Cheese dip has a variety of uses but it’s best known as a dip for nachos. Cheese dip and nachos go together like two peas in a pod. Together, they make a fantastic snack during a get-together or movie nights! But what if you have leftover cheese dip or you made too much dip? Can you freeze nacho dip?
You’d think cheese dip won’t keep well in the freezer because it has dairy in it. Dairy products have the tendency to lose their original textures once they’ve been frozen and defrosted. Luckily, cheese dip does keep well in the freezer as long as it is prepped right.
The problem with keeping leftover cheese dip is that 1) bits of nacho chips get mixed into the cheese sauce and 2) some will double dip. This can be problematic because all these increase the risk of bacterial growth. If you made a too-large batch of cheese dip, our advice is to divide the dip into serving portions. This way, you have control over the amount of dip you serve to guests and minimize the risk of contamination.
When kept in the fridge, cheese dip will keep for 4 to 6 days. But when kept in the freezer, it should last for 4 to 6 months. Below is a step-by-step guide on how can you freeze cheese dip properly:
How to Freeze Cheese Dip?
Cheese dip is best frozen when it doesn’t contain bits of nacho chips in it or any other food. If you’re making cheese dip from scratch and prepping some of it for freezing, wait until the cheese sauce has been cooled completely.
Once the cheese dip has cooled down, it’s ready for prepping. Start by dividing the cheese into small serving portions. This way, you won’t have to defrost the whole container for a small serving of cheese dip. Defrosting frozen cheese dip repeatedly will shorten its shelf life.
Use small resealable plastic bags to pack the cheese dip into manageable portions. Just spoon the dip into your desired container, leaving about an inch or two of space before sealing. Get a marker and write the storage date then stick in the freezer.
If you bought cheese dip packed in plastic containers, there’s no need to repack the product for freezing. Just stick the unopened pack of cheese dip in the freezer. For canned or bottled cheese dip, you’ll need to transfer the product to a freezer-safe container first.
How to Defrost and Reheat Cheese Dip?
To thaw the frozen cheese dip, just transfer the container from the freezer to the fridge. Leave the cheese dip to thaw for several hours to overnight. Sometimes the ingredients of the cheese dip will separate or the consistency will become watery when thawed. This is normal. You can restore the original consistency of the dip through reheating.
To reheat the cheese dip, pour the dip into a skillet and heat over low. Stir frequently so the dip won’t stick to the bottom of the sauce pan. After simmering, the cheese dip is ready to use. You can also reheat the dip in the microwave. Microwave on high for 20 seconds, whisk the dip, then microwave again if needed.
Summary
Storing cheese dip in the freezer is convenient because you can make quick snacks anytime. Now that you know how can you freeze cheese dip, there’s absolutely no need to worry about wasting product when you buy the dip in bulk!