Chickpea curry is a delicious vegetarian option when it comes to Indian cuisine. It’s packed with nutrients and can be knocked together in one big pot. But the question is, how do you store it for the long term?
Can You Freeze Chickpea Curry?
Yes, you can freeze chickpea curry for up to 6 months. You can freeze it in Tupperware containers or good-quality, thick freezer bags.
Do Does Chickpea Curry freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Chickpea Curry? No
How to Freeze Chickpea Curry
Freezing chickpea curry couldn’t be much simpler. Just follow these simple steps:
- Cool: Once you’ve cooked your chickpea curry, let it completely cool down – you don’t want to freeze hot food!
- Portion Into Containers: Grab a thick freezer bag or container. Spoon your curry into the bags or containers. Use portion sizes here to make it much easier to use without wasting any when you come to thaw it out.
- Seal: Seal the bags up, squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible, and place the lid on the containers if using containers.
- Label and Freeze: Label the container with the contents, then place it in the freezer.
Be warned! If you have made your curry with lots of spices, especially turmeric, you will stain your plastic containers and struggle to remove it. To avoid this, then you can use glass containers.
If you’re using bags, then make sure they’re extra thick. This will help avoid any leakages and curry odours seeping into the rest of your freezer.
3 Tips for Freezing Chickpea Curry
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing chickpea curry to have the best results:
Use Bags
Soups, stews, and curries rich in spices such as curry powder, turmeric, or chilli will stain plastic containers. Although they will be clean, they can look off-putting if you want to use them for something else. Instead, try using thick freezer bags.
Add Freshness When Reheating
Frozen, thawed and reheated curry can become quite heavy. Add freshness to a curry after freezing by topping with a fresh kachumber, yoghurt dressing or even a sprinkling of coriander leaves.
Defrosting Slowly
If you try to speed up the defrosting process, you can ruin the texture of the curry. Instead, be patient and thaw overnight in the fridge.
How Long Can You Freeze Chickpea Curry?
You can leave your chickpea curry in the freezer for around 6 months before the flavour may degrade and the curry will completely dry out.
We highly recommend labelling your curry with the date it needs to be consumed to avoid unwanted wastage.
When kept in a Tupperware or airtight container, chickpea curry will last for between 5 and 7 days in the fridge.
How Do You Defrost Chickpea Curry?
To defrost your curry, place it in the fridge overnight. You want to give it plenty of time to thaw. Try to avoid rushing this step as you can ruin the texture of your curry.
Once thawed, reheat in a pan or the microwave until completely heated.
Can You Refreeze Chickpea Curry?
Although it’s likely to be perfectly safe to do so, we would still advise against refreezing chickpea curry. You may find that multiple trips to the freezer lead to dramatic textural changes, which will make the eating unpleasant.
The chickpeas can become mushy, and they may disintegrate when you come to reheat the curry. Instead, try to freeze it in suitably sized portions.
Does Chickpea Curry Freeze Well?
It certainly does. If your chickpea curry is left in the freezer for an extended period, then there is a chance it will dry out.
When you reheat it, whether that is in the microwave or a pan, add a splash of water to loosen the sauce and make it a little less dry.
Your chickpea curry will still be packed full of spice and flavour after freezing.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing chickpea curry or curry in general, then these may help:
You certainly can. Once it has cooled down, portion them into a freezer bag, seal them up and then freeze.
Chickpea curry will keep in an airtight container for around 5 to 7 days in the fridge. Ensure you keep it in an airtight container to keep it fresh for as long as possible but also to stop your entire fridge from smelling of curry.
