If you have leftover coconut milk, you’ve probably tried to come up with ways to use it up or save it for later. Can coconut milk be frozen? We’ll take a look to see if you can freeze coconut milk, and what you should keep in mind.
Anyone living a green lifestyle knows that wasting food simply isn’t an option. With many food items, freezing is a great way to save it for later. Conventional dairy products have a reputation for being difficult to freeze, but what about their non-dairy counterparts? Can coconut milk be frozen? Let’s find out.
Coconut milk is used in a variety of ways ranging from curries and soups, to ice cream and smoothies. However, some recipes call for only half a can – so what do you do with the other half? The best thing to do is to look for other recipes that use up the leftover coconut milk, but that’s not always possible.
Can You Freeze Coconut Milk?
Simply put, yes, coconut milk can be frozen. In fact, you can freeze coconut milk for up to 3 months without any problems. However, depending on what you plan on using the frozen coconut milk for, it may not be the best option.
Tip: make chia pudding using coconut milk and freeze the individual cups or jars. That way you’ll use up your coconut milk, and have a quick and healthy breakfast ready to go!
Things to Keep in Mind
Freezing and thawing leftover coconut milk changes its texture, which in turn may affect the taste. This is because the solids separate from the liquids, and during the thawing process, the liquid becomes grainy. For the most part, the issue can be solved by blending it once it has fully defrosted. You can either use a stick blender, or pour it into a regular blender. Additionally, not every brand of coconut milk will react well to being frozen – it may take a bit of experimenting to find out which brand works best for you.
How to Freeze It
Ideally, the way to freeze coconut milk is to section it out into portion sizes so that you don’t need to defrost more than necessary. Here’s how to do it:
- Separate the coconut milk into recipe sized portions and pour it into resealable containers.
- Place the lid on tight and label the containers with the contents and date (so you know when to use it by!)
- Pop the containers into the freezer and take out when you’re ready to use them.
Tip: If you want to freeze it to use in smoothies, pour the liquid into an ice cube tray. That way you can take only what you need, and they don’t need to be defrosted first!
Thawing and Using Frozen Coconut Milk
In a perfect world, you would remember to take the coconut milk out the night before you want to use it and allow it to defrost in the fridge overnight. However, not everyone is that organized! Luckily, there is another way to thaw your frozen coconut milk:
- Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water and place your coconut milk container inside.
- Leave it there until it thaws – replacing the water as it gets cold is a way to speed up the process!
- Don’t forget to blend up the thawed liquid to help regain that desired consistency.
Wondering how to use your thawed coconut milk? It works best in dishes where you can hide any textural changes. Consider using it in things like:
- curries
- soups
- smoothies
- baked goods
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