Can Sweet Potatoes Go Bad?

Can sweet potatoes go bad? Sweet potatoes are a type of starchy root crop that’s often used in cooking and baking. Since sweet potatoes have dense, creamy texture, they have high water content. Usually, foods that have high water content tend to spoil easily. The same thing is true for sweet potatoes!

Not to be mistaken for yams, sweet potatoes are quite versatile in the kitchen. Its naturally sweet flesh makes a terrific ingredient in soups, stews, and even fillings. If you love sweet potatoes then go ahead and keep these delicious tubers in stock.

Image used under Creative Commons from Mike Mozart

Can Sweet Potatoes Go Bad?

Yes, sweet potatoes can go bad especially if they have been mixed with other ingredients. Fresh sweet potatoes will keep much longer than mashed or cooked sweet potatoes. How the products were stored will also affect the overall storage life of sweet potatoes.

If you’d like to extend the shelf life of uncooked sweet potatoes, you have to keep the tubers in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight. Uncooked sweet potatoes are likely to develop sprouts if they are kept in the pantry for a long time. As such, we recommend using up your supply as soon as possible.

Signs that Sweet Potatoes Have Gone Bad

When it comes to checking if sweet potatoes have gone bad, always check for slight or significant discolorations. If the sweet potatoes start turning soft or mushy, they have gone bad. The same thing is true for sweet potatoes that turned a deep shade of brown to black. Check for weird growths through the skin or the presence of mold. If the sweet potatoes have developed an off-odor, toss the tubers in the trash.

For cooked or mashed sweet potatoes, check for the presence of mold. If the product took on an off-color or flavor, the sweet potatoes are no longer safe to eat.

How to Store Sweet Potatoes?

Uncooked and uncut sweet potatoes are best stored in the pantry. Place the product in a well-ventilated area. Keep the sweet potatoes away from sources of heat and moisture. Unopened cans of sweet potatoes are also best stored in the pantry. As for cooked sweet potatoes, it’s best to store them in the fridge. Place the product in a sealed container for optimal flavor.

Image used under Creative Commons from Marco Verch

When kept in the pantry, uncooked sweet potatoes will stay fresh for 1 to 2 months. When kept in the fridge, cooked sweet potatoes should keep for 2 to 3 months. Canned sweet potatoes will keep in the pantry for 12 months or so.

Can You Freeze Sweet Potatoes?

Yes, you can freeze uncooked and cooked sweet potatoes to extend their shelf life. Just place the product in a freezer-safe container and stick in the freezer. Sweet potatoes will keep indefinitely in the freezer so this is a great storage option if you have no plans of using up your supply in the near future. Our advice is to split the sweet potatoes into manageable portions so thawing is much less of a hassle for you.


Sweet potatoes add an extra kick of flavor and nutrients to your daily meals. These tubers are low in calories and high in antioxidants so stocking up is always a great idea. Can sweet potatoes go bad? Yes, they can go bad at some point. But as long as you stored the product properly, you don’t have to worry about the spoilage at all!


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