Yes, sweet potatoes go bad, but they keep for weeks if you store them right. Raw ones last a few weeks in a cool, dark pantry, and the fridge can hurt them. Cooked ones are a perishable leftover. Below: how long each lasts, how to spot a bad one, and what to do with leftovers.
Do sweet potatoes go bad?
The Short Answer
Yes. Raw sweet potatoes keep about 2 to 3 weeks in a cool, dark pantry and up to a week on the counter, per Missouri Extension. Other Extension sources run from 3 to 5 weeks. Don’t refrigerate whole raw ones, because cold can cause a hard center and a bitter taste. Cooked sweet potatoes keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, per USDA. Discard any with severe mold, rot or an off odor. These are agency figures, not guarantees.
For a complete pantry storage reference, see our Food Storage Guide. For the fridge question, see our guide on whether sweet potatoes need to be refrigerated.
Do Sweet Potatoes Go Bad: At a Glance
Raw, in a cool, dark pantry
2 to 3 weeks per Missouri Extension. Utah State says 3 to 4 weeks at 55°F, and Purdue says 3 to 5 weeks
Raw, on the counter
Up to 1 week per Missouri Extension. Utah State says to plan on using them within 1 week of purchase
Raw, whole, in the fridge
Don’t. Refrigeration can cause a hard center and a bitter or unpleasant taste
Raw, cut or peeled
Refrigerate within 2 hours, per USDA
Cooked, in the fridge
3 to 4 days per USDA, refrigerated within 2 hours
Cooked, left out
Discard after 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F
Cooked, frozen
Quality guidelines only: 10 to 12 months per Oregon State Extension, 3 to 4 months per USDA for leftovers in general
Severe mold, rot or an off odor
Discard it
Cured, in ideal storage
3 to 6 months per Penn State and 4 to 6 per Iowa State, at 55 to 60°F. Not a typical kitchen
Key Takeaways
Yes, sweet potatoes go bad. Missouri Extension gives raw sweet potatoes 2 to 3 weeks in a cool, dark, dry place and up to a week at room temperature. Utah State says 3 to 4 weeks at 55°F, and Purdue says 3 to 5 weeks.
Don’t refrigerate whole raw sweet potatoes. Extension and trade sources say refrigeration can cause a hard center and an unpleasant or bitter taste.
Penn State’s 3 to 6 months and Iowa State’s 4 to 6 are for roots held at 55 to 60°F and high humidity. That is storage-room advice, not a typical kitchen.
Cooked sweet potatoes keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, per USDA. Refrigerate them within 2 hours, and freeze what you won’t eat in time.
Discard sweet potatoes with severe mold, rot or an off odor. We don’t suggest tasting to check.
Which Sweet Potatoes Do You Have?
This guide covers whole, raw, store-bought sweet potatoes and cooked leftovers, with a note on cut pieces. The “yams” in most US stores are nearly always sweet potatoes, according to the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission’s Sweetpotatoes 101 page, so the same advice applies. Canned and frozen sweet potatoes follow their package labels. For regular potatoes, see
