Save These Leftover Mashed Potato Recipes for After Thanksgiving (2024)

FAQs

How do you revive leftover mashed potatoes? ›

I recommend microwaving them in 20-30 second increments, stirring after each interval. You could also reheat them on the stovetop in a pot with a little butter or milk. Before serving, ensure that the mashed potatoes have reached an internal temperature of 165°F.

Mashed Potatoes

They can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days after cooking, according to Healthline.com. Mashed potatoes can also be kept frozen for about 10 to 12 months though the quality of the food will likely suffer.

How Long You Can Keep Leftover Mashed Potatoes. Mashed potatoes should easily last three to five days in the fridge if stored correctly and within two hours of cooking. This means ensuring there isn't any moisture buildup under the lid that could encourage the growth of bacteria.

Once you've figured out how to make mashed potatoes without messing them up, you may be curious if they can hold up over time, or be made in advance. The answer is yes.

Take your mashed potatoes out of the fridge and set them on the counter for about 20 minutes to bring them to room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Then, pop them in the oven, covered, for about 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through.

Mashed potatoes kept in the fridge should be thrown away if not used after 72 hours. That is the practice adhered to in most restaurants. Some will use it for an extra 24 hours if there's alot left but after that it is no longer fit to be used.

Reheat on the Stovetop

"I almost always make my mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving the day ahead because they're actually very easy to reheat," says Riley Wofford, a food stylist and recipe developer. Wolford's go-to method is reheating the side dish on the stovetop.

The answer is simple: leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days. This means you have until the Monday after Thanksgiving to eat all those delicious leftovers or place them in the freezer to enjoy later. If you store leftovers in the freezer, they will be of best quality within 2-6 months.

When it comes to side dishes (especially around the holidays), you can't go wrong with a giant bowl of classic mashed potatoes to pass around the dinner table. But when you make too much or want to get a head start on the Thanksgiving menu, you might wonder: Can I freeze mashed potatoes? Yes, you can.

Can I eat microwave mashed potato 5 days after use by? ›

Do instant mashed potatoes go bad after the expiration date? Yes, instant mashed potatoes can go bad after the expiration date. It is best to discard any potatoes that have been opened and stored past the expiration date as they may have spoiled and could cause food poisoning.

Instead of regular milk, pro chefs generally use a generous helping of buttermilk and plenty of half-and-half or (even better) heavy cream in their potatoes. If you think the bartenders up front are pouring heavy, they've got nothing on the cooks in the back who are in charge of the mashed potatoes.

It can be tricky to reheat mashed potatoes on the stovetop because you can sometimes overstir (which leads to gluey potatoes), or understir (which leads to scorched pots). To avoid all this, try a double boiler approach: Place the potatoes in a bowl (stainless steel works best).

When too much starch gets released, the potatoes become gummy, gluey, and unappetizing. Overworking the potatoes can happen in a couple ways: either by simply handling them too much, or by using a food processor, blender, or similar tool, which mixes the potatoes too aggressively.

Restaurants prepare the potatoes ahead by boiling and mashing just the potato, then just before serving, it is mixed into boiling cream (or milk or even broth or a combination thereof) to reheat it and make it nice and creamy.

According to Healthline, mashed potatoes typically last three to four days in the fridge and up to a year when frozen, although the quality of mashed potatoes will not hold up once they have been frozen.

To reheat mashed potatoes, simply microwave them on low heat until warmed through. You can also reheat mashed potatoes in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until warmed through.