Can You Freeze Hummus?
Hummus is a classic, popular dip, but when it comes to safe food storage, can you freeze hummus? The quick answer is yes, you can freeze hummus and later thaw it out for safe consumption.
Hummus is a delicious blended dip of chickpeas, garlic, tahini and lemon juice that’s extremely prevalent in Middle Eastern and Greek foods. It’s a yummy treat and the perfect appetizer dip for hosting. If you end up with extra hummus at the end of a party, there’s no need to let it go to waste — instead, try freezing it. If you want to successfully freeze hummus and eat it later on, you’ll need to know how you can freeze hummus properly and how to safely thaw and use it. To help, we’ve put together a go-to guide on freezing hummus.
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Can You Freeze Hummus?
Yes, you can freeze hummus. Hummus is a vegetarian dish made with simple ingredients, so it’s actually a pretty stable food item for freezing and thawing out. The low temperature of your freezer should prevent any dangerous bacteria from growing, so your only concern would be a change in texture or flavor if you left the hummus frozen for several months before eating it.
The easiest type of hummus to freeze is plain hummus since there are no vegetable chunks or other extra ingredients that have to keep their flavor during the freezing and thawing process.
Can you freeze homemade hummus? You might find more success with freezing a store-bought hummus as opposed to homemade hummus, since the store-bought version has more preservatives that will maintain the hummus’ original texture and flavors, even while frozen.
Can You Freeze Hummus Dip?
So, you can freeze hummus, but can you freeze hummus dip? The answer is absolutely! Whether it’s a basic hummus or a fancy hummus dip, you can freeze hummus. As long as you follow regular food safety rules (keeping food at a freezing temperature to prevent bacteria), hummus dip will keep just fine.
As with regular hummus, the main issue is changes in flavor. Some elements of a hummus dip (especially vegetables) will dehydrate when frozen, leading to a funky flavor and texture when thawed. It’s still safe to eat, just not as enjoyable as it would have been when it was fresh.
How To Prepare and Freeze Hummus
You can freeze hummus easily. All you need is an airtight container, olive oil and a functioning freezer.
Start by putting your hummus into an airtight container, like Tupperware. If you have unopened store-bought hummus, you may be tempted to throw that right into the freezer. While you can freeze hummus in its original container, it’s not always the best idea. Food usually expands when it freezes, and if a store-bought container is brand-new and filled to the brim, you may be looking at a broken container and a big mess in your freezer. With that in mind, transfer your hummus to a reusable, sealable container and leave some room at the top.
Before you seal up your container and put it into the freezer, drizzle a little olive oil over the hummus. The oil will help infuse extra moisture into the dip so it won’t be too dry when you thaw it out. Then, tightly close the container and place it in your freezer.
How To Thaw and Use Frozen Hummus
You can thaw hummus just as easily as you can freeze hummus. Most hummus dips will retain their taste and texture for about four months in the freezer, so if you’re still in that window, now’s your time to enjoy that yummy chickpea blend.
To thaw out your hummus, simply transfer the container from the freezer to the refrigerator. It will probably take 12 to 24 hours for the hummus to fully thaw. Don’t keep the hummus out on the kitchen counter to thaw, though — hummus should always be kept in the refrigerator when you’re not actively eating it.
When you’re ready to use the thawed hummus, give the dip a good stir before eating it. This will help smooth out the texture and blend in the extra oil you had drizzled on top. Once the hummus is back to its regular texture, you can carry on using it exactly as you would use a fresh hummus dip.
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You can freeze hummus in just about any scenario, as long as the hummus is kept in an airtight container and you use it within about four months. Just remember that hummus will slowly change in texture and flavor over time, so be prepared to add extra olive oil and do some dedicated stirring once it’s time for the hummus to thaw.
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