, but they just won't taste great.
Once they've been cooked, however, they should go in a shallow airtight container or zip-top bag in the fridge. They'll stay good there for about five days.
Tip: You shouldn't leave cooked sweet potatoes at room temperature for more than two hours, as this can promote bacteria growth and cause foodborne illness.
How to Reheat Cooked Sweet Potatoes
Simply reheat baked or roasted sweet potatoes in the microwave (in 30-second intervals, checking between intervals) or in the oven until they're heated through in the center. You may want to reheat mashed sweet potatoes on the stovetop instead of the microwave so they don't get rubbery. Stir in a little bit of water or cream if need be.
Yes, you can (and should!) freeze sweet potatoes. Frozen sweet potatoes work great in soups, stews, and casseroles.
How to Freeze Sweet Potatoes
You can freeze cooked sweet potatoes in three ways: whole, sliced, or mashed. No matter which way you choose, they'll last in the freezer for about one year.
To freeze whole sweet potatoes:
Scrub the sweet potatoes, pierce them in a few places, and bake them at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for about an hour (read our definitive sweet potato baking guide).
Once the spuds have cooled completely to room temperature, you can wrap them individually in foil, place them in zip-top freezer bags labeled with the date, and freeze.
To freeze sliced sweet potatoes:
Scrub the sweet potatoes and then boil until tender, about 35 to 40 minutes (start checking them after 25 minutes since potatoes vary in size). Drain them in a colander and let them cool completely before peeling and slicing them.
Arrange the slices in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and freeze overnight.
Transfer the frozen slices to a zip-close freezer bag labeled with the date and store in the freezer.
To freeze mashed sweet potatoes:
Boil or bake peeled and cubed sweet potatoes until tender.
Mash the cubes with a potato masher, but don't add butter or milk at this point. Instead of freezing them with dairy, add a tiny bit of lemon juice before mashing. This will keep the mash from turning brown.
Let the mash cool completely before transferring it to freezer bags labeled with the date. We recommend freezing the mash in individual servings so you don't have to thaw and refreeze it multiple times.
How Long Do Sweet Potatoes Last?
It depends on how they're stored. Sweet potatoes last for a couple of weeks to one month at room temperature and about three months in the fridge. If you want to keep them usable for longer than that, consider freezing them, but cook them first.
How Do You Know When Sweet Potatoes Have Gone Bad?
Use your senses to determine if your sweet potato is past its prime. First, give it a squeeze. It'll be firm if it's fresh, and mushy if it's not. Other signs to check for are discoloration, shriveled skin, black or brown spots, and suspicious odors. And if your sweet potato is moldy or leaking juices, it's definitely over the hill.
To help your sweet potatoes last longer it's important to avoid washing them before storing. Sweet potatoes last the longest when stored in a dark place for up to 6 months. Do not keep your sweet potatoes near other vegetables as they can cause other foods to ripen more quickly.
Wrap each sweet potato in newspaper or paper bags. Place them in a cardboard box with an apple, which reduces the chances of sprouting. Store the box in a dark place that stays 55–60 degrees Fahrenheit, such as a basem*nt or cellar.
You really shouldn't store sweet potatoes in the fridge if you plan to eat them within a month or so, as refrigeration can bring on an unpleasant taste and a hard center. They technically will last longer if they're refrigerated, but they just won't taste great.
It is recommended to wait at least three weeks after harvest before consuming sweet potatoes to permit the starches to convert to sugars for maximum eating quality. Sweet potatoes can maintain excellent quality for up to a year in proper storage conditions.
As soon as a sweet potato is cut, the flesh quickly dries out and even starts turning brown. By putting your cut sweet potato in water in the fridge, it can last about four days. Keep in mind, if you've roasted your potatoes in advance, there's no need to soak them in water.
Can You Freeze Sweet Potatoes? The simple answer is yes! Sweet potatoes can be frozen raw, baked, boiled, or even mashed. However, keep in mind that raw frozen sweet potatoes are likely to get freezer burn, so try to cook them in some way first.
They will last longest at 50 to 60°F and 60 to 70 percent humidity. (Again, storage times are for ideal conditions.) A vinyl-coated wire laundry cart tucked into a dark basem*nt room provides perfect storage for sweet potatoes.
Not only do these sprouts not taste good, but if ingested in large quantities, they can be toxic. If a sweet potato is growing some minor appendages but is still firm to the touch and otherwise free of blemishes, it's A-OK to eat.
Is it soft, wet, oozing, squishy, discolored, or sprouting? If yes to any, then toss it! If the sweet potato is firm and not sprouting, it's still fresh and safe to eat. If it's firm with only a few sprouts, you can cut the sprouted area off, then cook and eat immediately.
However, if you want to prepare them in advance, submerge the sliced pieces in water, dry them off, and transfer them to an airtight container or sealable bag. How long will cut sweet potatoes last in the fridge? Once cut, sweet potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two to four days.
Cure sweet potatoes immediately after harvesting by placing them in a room at 85°F and 85% to 90% relative humidity for 5 to 7 days. It is important that the curing/storage rooms have fans for uniform distribution of the warm/humid air and air vents to maintain appropriate oxygen levels.
How long sweet potatoes last in normal room temperature depends on many factors, and it's best to keep them in a pantry to last 3–5 weeks. You can also store sweet potatoes in the fridge for 2–3 months, or freeze them to last even longer.
The best way to store your sweet potatoes is in a cool, dry, and dark area, like your pantry or the back corner on your kitchen countertop. Keep them in a bowl or basket so that they're self-contained, and always thoroughly wash and scrub their skin before you cook them.
It's best to avoid the sometimes gargantuan specimens you might come across, as smaller sweet potatoes (in the 4- to 8-ounce range) tend to be less starchy and moister than larger ones.
A basket, bowl, or paper bag is better than a plastic bag. A paper bag, basket, or large bowl are ideal for storing a pile of potatoes since they allow for plenty of air circulation. If you carried potatoes home from the store in a plastic bag, it's best to remove them for longer-term storage.
Provided proper steps are taken during harvesting and storing sweet potatoes, the tubers should last well into winter. After the curing period is up, brush off any dirt that may still remain on the potatoes. Pack them in paper boxes or wrap them in newspaper and store them in a cool pantry or closet.
Place the jars in a pressure canner and lock the canner lid and bring to a boil on high heat. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and process quarts for 90 minutes and pints for 65 minutes at 10 PSI for a weighted gauge canner/11 PSI for a dial gauge canner according to your canner type and your elevation.
Introduction: My name is Dean Jakubowski Ret, I am a enthusiastic, friendly, homely, handsome, zealous, brainy, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-600794471-2000-790e9beab03b4485a37ba07fef06e9dc.jpg "How to Store Sweet Potatoes so They Last Longer (1)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-174837002-2000-4abe5b9d54964c6eb040a5dcd4a770ac.jpg "How to Store Sweet Potatoes so They Last Longer (2)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-635976734-2000-4494128de724433f924564a812aa7f33.jpg "How to Store Sweet Potatoes so They Last Longer (3)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1204782120-2000-81ac8c107c3d49ff90d653303daf72eb.jpg "How to Store Sweet Potatoes so They Last Longer (4)")
