In this recipe
- Why this storage tip is great
- We Love Turkish Baked Potatoes Called Kumpir!
- Experimenting with Baked Potato Storage: What Worked and What Didn’t
- How to Store Baked Potatoes: The Best Step-by-Step Method
- Quick Hack to Squeeze Air Out of a Ziploc Bag
- How to Reheat Leftover Potatoes to Make Them Extra Crispy and Creamy
- How to Freeze Baked Potatoes for Longer Storage
- More Delicious Potato Recipes
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Why this storage tip is great
We tested every possible way to store baked potatoes, with and without toppings, using different storage methods and packaging. After trying everything, here’s our best method.
Store baked potatoes using our step-by-step instructions to keep them tasting fresh. We also included a method for reheating leftover potatoes to get that perfect crispy and creamy texture!
We Love Turkish Baked Potatoes Called Kumpir!
If you haven’t heard of Kumpir before, let us introduce you to this delicious street food. You can buy it at street food stalls in Turkey. There, they bake the potatoes in special ovens at high temperatures. In one of our previous blog posts, we shared our own kumpir recipe you can make at home. Check it out—it’s one of our best potato recipes. Super delicious! It’s a perfect dinner or side dish for your next BBQ party. And the best thing about it – everyone can adjust their toppings according to their taste!
When you bake kumpir in a home oven, it takes about 1 to 1.5 hours, which is quite a long time. Baking just four potatoes might not be the most time-efficient option. And if you bake a lot of potatoes you have to store them properly. Because we don’t like food waste. That’s why we decided to find the best way to store baked potatoes and reheat them.
Experimenting with Baked Potato Storage: What Worked and What Didn’t
We went through a lot of different ways and methods to store baked potatoes! Here’s what we tried:
- Different types of packaging: We used aluminum foil, plastic wrap, freezer bags and even a paper bag.
- We also experimented with different types of fillings. At the same time we tried sticking to the basic ingredients. Let’s reveal the secret. The best method we found is to store potatoes only with the basic ingredients. It’s cheese and butter. Add add other toppings after you reheated the potatoes. Right before you eat them.
- To find the proper storage we tested storing potatoes in the fridge and freezer. We also tried storing in a cool, dark place like our pantry, away from direct sunlight. From our experiments, we found that storing potatoes in cool temperatures or even cold temperatures works best.
- We found out that stored baked potatoes in the fridge last up to 3 days. However, for long-term storage, the freezer is the best option. Check out our preferred method for freezing baked potatoes, too.
After testing all the options, here are some tips and best practices beforehand:
- Let the potatoes cool at room temperature before packing them. Use airtight containers to avoid signs of spoilage. The best place to store them is the fridge or freezer.
- For the best quality, avoid using tin foil or paper bags. Instead, use resealable plastic bags.
Follow these steps to get the best results. The next section provides step-by-step instructions on storing baked potatoes.
How to Store Baked Potatoes: The Best Step-by-Step Method
Have you ever had trouble keeping leftover baked potatoes crispy, soft, and just as tasty as when they first came out of the oven? Today, we’ve got a genius hack for potato storage that will change the game!
Let’s be honest: whenever we bake potatoes, we always want to bake a bunch because it saves so much time and energy. So, we will show you the best way to store your baked potatoes and reheat them so they’re crispy and soft. Even the next day. This is perfect for meal prep during the week and saves hours of cooking when you need a quick dinner.
Let’s dive in!
Here’s everything you need to store potatoes properly and maintain their flavor.
Equipment:
- Ziploc bags
- Container
Ingredients:
- Potatoes
- Butter
- Mozzarella cheese
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
First, choose big, long potatoes. These are perfect for baking. They’re big enough to be fluffy inside, and you can load them with many delicious toppings. Wash potatoes in cold water and dry.
Preheat your oven. Pierce the potatoes with a skewer, fork, or toothpick. Brush them with olive oil. Place the potatoes on a rack in the lower section of the oven. Bake until they are soft. The baking time will vary based on the size and type of the potatoes.
Remove the potatoes from the oven. Place them in a small dish or craft a holder from aluminum foil. While still hot, cut the top of each potato. Gently mash the insides with a fork, keeping the skins intact.
Add butter to each potato and stir until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Finally, mix in grated cheese and mash well. For a detailed baking process and base preparation, refer to our previous recipe.
Join the potato halves together. Let the potatoes cool at room temperature.
Put the potatoes in resealable plastic bags or Ziploc bags. If you want to know how to remove the air from a Ziploc bag, check out our quick hack below.
Tip: Place the bags in an airtight container to keep their shape during storage. Store them in the fridge. These are the best conditions to prevent bacterial growth. When storing this way, signs of spoilage and harmful bacteria won’t appear. The dish remains safe to eat for up to 3 days.
Quick Hack to Squeeze Air Out of a Ziploc Bag
We’re sharing a hack for squeezing out all the air from a Ziploc bag when packing something. All you need is a Ziploc bag and a straw.
Put a potato into the bag. One potato per bag works great for a single serving.
Place the straw in one corner of the bag. Seal the Ziploc on the other side, leaving the straw in so air can only escape through it.
Now, exhale fully through your mouth, then quickly inhale through the straw. Remove the straw and seal the bag tightly.
It’s a simple hack, but it helps keep your packed items air-free and easy to store. Give it a try!
How to Reheat Leftover Potatoes to Make Them Extra Crispy and Creamy
Remove the stored potatoes from the fridge and bag, then reheat them in the oven at 180°C (350°F) on the middle rack for 30 minutes. Don’t split the halves open. This is the most delicious and the quickest method! We even speed up the cooking process because when you bake raw potatoes, it takes between 60 and 90 minutes to bake them through. We only need 30 minutes to reheat and bake them crispy. Time saved! You can bake the potatoes on a baking sheet. We put them directly on the rack so they bake nicely through.
There’s another quick option to reheat the potatoes: microwave them in a microwave-safe dish. Just remember, they won’t get that crispy skin we love. So we still recommend baking potatoes in the oven. After heating, split open the potato halves.
Now, let’s check out the potatoes. Look how delicious they are! They have a nice crispy skin and are super soft inside. Then, add your favorite sauce and toppings. We enjoy topping ours with sour cream sauce (find the method under our kumpir recipe), ketchup, mayonnaise, or BBQ sauce. Fill with your favorite toppings. These can include olives, pickled vegetables, bulgur or bean salad. The choice is yours. We love adding avocado or guacamole. We always sprinkle it with lemon juice to prevent the avocado from browning too quickly.
Now you know how to store baked potatoes next time you bake a big batch. Enjoy!
How to Freeze Baked Potatoes for Longer Storage
You can also freeze baked potatoes to keep them longer—up to one month. Check out our guide on how to freeze baked potatoes, which includes tips on thawing and reheating them. We’ve also added tips on how to store potatoes in the freezer so they retain their shape. And don’t absorb odors from other foods.
More Delicious Potato Recipes
So you’ve picked up a bunch of fresh potatoes from the local grocery store. And now, are you searching for delicious and easy recipes to try? Give our potato salad a shot—it’s wonderfully crunchy! For extra crispiness, cook the potatoes and bake them in the oven. You need a little patience while waiting for the potatoes to cook and bake. But you can chop the vegetables in the meantime. Trust us, the result is worth the wait!
Or try our hash browns. All you need are uncooked potatoes, cheese, and spices. Hash browns are a great choice if you’re craving something crispy but don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
The Best Way to Store Baked Potatoes & Reheat Them (Easy!)
Equipment
- 1 Ziploc bags
- 1 container
Ingredients
- 4 potatoes each weighing 300 g
- 80 g butter
- 80 g mozzarella cheese
- olive oil for greasing
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Instructions:
- Set your oven to 200°C (390°F) and let it preheat. Take 4 large, long-shaped potatoes, about 300 grams each. Wash them well. Dry them off completely. Check the entire process for baking potato and adding the base in our previous recipe.
- Use skewers, a fork, or a toothpick to poke holes in the potatoes. Brush them with olive oil.
- Put the potatoes on a rack in the lower part of the oven. Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 60-90 minutes until they are tender. The exact baking time will depend on the size and type of potatoes.
- Take the potatoes out of the oven. Place them in a small dish or make a holder from aluminum foil.* While they are still hot, cut off the top of each potato. Use a fork to gently mash the insides without breaking the skins.
- Add 20 grams of butter to each potato and mix until creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Then, add 20 grams of grated cheese and mix well.
- Join the potato halves together. Cool the potatoes at room temperature.
- Place the potatoes in Ziploc bags. Put the bags of potatoes in an airtight container. It’s a great way to prevent deformation. And potatoes won’t absorb any odors during storage. Store them in the freezer.
How to Reheat Frozen Potatoes:
- Thaw the potatoes at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Or leave them overnight in the fridge. Then, remove them from the Ziploc bags.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes. You can bake a bit longer or shorter depending on your oven.
- Add your favorite sauces and fillings. Check easy and delicious options in our baked potato or kumpir recipe.
Video
Notes
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