Can you freeze potato salad?
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If you have a lot of potato salad left from your last barbecue party, you properly think about whether one can freeze potato salad. I know, it takes a while to prepare this delicious side, and therefore many people often make a big portion.
Hence it is not unusual that in the end of the day you are left with more than you thought. Unless you are willing to eat a lot of potato salad on the next day as well, only freezing the leftover looks like to be a good alternative.
Due to the fact that its consistency is a little different from food one usually put into the freezer, it is worth to inform yourself a little about under which condition you can freeze potato salad.
In this article, you will find all information and even much more including practicable advice.
Potato Salad, Its Ingredients and Usage
Basically, there are two ways to make a potato salad. More common is the version with a mayonnaise-based sauce where there are usually not that many potatoes.
If you buy this version in supermarket, it can come either with sliced potatoes or with smaller, round pieces of potatoes. The second version is consisting of sliced potatoes that come with addressing made from oil and vinegar, and usually has slightly less calories.
Potato salad is a common side dish for barbeques but is also often served alongside with salmon. Despite being called salad, it is rather heavy and has nothing to do with a salad consisting of green leaves. It contains rather a lot of calories but therefore also makes you feel full. Hence, if you do not want to always serve French fries to your meals, it can be a good variation as well.
Freezing Potato Salad
Below you will find out how to freeze potato salad, using my step-by-step guide to make sure that you will be successful.
Method 1: Freezing Potato Salad Using An Airtight Box
Follow these steps if you are freezing a bought potato salad in its original box which can be locked completely, or if you are filling your leftovers into an airtight container.
What You Will Need
- An airtight container
- A spoon
- A label
Step 1:
Unless the salad is already in a suitable container, fill it into an airtight box. Do not fill the container fully to the top as the salad may need a little room to expand. Hence, it is a good idea to keep an inch space at the top.
Step 2:
Close the container with a suitable lid. Once the lid is placed, lift one corner again and then press the lid down in the middle to create a light vacuum in the box.
Step 3:
Do not forget to label the box, as it is later difficult to see what is inside. Also mention the date you have put it into the freezer to help you keeping an overview about how fresh it is and by when you should use it finally.
Step 4:
Place the potato salad box into your freezer, finding a spot where the box has a solid and even stand. If it is tilted, the salad will be spilled up to the lid, and it will be difficult to open the container later.
Method 2: Using a Freezer Bag To Freeze Potato Salad
If you do not have an airtight container at hand, you can also use a freezer bag and apply the steps below to freeze your potato salad.
What You Will Need
- A freezer bag
- A label
Step 1:
Take a new freezer bag and fill it with your leftover potato salad. Avoid making the bag too full as it will get heavy and could actually tear apart. Also when using freezer bags, you can already divide it into portions. Once frozen, you will not be able to separate it and have to defrost all at once.
Step 2:
Press all to the bottom of the bag and squeeze out any excess air. Then close it and seal it as airtight as possible. Some bags can easily be taped while you might require a rubber for others.
Step 3:
As with the box, it is important to lable it. While with the freezer bag, you can more easily see what is inside, it is still a wise idea to state the date you froze it, so that you always know how old the food is. Remember, even in the freezer you cannot store food forever.
Step 4:
Place the whole bag in the freezer and make sure that it has a safe space. You certainly want to avoid that something sharp will destroy the bag, as it will then not be airtight anymore.
That was it already. When you are craving for it again, you always have some at home now. Follow the steps below to thaw it correctly, to retain as much as possible of its taste.
How To Thaw Potato Salad
Once the day came and you are hungry for your delicious potato salad in the freezer, do not rush when thawing it but follow the steps below. Trust me, just a little attention and you can experience a much better taste.
Step 1:
Take the box or bag with potato salad out from the freezer and place it into the refrigerator.
Step 2:
Keep it in the refrigerator until it is not frozen anymore, at least the majority of it.
Step 3:
Check for the consistency and the sauce. If the potatoes have suctioned up a lot of sauce, you can quickly add some more. For a mayonnaise-based dressing, simply mix some mayonnaise with plain yoghurt and a little dill or other herbs and stir it into the potato salad.
If your salad is made with oil and vinegar, it is even easier as you can just add a little of both and mix it again. To finetune the taste, use some high-quality oils such as olive oil, or avocado oils to add a special note.
Tipps And Hints When Freezing Potato Salad
To achieve an even better result, follow these simple but effective steps below.
- Always freeze the core salad only. If you originally had other toppings such as bacon, eggs, or green leaves, take them out. With meat toppings, you can freeze them in a separate container, but toppings such as green vegetables or eggs simply will not taste afterwards.
- Always freeze it as soon as possible. The longer you keep it stored in the fridge, the more bacteria can start to grow already. Hence, once you are finished preparing your potato salad, try to guess how much you can eat and put the rest directly to the freezer.
- Divide it in portions already when freezing. Once it is frozen, it is a very hard mass and nearly impossible to separate portions. Hence, if you divide it already into servings and freeze them in different containers, you are prepared for the case you only need a little bit every time.
How Long Can Potato Salad Be Stored
Due to the mayonnaise in the dressing and the fact that you are using fresh potatoes, you must always store the potato salad in the refrigerator. It is not possible to store it at room temperature, except of course during the time when you are eating.
If kept in a lockable container in the fridge, you can keep the salad for up to five days. If you are using toppings such as eggs, meat or green leaves, I would consume it within three days to be on the safe side.
In the freezer, you can store it for up to six months, depending on how fresh it was at the time of freezing. If you had it already for five days in the fridge, I would not freeze it for a longer period than two months.
FAQs
Expectation Vs. Reality
Now you have learned that it is in fact possible to freeze potato salad. Hence, if you find yourself in a situation where you have a lot left, there is no need to eat a lot of potatoes for three days in a row just to avoid food waste, as freezing is a possible alternative.
It is extremely important to follow the steps from above. If you are using non-airtight equipment, or you thaw it too quickly, the salad loses a lot of taste and appearance, making it not that appetizing anymore. If, however you follow the steps, it will of course not taste as good as fresh potato salad, but it comes in an acceptable state.
Did you try freezing potato salad already? Then please let me know how it worked for you and what you think about it. Use the comment function below and share your experience with other readers.
I hope my article was helpful and the next time, you will have one more alternative to leftover potato salad. Good Luck!
