How To Pre-Cook Potatoes: They’re Ready Whenever You Need Them

By: VidJovanovic
Date: October 19, 2022
Time to read: 7 min.

Pre-cooking potatoes is a great way to save time in the kitchen. It’s so easy to do, too! The best part about pre-cooking potatoes is that once you’ve done it, you’ll remember how easy it was and want to do it again.

Pre-cooking potatoes can be a lifesaver if you cook for one or two people but expect more guests at dinner.

It’s also useful when preparing meals with leftovers—just follow our tips below on how to store them safely, so they don’t go bad after reheating later on down the line.

Key Takeaways

Potatoes can be pre-cooked in several ways, including baking, boiling, frying, and microwaving.
Pre-cooking potatoes allow them to be cooked more quickly later on and helps improve their flavor.
A few things to remember when pre-cooking potatoes, such as ensuring that they are properly cooled before storing and using the correct cooking method for the desired results.
Overall, pre-cooking potato is a simple process that can save time and effort when preparing a meal.

a few pre-cooked potatoes in a frying pan — How To Pre-Cook Potatoes_ They’re Ready Whenever You Need Them

Table of Contents

How To Pre-Cook Potatoes For Cooking Later In The Day?

Potatoes can be prepared in advance in a variety of ways so that they are ready for usage later in the day. One way is to boil them.

Boiling potatoes is a great way to cook them ahead of time because they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and reheated when you are ready to use them.

Another way to pre-cook potatoes is to roast them. Roasting potatoes is a bit more time-consuming than boiling, but it gives them a nice browning that boiled potatoes don’t have. You can also roast potatoes the day before and then store them in the fridge so that they are ready to be used later.

One of the best ways to pre-cook potatoes is not to cook them at all! If you are making mashed potatoes, for example, you can simply peel and cut the potatoes the night before and store them in a bowl of cold water in the fridge.

The next day, when you are ready to make your mashed potatoes, all you will need to do is boil them for a few minutes before mashing. This method works well for roasted potatoes, too – simply cut them into pieces and store them in the fridge overnight, then roast them, as usual, the next day. time-consuming

Pre-Cooking Potatoes Can Save Time

A person slicing potatoes into thin slices. — Pre-Cooking Potatoes Can Save Time

Pre-cooking potatoes are one of the most important skills you can learn to be a better cook. Even if it seems easy, doing it now will save you time and work when it comes to cooking.

Potatoes take the same time to cook, regardless of whether they were cooked first. So why bother with pre-cooking? The answer is simple: it allows you to use them in other dishes later in the day!

Potatoes are an extremely versatile ingredient, from soups and stews to salads and even pasta sauces.

The downside is that cooking them takes up valuable time—but if you get ahead by pre-cooking your spuds at night, then all those tasty dishes are ready whenever you need them.

Pre-Cooking Potatoes, Including Boiling, Baking, And Microwaving

There are several different methods for pre-cooking potatoes, including boiling, baking and microwaving. Boiling is the quickest way to do it, but it can make your potatoes mushy if they’re not cooked long enough.

Baking and microwaving will give you a firmer texture (and make them easier to peel), but they take longer than boiling.

Remember that you can use any method you prefer—it could be as simple as cutting your potatoes into quarters and throwing them in water on the stovetop.

Boiling Is The Quickest Method, But It Can Make The Potatoes Mushy

few potato slices in water inside a cookware — Boiling Is The Quickest Method, But It Can Make The Potatoes Mushy

When you’re short on time, boiling is the quickest method to pre-cook potatoes for later use. But it can make the potatoes mushy. Baking or microwaving gives the potatoes a firmer texture.

Here are some tips for pre-cooking potatoes:

Cut the potatoes into small pieces, so they cook evenly.
Boil the potatoes in salted water for three minutes.
Drain the potatoes and let them cool before storing them in the fridge.

To Pre-Cook Potatoes, Start By Peeling And Cutting Them Into Small Pieces

Start by peeling your potatoes and cutting them into small pieces.
If you want to boil them, fill a pot with water and place it over high heat on the stove. You can also bake your potatoes if that’s more convenient for you—just place them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until they’re soft enough to mash or blend into soup or other dishes.
Let your cooked potatoes cool before putting them in the refrigerator (or freezer, if needed).

When You’re Ready To Use The Potatoes, Simply Reheat Them In The Oven Or Microwave

When ready to use the potatoes, reheat them in the oven or microwave. Remember not to overheat them. And don’t reheat them more than once.

Potatoes last in the fridge for 3-4 days and the freezer for up to 2 months. Cooking potatoes can be quick and easy, but it’s important to pre-cook them if you’re short on time.

By cooking them in salted water or baking them, you’ll get a firmer texture that will still be cooked later. And remember: don’t overheat the potatoes! They’ll last in the fridge for 3-4 days and the freezer for up to 2 months.

What Are The Benefits Of Pre-Cooking Potatoes?

There are many advantages to pre-cooking potatoes:

You’ll save time. If you’re like me and get hungry while cooking, it can be a pain to wait for your potato to cook before you can eat it. You’ll always have some on hand whenever hunger strikes by pre-cooking your spuds ahead of time.
You’ll save money. With one less thing in your shopping cart at the grocery store, there’s no reason not to buy more expensive brands of potato products or ingredients—especially if they’re on sale!
You won’t waste food anymore, either. Potatoes stay good in the fridge for up to two weeks after they’ve been cooked once (if they’re stored properly), so if you don’t have time right away but know that another meal will require potatoes later on in the week or month (or even year), just throw them into the fridge until then without worrying about them going bad before their time comes again.

How To Store Pre-Cooked Potatoes?

Don’t let your pre-cooked potatoes go to waste. They’re best stored in a sealed container (like Ziploc bags or containers) in the refrigerator for about five days, which is plenty of time for you to use them all up. You can freeze cooked potatoes if you want to keep them longer than five days.

If you don’t have many people at your house and are thinking about freezing some of your leftover baked potatoes, don’t do it.

I’ve done this before, but I regret it now because when I tried reheating them, they were mushy and gross—and not worth eating.

The Most Common Mistakes When Pre-Cooking Potatoes?

Overcooking: When you cook a potato for too long, it becomes dry and crumbly. It may also have an unpleasant taste and odor.
The wrong method: It’s important to know what method you should use for pre-cooked potatoes, as not all methods are equal in terms of taste or texture. For example, suppose you use boiling water instead of steam when prepping your spuds. In that case, they will be rubbery rather than fluffy and tender when they’re done cooking.
Not letting them cool before storing: If you don’t let the cooked potatoes cool before storing them in the fridge or freezer (or worse yet—in plastic bags!), then they will turn dark brown because of oxidation—no one wants to eat them!

Conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning how to pre-cook potatoes. It’s an easy, delicious way to save time in the kitchen and ensure your side dishes are ready when you need them.

Now that we’ve covered all the basics of pre-cooking potatoes, it’s time to get back to our regular programming! You can check out some of our other blog posts here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some easy potato recipes that can be made ahead of time?

Some easy pre-cook potato recipes include mashed potatoes, oven-baked potatoes, cheesy potatoes and even loaded potatoes- which are simply cooked spuds with various toppings like bacon, chilies or green onions.

Are there any health benefits to pre-cooking potatoes?

There is no definitive answer, but pre-cooking potatoes may help to reduce the risk of cooking at the last minute.

How long can you leave your potatoes in a hot oven before they get too dry?

Ideally, you want to bake potatoes for around 25-30 minutes, but they can last up to an hour in a hot oven.

Is there anything I should avoid when pre-cooking potatoes for cooking later in the day?

Avoid brown potatoes or hints of green, as these will turn dark when pre-cooking. Also, choose firm but not too hard potatoes so they don’t get dry during cooking.

Author

I’m Vid Jovanovic and I’m 36 years old. I’m a teacher by profession and my passion lies in baking. I have been baking since my early teens, when my grandmother taught me how to make a simple cake that you can find in any supermarket. My passion for baking grew as I got older and I started experimenting with different ingredients and recipes.