Can you freeze hummus? Yes, you can! And this homemade big-batch make-ahead-and-freeze hummus recipe is going to show you how.
Show of hands, please. Who here loves hummus? (Raising my hand). Who here would eat homemade hummus every single day if they could? (Raising my hand again). Who here has seriously toyed with the idea, perhaps even several times, of starting a new food blog called “Hummus is My Buttercream?” (Yeah … raising my hand.)
Here’s the thing though. I am far from a hummus snob. Yes, a sublime whipped hummus is a glorious thing, but no-muss no-fuss hummus? Also absolutely delicious! So I skip peeling the chickpeas (yeah, no) and, for that matter, often skip cooking my own chickpeas. Isn’t it enough that I’m making my own hummus? I really shouldn’t have to spend 6 hours on it, right?!
Speaking of time wasted (and time saved), recently, I started making huge batches of hummus, saving a bit out to use, and freezing the rest.
But wait!
Can you freeze hummus?!
Yes, you can! Hummus freezes gloriously. It’s true! Here’s how I make one batch of hummus in one swoop, freeze it in portions, and enjoy my life that much more. Because now I can have hummus in it all. the. time. And what is life without hummus?
Okay, so here we have my classic hummus recipe, but the batch is tripled. I make it in my 14-cup food processor because my Vitamix? Well, let’s just say it doesn’t like the extra work (I thought I broke it, to be honest, but apparently it just went into thermal override mode – a safety feature that helps prevent the motor from overheating).
Point being: Break out your food processors for this one.
We have all of the usual suspects here: Chickpeas, tahini, fresh garlic, lemon juice, salt, and chickpea brine or water. Super simple.
Blend it all up and divide between freezer-friendly containers.
Label if you’re like me and would otherwise look in the freezer a week later and wonder what that stuff is. Or worse, two years later. Um, not that I’ve ever done that.
When you’re ready for your next batch of hummus, pull it out and put it in the fridge. It’ll thaw after about 24 hours, and you’re in the hummus zone again!
Here’s the downside of freezing your hummus: I do find that once it’s frozen and thawed, it does tend to be a bit grainier. I don’t mind this because it still tastes delicious, but if you want gloriously smooth hummus again, throw it in the food processor or high-speed blender (it doesn’t mind smaller batches) and add a couple of tablespoons of water. Puree for a minute or so and it’ll smooth right out.
Mmmm. Hummus is totally my buttercream.
Especially when I am able to make a month’s worth of the stuff at a time!
More Hummus Recipes
- Simple & Easy Classic Hummus
- Pumpkin Hummus
- Loaded Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Jalapeno Black-Eyed Pea Hummus
- Green Hummus
- Olive Hummus
- Roasted Beet Hummus
- Sunbutter Hummus
Big-Batch Make-Ahead-and-Freeze Hummus
Ingredients
- 5 cups cooked chickpeas (or 3 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained [but reserve the liquid])
- 1 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2-3 juicy large lemons)
- 5 medium cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (plus more to taste if desired)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
- 1/3 cup – 1 cup water or chickpea brine
Instructions
- To the bowl of a large food processor fitted with the “S” blade, add the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, cumin if using, and 1/3 cup water or chickpea brine. Puree until smooth. If the hummus is too thick, gradually add more water or chickpea brine until the hummus has reached the desired consistency (I like a nice spreadable yet peak-and-valley consistency like buttercream). Taste and add more salt if desired.
- To freeze, divide between freezer-safe containers. Top with air-tight lids and add labels (key if you’re forgetful like me).
- To thaw, transfer from freezer to refrigerator. The hummus should be thawed in about 24 hours. If the thawed hummus seems too grainy, puree in a high-speed blender with a tablespoon or two of water until smooth.
- Keeps well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a vegetarian home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m married to an enthusiastic carnivore, and my mission is to achieve peace in the kitchen – one tasty recipe at a time. These days, with a name like mine, I also try not to ask to speak to the manager.
So wise ! Thank you so much !
It’s amazing – I didn’t know it’s possible to prepare hummus in large volumes, freeze it, and enjoy every day! Thank you so much!
Isn’t it the best? 🙂
I just happened to make about a half-gallon of hummus. So glad I found this article!
I’m going to try this! I’m hooked on freezing large batches of food since I like having homemade food for my toddler all the time. Have you tried freezing in silicone ice cube trays and storing the “cubes” in freezer bags in the freezer? And do you have a favorite container you like to use for the freezer?
I was thinking the same, freeze in small size bites and then keep them in bags 😉
Thanks for the post!! I really appreciate it. I made one of the most delicious hummus I have ever done However, within 4 days it usually gets spoiled 🙁 I was wondering if I should add more lemon to preserve it longer in the fridge (at least a week) but the idea of freezing is perfect as I would not need to spend hours preparing that (mainly when I do it in the blender as I have not got the food processor!)
I also thought about this, but hummus is something I eat very often, but in small amounts. I wonder, once it is defrosted, must you eat it within 24 hours?
Nope, I find it lasts for a few days! 🙂
I’m so glad you can freeze it! I’ve had Israelis compliment me on my homemade hummus! My daughter is on the uphill side of an eating disorder and hummus is a great way to hide calories as fats! Give her a bag of pita chips and a 1/2 cup of hummus and she’s in munchie heaven.
Insomniac, wishing to know if Hummus was freezeable! Thank you for the advice!!I have a case of Black beans!! Made some for neighbors and Wow did they Love it! I added Cilantro! and lime but glad to know that I can use lemon! Thanks again for your information!!
This is great 🙂 Today the family wondered if Hummus is freezable.
My BF gifted a #10 can of Chickpeas to my brother for the holidays. We also included some spicy seasoning for flavor experiments. The man broke his food processor this afternoon. ‘Not sure how he will manage for the next few weeks???
Mine has a very bitter garlic taste, I only used the juice of 1 lemon though as that was 1/3 cup. Maybe I used big cloves, but I think it could use more lemon juice to balance out maybe
Oh, thank you. Knowing I can freeze it is amazing! Hummus is my husbands and I go to for snacks, spreads, and any chance to eat it! I’ve been making it, but am tired of doing it so often. A helpful tip? Try making the chickpeas in an instant pot. Add toasted (or raw) sesame and you don’t have to buy them cooked and pureed. O that matter, try it with Sunflower seeds, that I put in by mistake onw late night. It’s a nice change. If you way over cook the beans, and leave them overnight, they get a great consistency. Thanks for the great blog!!!
Great idea to make the chickpeas in the Instant Pot! Thanks so much, Roxie.
Thanks for info on freezing hummus
great idea & a great recipe!! one issue not addressed is that canned beans tend to have a fair amount of salt in them … as opposed to home cooked which may have none. i used canned beans and reduced salt down to 1 teaspoon. the hummus turned out great! just before eating i like to add minced sweet onion, nutritional yeast and finely chopped arugula to my hummus .. super yummy!
If you’re making this batch for a party instead of the freezer, how many days can you make it in advance? How long does it stay good in the fridge? Thanks!
I would put more garlic and way more cumin for that amount of chickpeas, plus some olive oil. Love the trick to make It smooth again after defrosting. Thanks for that!
How many servings does it make? It says Big Batch but does not specify how many servings
Can I add carmalized onions or red peppers?
Sure, those sound like delicious additions!