Can You Freeze Potato Salad?

Last updated on October 4th, 2022 at 11:21 am

Holidays always seem to be just around the corner and you know what that means – lots of delicious food! No matter which holiday it is, it seems like my family and I always sit down to have big meals together. 

No doubt you will prepare a feast for your family and/or friends to celebrate different holidays as well. One popular side dish for many holiday meals is potato salad. 

After plates have been filled up with seconds and stomachs are full of all the yummy food, you may end up with leftovers. Everyone enjoyed the potato salad but now its time to store it for later. 

Can you freeze potato salad?

Potato salad doesn’t freeze well. The mayonnaise or sour cream based dressings that are typically used in potato salad recipes do not keep well when stored in the freezer.

So, if you end up with leftover potato salad it is probably best to try and eat it up in the next few meals. If you freeze the side dish it won’t taste nearly as good when you want to eat it again and the texture will be soggy. 

You can keep the potato salad in the refrigerator for five days if you store the food properly. This means in an airtight container where no air can get in. 

It may be tempting to try to store the potato salad in the freezer for future use but it is recommended that it won’t be good when you go to eat it weeks or months later. Foods with mayo in them just don’t do well in the freezer. 

The mayo tends to separate and so when it is frozen and thawed the taste and texture will be way off. 

It is better to only freeze potato salads like ones made with a non-dairy oil-based vinaigrette or is a casserole-like hot potato salad. Warm potato salad is okay when frozen because they can just be reheated but as far as normal cold potato salad goes, it just won’t taste good when you eat it after its been stored in the freezer. 

So, it is best to just stay away from freezing potato salad. Since the potato salad doesn’t do well in the freezer try to incorporate it in the side of meals within the next week to eat it up. Or you can share with your neighbors or friends sending them home with bowls of the side dish. 

Chances are if it is delicious enough they won’t mind at all.

What Is The Best Way To Freeze Potato Salad?

So, you are determined to freeze the potato salad. While we already discussed that it won’t taste as good when thawed, you can freeze the side dish if you want to. 

To help keep it as best as you can, freeze it the right way. But what is the best way to freeze the potato salad?

You should freeze potato salad in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag to keep until you want to use it again. The taste and texture will be much different when it is freshly made and while it is not recommended to freeze potato salad you can by following some simple tips.

There are a couple of methods to freeze potato salad you can try. 

First, you can store potato salad in a freezer-safe airtight container. Just scoop it into the container and leave about an inch and a half space near the top. 

When the potato freezes it will expand and this will give it space for the expansion. Then label the container so you know when you put it in the freezer. 

The next way to freeze potato salad is to put it in freezer-safe bags. Make sure you remove as much as possible from the bag and seal it. 

Label the bag with the current date and freeze. 

Whichever way you freeze potato salad you can keep it frozen for up to 3 months. Like I mentioned earlier in this article, the taste and texture will change when the potato salad is stored in the freezer so you can’t expect it to have the same consistency or taste after it has been frozen and thawed as it did when you first made it. 

But still, if you need to freeze the potato salad you can. Just make sure to do it the right way and you can eat the potato salad up to 3 months later.

How Do You Thaw Frozen Potato Salad?

It’s time to take out the frozen potato salad and eat it. It has been stored in the freezer for  a couple of weeks and now you are ready to eat it as a side dish for dinner. 

How do you thaw frozen potato salad?

To thaw frozen potato salad you can either thaw it in cold water or let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.

Potato salad is a favorite side dish to many meals. Sometimes though, there may be leftovers that you don’t want to go to waste. If you have stored your leftover potato salad in the freezer to save it for later without being wasteful and want to eat it, all you have to do is thaw it and enjoy. 

But you may be wondering how exactly to thaw the frozen potato salad. There is a certain way to thaw the potato salad since it contains perishable ingredients like egg and mayonnaise.

The first way to thaw potato salad is to let it sit in the refrigerator overnight or for a day. Once it is completely defrosted, stir it up and serve. 

You can also thaw the potato salad in cold water. This method is faster than the refrigerator method. 

Just place the container or bag of potato salad in  a sink or bowl of cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes to make sure it remains cold and repeat until the food is completely defrosted. Then stir, serve and enjoy.

Final Thoughts

Be sure to follow the important tips mentioned in this article on how to freeze and thaw the potato salad the right way. For best results, use the potato salad within 3 months. 

It is not recommended to freeze potato salad because the texture and state of the dish will change once it is frozen and thawed. 

Potato salad contains mayo and dishes with this ingredient don’t usually freeze well. But if you absolutely have to freeze the potato salad, you can. 

Just follow the steps on how to properly freeze it and you can save the potato salad to eat later.