In all their forms, chickpeas have a very long shelf life. So, it’s unlikely that you need to freeze chickpeas often. However, you might have too many for your recipe when you have soaked and prepared chickpeas. So, is it possible to pop them in the freezer?
Can You Freeze Chickpeas?
Yes, you can freeze chickpeas for up to 12 months. Chickpeas can be frozen on their own or as part of a dish such as a chickpea stew, curry, or even hummus.
How to Freeze Chickpeas
Fortunately, the method for freezing chickpeas is really easy. It’s not dissimilar to the method you’d use for freezing most loose foods:
- Drain
Drain the chickpeas. You need to do this whether they were canned and already prepared or dried and have been preparing them yourself.
- Dry
Lay the drained chickpeas out on a clean tea towel so they can air dry. You need to make sure they are as dry as possible before continuing.
- Bag Up
Once the chickpeas are dry, put them into an airtight container suitable for the freezer. A freezer bag that you can seal tightly should also work. You can portion them out into multiple containers if you prefer. This will make it easier to defrost a single portion when needed. - Freeze
Label the container with the date and contents and pop it into the freezer.
Create Mixed Pulse Bags
I love to combine chickpeas with other beans and pulses in portion-sized bags in the freezer perfect for tipping into soups and stews and turning into mixed bean salads.
Yes, cooked chickpeas can be frozen but they will become a little soft and mushy once they are thawed and reheated. This is why it is better to freeze them uncooked.
Roasted chickpeas can be frozen safely, but they will lose some texture when defrosted. You will be better off freezing uncooked chickpeas than roasting them fresh when you fancy them as a quick and healthy snack.
Canned chickpeas can be frozen but this is only worth doing if you have opened a can and only need to use half of the contents. Otherwise, canned chickpeas will last longer in the cupboard than in the freezer.
Yes! Soaking dried chickpeas takes time! The good news is that you can batch-soak them and store them in the freezer for nearly a year.
How Long Can You Freeze Chickpeas?
Chickpeas can stay stored in the freezer for a long time, up to 12 months.
However, for best results and best flavour, use them within 6 months. After this, you might notice some deterioration in flavour and texture.
Once opened or soaked, chickpeas will last for 2 to 3 days in the fridge when kept on their own. In a curry or stew, they will keep for around 3 to 4 days.
How Do You Defrost Chickpeas?
There is no hassle involved in thawing chickpeas, but you will need a little patience and planning. You can take the number of chickpeas out that you need and put them in a bowl.
Defrost overnight in the fridge and then move them to the kitchen side to slowly come up to room temperature before cooking.
Once they are thawed, they are the same as before freezing, and you can cook with them in the same way.
Can You Refreeze Chickpeas?
It isn’t recommended that you refreeze chickpeas once you have thawed them out. In fact, you need to ensure you use them within 24 hours of defrosting them. After this, they can start to deteriorate.
Whilst you shouldn’t refreeze thawed out chickpeas as an ingredient or food. You can add them to your cooking and then freeze the leftovers without causing problems.
Do Chickpeas Freeze Well?
Chickpeas are a fantastic ingredient. They store for ages, either canned or dried and then even when they have been opened and soaked, you can freeze them, and they last for a long time that way too!
You shouldn’t even notice too much difference in taste or texture, especially as you will cook them after thawing out.
For best results, use any frozen chickpeas within six months. After this, there may be some deterioration, but you can keep them frozen for a few months longer if necessary.
Chickpeas maintain their texture pretty well during freezing. However, they could become dry or mushy if they’re not stored airtight or kept in the freezer for too long.
Sources
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