Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans Recipe - Vegan in the Freezer (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to freeze sweet potato casserole cooked or uncooked? ›

Freezing an unbaked casserole will yield disastrous results; raw sweet potatoes are full of water, and freezing them can burst their cells and render them a watery mess when removed from cold storage. If at all possible, you should also freeze the cooked casserole and topping separately.

Toppings are key with this type of casserole; you need a layer of something crunchy to balance out the soft smoothness of the sweet potatoes. However, the one thing you need to know before you freeze a sweet potato casserole is that you should leave off the toppings before the dish goes into the freezer.

Storing raw sweet potatoes in the freezer will actually make them spoil faster, however it's best to keep baked sweet potatoes or cooked yams in the freezer. Because sweet potatoes are so popular in many recipes around Thanksgiving, it's recommended to store your cooked sweet potato leftovers in the freezer.

In fact, casseroles are an excellent make-ahead meal because of how easy they are to prep, cook, freeze and store. The extra effort is minimal—you can double a recipe, freeze one and serve the other—and you're gifting yourself a mostly kitchen-free night at some point down the road.

We suggest checking out our recipe for The Best Sweet Potato Casserole, below, which you can make and freeze up to 3 months ahead of time. The eggs will be raw when you freeze the mix in your casserole dish, but they'll be fine because they're completely mixed with the sweet potatoes. Wrap the casserole.

If the casserole has cooked protein or none at all (like a pan of macaroni and cheese), you can freeze the uncooked casserole without baking it. Again, line the empty baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Prepare the casserole in the dish, fold over the foil to cover, then freeze overnight.

A really good sweet potato casserole filling should be light and moist, not dense. If it's dense, then you may not have added an often overlooked ingredient—an egg. An egg adds lift, structure and volume and makes the filling more custard-like.

To make ahead of time & freeze: You'll need to blanch the sweet potato cubes first if you want to freeze them. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the sweet potato cubes. Boil for 3 to 5 minutes (the water should return to a spot before starting the timer).

How to Estimate How Many Sweet Potatoes You Need per Person. “A general guideline to estimating how many sweet potatoes you need when hosting friends or family for a meal is one medium sweet potato per person,” Burgess says, as if she's done this many times before.

Freezing sweet potatoes drives excess water out of the potato, resulting in an interior with more concentrated flavor. Freezing also lowers the starting temperature of the potato, allowing more time for amylase enzymes to convert starch to sweet-tasting maltose.

What are the benefits of freezing sweet potatoes? ›

How to Freeze Sweet Potatoes. You can freeze cooked sweet potatoes in three ways: whole, sliced, or mashed. No matter which way you choose, they'll last in the freezer for about one year.

Avoid freezing casseroles made with dairy products (especially soft cheeses with a high-water content like ricotta or cottage), eggs, starchy vegetables, and watery vegetables like lettuce and cucumber.

Sweet potato casserole, when stored properly, will be good in the freezer for around 4 months. Once you're ready to finish making your casserole, it's best to let it thaw out in the fridge overnight or for a full day, since there are raw eggs in the casserole.

To freeze sweet potato pie, bake it in an aluminum pie plate (aluminum is thinner than ceramic alternatives, so it will help the pie freeze faster and prevent the development of ice crystals). Cover the cooled pie in several layers of storage wrap.

How to Reheat Sweet Potato Casserole. To reheat this casserole preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 20- 25 minutes or until heated through. Microwave also works well for smaller portions.

To reheat a frozen casserole directly, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C), cover the casserole with aluminum foil, and bake for 1-2 hours, or until it is heated through. Use a food thermometer to check that the casserole has reached an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) before serving.