Hummus is a flavorful Middle Eastern dish used as a dip or spread. It’s grown increasingly popular not just in the restaurant industry, but at home, where it makes for a great snack.
Hummus is easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients: garlic, lemon juice, chickpeas and tahini.
Despite its popularity, not many people are familiar with how to best keep hummus at home. Does it need to be refrigerated?
Does it go bad? How long does it last? What’s the best way to store homemade hummus?
While there’s little effort in making hummus at home, homemade versions last 4-7 days as long as they’re refrigerated and stored in an airtight container. Hummus should always be chilled, but things happen; so if it’s left to sit out for a bit, you can still consume it as long as it has been less than two hours. Additionally, homemade hummus can be frozen and lasts up to 4 months.
| Homemade Hummus | |
| Refrigerated | 4-7 days |
| Frozen | 4 months |
| Left Out | 2 hours |
How Long Does Homemade Hummus Last in the Refrigerator?
As soon as you make your homemade hummus, it should be refrigerated if you aren’t eating it immediately.
All of the ingredients in hummus are perishable and need to be kept at around 40° F or below.
Once refrigerated, homemade hummus will last 4-7 days.
What is the Best Way to Store Hummus?
To ensure your homemade hummus lasts longer, it is best to keep it on the bottom shelf of the fridge where the temperatures usually are the coldest.
Furthermore, hummus should be kept chilled or refrigerated at all times.
Do not store hummus in the door of the fridge as the temperature is warmer. Hummus should be around 40° F when not being used.
When you take your hummus out of the fridge, make sure you use a clean spoon to scoop it; otherwise, it will spoil faster.
Proper Way to Store Homemade Hummus in the Fridge
Hummus is a spread, so it isn’t solid or liquid. It’s easy to scoop up with a cracker and use as a dip. It can also be used to flavor meats and other dishes.
If you make your hummus at home, it needs to be chilled immediately. Make sure you have an airtight container nearby that seals correctly.
Pour the freshly made hummus into the container, lock it, and place it in the fridge.
How Long Does Homemade Hummus Last in the Freezer?
Because hummus is so easy to make and has so few ingredients, many people make it in large batches.
But no matter how delicious hummus is, you probably won’t eat it all in one sitting.
If you’ve made a big batch of hummus it can be kept in the freezer for up to 4 months.
This is a game changer for families who love snacking on hummus, as it extends the shelf life by a lot.
Freezing hummus may result in a dryer, grittier dip with a bit of a loss of taste, so make sure you’re packaging it correctly.
How to Store Homemade Hummus in the Freezer
If you make a large batch or multiple batches of hummus, you can store them in the freezer for up to 4 months.
The container you use should be freezer-safe and airtight. Make sure it seals correctly.
Pour the amount of hummus you want to freeze into the container, but not all the way to the top.
Hummus expands when it is frozen and will press against the lid. Seal the container and place it in the freezer.
Tips for Freezing Hummus:
- Don’t store hummus in a ziplock bag, as the hummus needs room to expand and may get crushed or punctured in the freezer.
- Before you close the container drizzle olive oil on top of the hummus. This will help retain moisture so your hummus doesn’t dry out in the freezer.
- Freeze in small batches. Once you thaw the hummus, it will only last 4-7 days and should not be repeatedly frozen.
- Leaving hummus in the freezer for longer 4 months will result in freezer burn.
How to Defrost Homemade Hummus
If you need to defrost some of the hummus you’ve previously frozen, you can follow these steps:
- Remove the entire container from the freezer and place it in the fridge.
- Allow the hummus to thaw out for 24 hours.
- When thawed, the hummus will be separated. Mix with a spoon before use.
- Keep the defrosted hummus refrigerated for 4-7 days.
Although it may be tempting to microwave hummus if you need it quickly, doing so will result in an uneven thaw, poor texture and lack of flavor.
It’s best to let your hummus defrost over the course of 24 hours in a refrigerator.
How Is Homemade Hummus Made?
Homemade hummus can be made by mixing chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and tahini in a food processor or blender. Recipes may also include cumin, salt, and olive oil.
Store-Bought Hummus has the same main ingredients as the homemade hummus. However, it also has preservatives that will extend its shelf life.
If you choose to buy your hummus, it is best to get organic hummus that has less preservatives.
To find out more about the best storage practices and which brands do not need to be refrigerated, check out How Long Hummus Can Sit Out For.
How Long Does Homemade Hummus Last in a Dish?
Hummus goes great with vegetables, meats, breads and more – it’s often added to dishes to liven up the flavors and add some creaminess as well.
Homemade hummus added to a dish that is refrigerated will last 4-7 days. But keep in mind that there may be other more perishable items in the dish that will not last as long.
If that’s the case, you should toss out the homemade hummus dish when the other ingredients go bad.
Does Homemade Hummus Go Bad?
Hummus is a perishable item and both store-bought and homemade hummus will go bad at some point.
There are many variables that determine how quickly hummus goes bad, but ultimately, it needs to be kept chilled as soon as you make it at home.
Depending on whether or not the hummus is in the correct container and what temperature it was left at, you can determine whether or not your homemade hummus is still okay to eat.
How Do You Know When Homemade Hummus Has Gone Bad?
One of the easiest and quickest ways to tell if homemade hummus is bad is to look at it. Homemade hummus that is spoiled may have mold in the container or on the surface of the spread.
Despite the garlic, tahini and lemon juice in fresh homemade hummus, it doesn’t have much of a smell.
But when homemade hummus goes bad, it has a noticeable sour smell that’s hard to miss.
If you’re still questioning whether or not your hummus is okay to eat, you can also tell by taste.
Hummus that has gone off will taste sour as well, and not in the delicious tangy way that fresh homemade hummus tastes.
Signs Homemade Hummus Has Gone Bad:
- Mold is visible on the container or on the surface of the hummus
- There is a sour smell
- There is a sour taste
- The container the hummus is packaged in looks bloated
What Happens if You Eat Spoiled Homemade Hummus?
Eating any spoiled food can be a risk, but with hummus, you’ll likely only experience an undesirable taste and maybe some mold.
However spoiled food can also cause illnesses such as vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and general digestive discomfort.
In the worst-case scenario, you can be exposed to listeria bacteria, which leads to food poisoning but can take months to show up in your system.
Although it might not seem like a big deal to eat a little bit of hummus if there’s just a small patch of mold on it, listeria is very serious.
It can turn into a life-threatening infection called listeriosis, so toss out your homemade hummus as soon as you begin to suspect it may have gone bad.
Other symptoms of food poisoning include:
- Stomach cramps
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Headache
- Stiff neck
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Final Considerations
Homemade hummus has quickly become a fan favorite for those with busy lifestyles, large families or who just need a healthy snack here or there.
It’s an easy-to-make dish that works great as a dip, spread or side. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a surprisingly flavorful dish.
But like all perishable food items, homemade hummus needs to be stored correctly. Preferably the hummus will be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
If hummus is left out, you should check it carefully for signs that it has spoiled.
Additionally, freezing hummus is a great way to make use of large batches and save some time and money.
My name is Keren Tayler. I am a stay-at-home mama to three lovely girls, Sarah + Rachel + Hannah. Prior to becoming a mom, I had a successful career in the accounting field, steps away from becoming a CPA. I decided to give up on my career in order to raise my own kids (as opposed to letting a nanny do it, no judgment here :)) I learned a lot and I love sharing it with other moms. Along the way, I also became a Certified Food Handler.