Mashed potatoes, like other starchy dishes that are made with dairy (think: creamy casseroles, macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes), can develop a dry, gluey texture when reheated for too long, or at a temperature that's too high.
Potatoes lose their nutritional value if reheated. Even if you let them rest at room temperature for a long time they can actually become toxic and cause nausea or illness, and even food poisoning.
Make-ahead mashed potatoes are a great option for the holidays. You can do nearly everything — boil, peel, and mash; stir in milk and salt — up to two days ahead. Before serving, reheat. Adding butter at the last minute makes them taste freshly mashed.
This isn't our favorite method, but if the microwave is your go-to tool, then place your leftover potatoes in a glass or other microwave safe bowl, cover and cook on high for 1 minute. Stir potatoes, and repeat, stirring every minute until they are heated through (the repeated stirring is what ensures even reheating).
Mosley's verdict is clear cut: “You can actually reheat your leftovers as many times as you like, as long as you make sure every morsel is piping hot all the way through,” he says. SBS Food put the matter to Lydia Buchtmann, spokesperson for the Food Safety Information Council, who agreed.
Mashed potatoes stored in an airtight container last 3-5 days in the refrigerator. But, keep in mind, that recipes with added dairy like butter, milk, or sour cream may go bad more quickly than plain potatoes. And be sure to store them towards the back of the refrigerator for best results.
3 Ways to Reheat Mashed Potatoes
Place your mashed potatoes in a medium saucepan or Dutch oven, then add a tablespoon of butter and a splash of milk. Heat them for at least eight to ten minutes on low, stirring at least once a minute to keep them from sticking to the saucepan.
Yes, you can reheat food more than once.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and take the potatoes out of the fridge to reach room temperature. Place the potato on a baking sheet or directly on the oven rack to achieve a crispy skin—Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potato is thoroughly heated.
So, what is the best way to reheat mashed potatoes? The best way to reheat mashed potatoes is to heat them covered in the oven at 350 degrees with extra milk and butter. Cook for 20 minutes or until warmed through.
Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. To reheat, poke lots of holes in the plastic wrap with the tip of a knife and microwave at medium-high (75 percent) power for about 14 minutes.
Potatoes often house Clostridium botulinum, the botulism bacteria. When they're cooked and not immediately stored in the fridge, spores of the bacteria can multiply. 6 Microwaving the potatoes won't kill the bacteria either, so your second-day potatoes could cause an upset stomach.
The microwave, it turns out, is actually perfect for reheating mashed potatoes. Simply add your mashed potatoes to a microwave-safe bowl, along with a tablespoon or so of milk or cream. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on 50 percent power for 60 seconds.
Add more cream and butter: More moisture and fat are the two secret ingredients to reheating any leftovers. For potatoes, reach for half-and-half or broth and butter.
Reheat on the Stovetop
She says to store them in a heatproof bowl after cooking; when it's time to warm them up, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Add an extra splash of cream or milk, and another pat of butter to ensure the mashed potatoes don't dry out.
Tips for the Best Mashed Potatoes
Start cooking the potatoes in cold water: This ensures that the potatoes cook evenly. Otherwise, if you start with hot or boiling water, the outsides of the potatoes cook and soften while the middles are still hard and crunchy.
If stored correctly in plastic containers, leftover mashed potatoes can last 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Just make sure the leftovers are stored in a sealed container. An airtight container will keep the moisture inside the container and keep the potatoes from drying out.
A: These should be fine for a few days, 3-4 max. The food safety issue with foil is that if the potatoes were taken from the oven, warm, and sealed up in foil, then left out at room temp for an extended period of time then you should not eat them.
They state there are a few telltale signs that your potatoes have gone bad. The first and most obvious is moldy patches. Any discoloration means it is time to toss the whole container. Additionally, they state that any glossy patches or dry spots are clear indicators that your leftovers should be left alone.
While almost all foods can be reheated numerous times, it is best practice to avoid reheating the same meal where possible. Each time food is cooled, stored and reheated, the likelihood of harmful bacteria multiplying increases.
How does reheated rice cause food poisoning? Uncooked rice can contain spores of Bacillus cereus, bacteria that can cause food poisoning. The spores can survive when rice is cooked.
Eating certain foods that have been reheated – whether it's by microwave or oven – can increase your risk of getting food poisoning, sickness and diarrhoea. To make sure those leftovers don't go to waste, make sure you're reheating them correctly and safely, or opting for a more creative way to reuse them.