Hummus, this spread/dip of Middle Eastern origin has swept the world as it is is quite easy to prepare and pairs well with a wide range of food, making it a foodie favorite.
It’s vegan as well, so it makes a delicious food fix for the plant-based diet. And it’s yummy, no doubt about it!
But what about those moments when you just make a bit too much hummus? Or if you just want to prepare a large batch and preserve it in the freezer. Can that be done? Can you freeze hummus?
Sure, you might be tempted to grab a tub of ready-made hummus at the supermarket, but the simplicity of the recipe would prick your conscience.
Homemade hummus is much tastier compared to store-bought ones – not to mention more price-friendly and healthier. The flavor can also be adjusted to suit your particular taste.
The base recipe of hummus includes chickpeas or garbanzo beans, tahini or ground sesame seeds, some lemon juice, olive oil, plus minced garlic to your taste.
This is all dropped into your basic food processor, pulsed and blended until it forms a smooth paste. Others may add some more herbs and spices, depending on personal preferences.
This is then enjoyed in a variety of ways. As a spread on the bread of your choice – pita, sun bread, French bread – the list goes on!
It can also be a great dip for vegetable sticks, crackers, and a whole variety of finger food.
It can also be served as a savory sauce for fish, chicken, or other cooked meats spruced up with a dash of cumin and allspice. The yummy possibilities are endless. A little hummus goes a long way.
But back to today’s topic – is it OK to freeze hummus?
Freezing hummus
The answer to the question above is a resounding “YES!”
You can prep a huge batch of the classic hummus recipe and keep it in the freezer until you’re ready to eat it.
The key is to keep them in clean, dry, freezer-friendly containers in portion sizes that are friendly to your average consumption – preferably in smaller batches.
Hummus freezes quite nicely. You just have to take out your planned portion at least the night before so it can properly thaw.
Frozen hummus tastes just as great, although it may come out a bit grainer if the oil and water separate which depends on your preparation portions of the ingredients. But this is something that can be easily fixed.
To have that amazingly smooth buttery hummus texture when using it from the freezer, just put your portion in the blender with a few tablespoons of water then puree it until it smoothens out.
Here are a few reminders when we intend to freeze hummus:
- Make sure your containers are dry, airtight and freezer safe!
- Smaller portions are more preferable but do keep varying portion sizes like individual servings and family-sized portions.
- Don’t pack your container to the brim. Always leave space since as it freezes, hummus expands.
- A bit of liquid on the top of thawed hummus is normal – it just means that some separation has occurred. This can be remedied by popping it quickly in the microwave then whisking it together or into the food processor for a quick blend.
- If you are a fan of spruced-up versions of hummus, it is best to just make the basic and classic recipes. Once you defrost your pre-made hummus, then you can spice it up to your liking.
- You can resurrect thinned-out frozen hummus by whisking in some minced garlic or a squeeze of lemon.
- Once thawed, consume the hummus within a few days from the defrosting (that is assuming that you don’t gobble it up – remember – ideal portion size control when freezing!) and store in the fridge.
- Hummus can keep in the freezer up to 6 months if prepped and stored properly. Some swear they last for a year – but unless you forgot it at the bottom of your freezer, it is unlikely that you will have stock that long after a batch prep of hummus!
- You can thaw the frozen hummus a day before by demoting it to the refrigerator or at room temperature overnight.
- A very practical reminder is that bigger frozen batches will take a longer time to thaw.
- If you find your thawed hummus too flaky and you don’t want to thin the flavor by adding water, add olive oil instead.
- Once thawed, please do not refreeze the hummus! This is a basic rule that applies to hummus as well in order to get the most out of the original flavor of our concoction as well as to keep it safe for consumption.
Alternately, you can do it like I usually do: just boil the chickpeas and prepare a portion of hummus that you and your family or friends will eat fresh. Then freeze the remaining chickpeas.
This way, you will be able to just take the chickpeas out of the freezer and prepare a fresh batch of hummus. We found that this method works best – especially if you boil the chickpeas a little bit before preparing.
This also requires more time, but it’s good to know that you have it as an option for your favorite dip. And if you don’t really know how to prepare your own, check out our easy & delicious hummus recipe!
Wrapping up
So, this would be all about freezing hummus. I am sure you’re happy to hear that it can indeed be kept safely in the freezer without much of an impact over taste or texture.
You can also store the boiled chickpeas if making hummus the old fashioned way, which allows you to use fresh ingredients each time you feel like eating a portion.
But, in all honesty, freezing the ready-made hummus is the easiest approach here and you can safely do this for a quick fix whenever in need. You can even defrost it in your microwave oven if you don’t plan it well a night before.
And now, if you’re thinking about desserts already… why not learn if you can freeze banana cake or not?