Keep these flavorful fries on hand with this quick & easy freeze method.

For the Love of Fries 🧡🍟

Who doesn’t love a heaping mound of french fries? Especially hot, right from the oven.

Having an ongoing battle with high blood pressure (it runs in the family), I gave up fries years ago. Whether they be a bag of frozen fries popped in the oven or an order at a fast food drive-thru.

Alas, I’m no longer a consumer of fast food. Although there was a time I ate my fair share of McDonald’s and Wendy’s french fries. Why not? My high school boyfriend worked at the first place and my younger sister at the second.

Each brand with their own distinguishing taste. To this day the battle continues — Who has the best fries, McDonald’s or Wendy’s?

These days I could care less as my search has been to find a healthy serving of fries.

Healthier & Healthy Fries

I’d never eaten a sweet potato before.

At least not one that didn’t come out of a can with marshmallows baked on top. I tried a bite once at Thanksgiving family dinner. Even as a kid, they were way too sweet for me.

Which was why I never tried them again…until my health insurance company sent me a box of vegetables. It was a promotion to make healthier food choices.

The box included two sweet potatoes. As an advocate against food waste, I knew it was time I learned what to do with a sweet potato. There were loads of options and recipes.

I chose sweet potato fries. And, because it was summer and 110+ degrees, I needed to learn how to freeze the fries. We certainly wouldn’t be using the oven anytime soon. 🔥🥵

How to Blanch & Freeze Sweet Potato Fries

Boil and cold bath — Photo by Author

Choose your slice type — rounds, wedges, cubes, traditional fry cut, and most likely more. I chose traditional cut since we would be making fries.

Step 1 — Scrub and slice the sweet potatoes. You’ll need a good knife to cut the sweet potatoes. The first cut needs to be across one side of the potato. This keeps the potato flat on the cutting board and helps with slicing.

Step 2 — Boil a pan of water. Once boiling, carefully add the potatoes. Boil for 3 to 5 minutes. The potatoes should be tender but firm.

Note — I used one quite large sweet potato. I blanched* the fries in two batches. Makes 4–6 servings. *Blanch definition — boiled briefly then immediately cooled.

Step 3 — Using a slotted spoon, scoop the potatoes out of the boiling water and place them in a large bowl of cold water for 2 to 3 minutes. This will stop the potatoes from cooking.

Step 4 — Remove the potatoes from the cold water bath. Place them on a baking sheet or cutting board mat. Pat with paper towels to remove the moisture.

Step 5 — Place in the freezer for 3 to 4 hours. Then store in a freezer bag. The potatoes will keep for up to a year.

Steps 3, 4 & 5 — Cold bath, dry, and freeze. Photos by Author.

How to Bake the Sweet Potatoes

Step 1 — Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Step 2 — While the oven heats, take the amount of fries you want out of the freezer. Let them set out for several minutes to thaw, pat dry, and put the fries in a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss.

Step 3 — Mix the following ingredients in a small bowl.

• 1 Tbsp. corn starch
• 1 tsp. paprika — or — 1 tsp. chili powder or cayenne pepper for spicier fries
• 1 tsp. garlic powder

Step 4 — Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the fries. Toss to coat for crispier fries.

Step 5 — Arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the fries for about 25 to 30 minutes.

Step 6 — They’re ready to eat!😋

Delish with My Dipping Sauce

The Dip

• 1/2 of a Jumbo Avocado, mashed
• 2–3 T. Dijon Mustard
• 1 T. Horseradish

Economical & Easy Process

I paid $1.97 for this one quite large sweet potato. Depending upon serving size, that prices out between $.32 and $.50 per serving. Not too bad for a side dish. And they’re all natural. No added sodium on these fries.

Recently, prices at the grocery store for a 15- to 20-ounce bag of sweet potato fries ranged from $3.28 — $6.69.

The entire freezing process took me less than one hour. I even had time to cut up, bag an entire celery stalk, and remove the leaves to dry while I managed my “potato freezing assembly line.” 😁

Give it a try. The next time you shop — add potatoes to your list. Whether they’re russets, sweet potatoes, or yams, pick a couple up and freeze your own. Remember, they can last for up to a year but I doubt they will…they are that good. 😋

Sweet Potato Facts

• Sweet potatoes are a root vegetable, are a member of the Morning Glory family, and are native to Central and South America.
• Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that may protect against some cancers.
• The beta carotene converts into Vitamin A which supports good vision & your immune system.
• Sweet potatoes are high in fiber (which promotes gut health), Vitamin B, iron, and potassium.
• Sweet potatoes contain no fat or sodium. One more reason to blanch and freeze them yourself.

Eat Well! Stay Well! Live Well!