How to freeze sweet potatoes, storage period, and 5 recipes! [Explanation with photos! ]

Did you know that sweet potatoes can be frozen?

The image of sweet potatoes being wrapped in newspaper and stored at room temperature is strong, so when you hear about freezing them, you may get a rather minor impression.

However, freezing sweet potatoes makes it easier to manage them than storing them at room temperature. When stored at room temperature, food can go bad if the temperature or humidity is inappropriate, but there are no such concerns when storing frozen food.

I think there are many opportunities to get a lot of sweet potatoes, such as digging for potatoes or buying them at bargain prices at the supermarket. Please take this opportunity to try out the methods we will introduce below.

sweet potato nutrition

Sweet potato nutritional value and calories

The calorie content of sweet potatoes is 132kcal per 100g (if tuberous and raw).

Sweet potatoes have the lowest water content among tuber types and contain a high amount of carbohydrates. Therefore, it has a slightly higher calorie content than potatoes and taro, which have a high water content (Reference: Potato: 76kcal, Taro: 58kcal).

It also contains the following vitamins and minerals:

【vitamin】
Vitamins A, E, B1, B2, niacin, B6, folic acid, pantothenic acid, biotin, C

【mineral】
Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, selenium, chromium, molybdenum

【others】
Dietary fiber

Effects of sweet potatoes

[Promote bowel movements and relieve constipation]

Most of the dietary fiber contained in sweet potatoes is insoluble dietary fiber. Insoluble dietary fiber, as the name suggests, is a type of dietary fiber that does not dissolve easily in water. Instead of being soluble in water, it absorbs water in the intestines and expands, stimulating the intestinal wall and promoting bowel movements.

Sweet potatoes also contain a unique ingredient called yalapin. Yarapin is said to be effective in relieving constipation because it promotes peristalsis in the intestines and also softens the stool itself.

By improving your bowel movements, waste and undigested substances can be properly excreted from your body. These waste products and undigested materials rot in the body and have various negative effects. By eliminating toxins with the effects of dietary fiber and yalapin, you can cleanse your body from the inside.

[Stain and freckles prevention]

Sweet potato skin is rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is said to have strong antioxidant effects. Antioxidant action = the action of suppressing the action of active oxygen, which prevents the fixation of melanin pigment and prevents aging of the skin and blood vessels.

It also contains vitamin E, which is said to have anti-aging effects. Vitamin E, like vitamin C, has a strong antioxidant effect and protects our cells from active oxygen.

An increase in active oxygen is related to arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure, so taking vitamin E can also help prevent lifestyle-related diseases.

Advantages of freezing sweet potatoes

Allows long-term storage

The first advantage is that it can be stored for a long time.

Sweet potatoes are a food from warm regions, so they don't like cold weather and cannot be stored in the refrigerator.

Even when stored at room temperature, if temperature and humidity are not properly controlled, germination and low temperature damage may occur and damage may occur.

However, if you freeze it, you can preserve it for a long time without worrying about temperature or humidity. It takes a little more effort, but it's a useful technique when you have a large amount of sweet potatoes.

Reduces cooking time

The second benefit is that it reduces cooking time.

You can reduce the time it takes to cook sweet potatoes by adding extra effort when freezing them.

For example, you can remove the bitterness in advance, heat it in a pot or microwave, and then freeze it. By doing this, you won't have to wait for the sweet potatoes to heat up when you actually cook them.

If you mash (paste) it and freeze it, you can easily make oyaki when you feel a little hungry (you can also freeze it after making oyaki).

By preparing food in advance, you can reduce the time you spend in the kitchen preparing food to 10 to 20 minutes.

How to freeze sweet potatoes

When freezing raw

1. Cut into rounds and soak in water for about 10 minutes to remove any scum.

★Proper removal of dirt will prevent discoloration.
2. Wipe off the moisture with kitchen paper.

3. Place them in a freezer bag without overlapping them, remove the air, and freeze.

★By freezing so that there are no overlaps, each item will be frozen quickly.
★By thoroughly removing air, you can slow down the oxidation speed of ingredients.
★Freezing raw foods is not recommended as it tends to impair flavor and texture (potatoes have a high water content and are easily affected by freezing).

When freezing after boiling

1. Cut into rounds and soak in water for about 10 minutes to remove any scum.
2. Boil water in a pot and simmer until soft (you can also heat them in the microwave).

3. Wipe off the water, place in a freezer bag, squeeze out the air, and freeze.

When freezing after mashing (paste)

1. Cut into rounds and soak in water for about 10 minutes to remove any scum.
2. Boil water in a pot and simmer until soft (you can also heat them in the microwave).
3. Mash it while still hot, place it in a freezer bag, squeeze out the air, and freeze.

Recently, an increasing number of shops are making roasted whole potatoes and freezing them for sale, and you can also do this freezing method at home. (Since the amount consumed during defrosting is large, it is not listed here.)

How to thaw sweet potatoes and storage period

How to thaw sweet potatoes

Basically, we recommend thawing at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If you want to defrost food quickly or in cool seasons, it's best to thaw it at room temperature, or if you don't mind taking some time or in hot weather, defrost it in the refrigerator.

If you heat it up and then freeze it, you can use it frozen for things like seasoned rice or miso soup.

If you want to defrost it immediately, we recommend using a microwave.

Storage period of sweet potatoes

Estimated storage time is 2 to 3 weeks.

The trick to maximizing the shelf life is to thoroughly wipe off any moisture and remove the air from the freezer bag. By keeping these two things in check, you can protect your food from drying out and oxidation during freezing.

5 easy recipes using sweet potatoes

cooked rice

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/1270345

☑材料（3人分）
・さつまいも　1本
・日本酒　大さじ3
・塩　小さじ1
・米　3合

<How to make>
1) Defrost the sweet potato naturally in the refrigerator, then cut it into easy-to-eat pieces.
2) Place the washed rice in a rice cooker, add sake, water, and salt, and mix gently.
3) Put (1) into the rice cooker, turn it on, and it's done.

★If you can cut it without thawing it (a knife blade will pass through it), you can put it in the rice cooker while frozen and turn it on.

miso soup

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/3557749

☑材料（2人分）
・さつまいも　小1本
・玉ねぎ　1/2個
・味噌　適量
・本だし　適量

<How to make>
1) Heat the raw frozen sweet potato in the microwave for 10 minutes and cut into pieces.
2) Cut the onions to your desired size.
3) Pour water into a pot, heat it, and once it boils, add the vegetables and dashi stock.
4) Once the ingredients are cooked, turn off the heat, add the miso, and it's done.

★If you heated the sweet potatoes before freezing them, you can put them in the pot while still frozen.

Boiled in butter and soy sauce

Source: http://www.orangepage.net/recipes/detail_115282

☑材料（4人分）
・さつまいも　1本
・水　1カップ
・砂糖　大さじ1.5
・醤油　小さじ2
・バター　大さじ1.5
・黒いりごま　少々

<How to make>
1) Defrost the sweet potatoes naturally in the refrigerator and cut them into rounds about 2cm thick.
2) Put water, sugar, and sweet potato in a pot, cover with a lid, and heat over medium heat.
3) Once it boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes until it is soft enough to pass through a bamboo skewer.
4) Add soy sauce and butter, shake the pot, and when the butter melts, transfer to a bowl.
5) Finish by sprinkling with sesame seeds.

★You can use either sweet potato if you freeze it raw or heat it and then freeze it.
★If you use sweet potatoes that have been heated and then frozen, you can shorten the heating time in steps (2) and (3).

CoroCoro Salad

Source: http://www.lettuceclub.net/recipe/dish/12641/

☑材料（１人分）
・さつまいも　1本
・塩　小さじ1/2
●マヨネーズ　大さじ2
●砂糖　小さじ1/2
●塩　少々
●こしょう　少々

<How to make>
1) Defrost raw frozen sweet potatoes in the refrigerator and cut them into 1cm cubes with the skin on.
2) Put (1) in a pot, add enough water to cover it and salt, and boil until it becomes soft.
3) When it becomes soft, drain the hot water and remove from heat.
4) Add seasonings (3) and ● to a bowl, mix well, and it's done.

★If you are using pre-boiled sweet potatoes, you can start with step (4) after thawing them in the refrigerator.

mashed potato salad

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4068541

☑材料（2人分）
・さつまいも　1/3本
・かぼちゃ　100g
・マヨネーズ　適量
・塩・こしょう　適量

<How to make>
1) Thaw the mashed and frozen sweet potatoes naturally in the refrigerator.
2) Cut the pumpkin into thin slices, boil in a pot until soft, then mash.
3) Mix (1) and (2) with mayonnaise and it's done.

Baby food recipes using frozen sweet potatoes

sweet potato sticks

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/2626327

☑材料（１人分）
・さつまいも　80g
・黒ごま　小さじ1/2
・きなこ　小さじ1/2
・小麦粉　小さじ2
・牛乳　大さじ1

<How to make>
1) Thaw the mashed and frozen sweet potatoes naturally in the refrigerator.
2) Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix well.
3) Divide into 10 equal parts, roll out into sticks, and fry in a frying pan over low heat.
4) Roll it around and it's done when it's golden brown.

★If you use a Teflon-treated frying pan, you can cook without using oil.
★You can also use melted milk instead of milk.

Compote of sweet potato

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/2902519

☑材料（１人分）
・さつまいも　1/2本
・りんご　1個

<How to make>
1) Defrost the sweet potato that has been frozen into rounds in the refrigerator.
2) Place the sweet potatoes in a pot and add enough water to submerge them.
3) Peel the apple, cut it into chunks, and place it on top of (2).
4) Cover with a lid and heat over medium heat. Once it boils, reduce heat to low and simmer.
5) When the ingredients become soft, turn off the heat and let it cool.

Conclusion

How do you freeze sweet potatoes?

We introduced three types: frozen raw, boiled then frozen, and mashed then frozen. It is important to remove the dirt thoroughly first, and by removing the dirt, you can prevent discoloration.

The recommended thawing method is to thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Please adjust depending on the temperature and season when defrosting.

The approximate storage period is 2 to 3 weeks. By removing the air inside the freezer bag and sealing it, you can store it for as long as you want.

If you use the method I introduced this time, you can deal with cases where you receive a large amount of potatoes by digging for potatoes, or cases where a large amount of food is sent from your parents' home. Make good use of frozen storage and try cooking sweet potatoes without wasting anything.