The Best Ways To Reheat Pasta

Few dishes are as comforting as a big, hearty bowl of pasta. Whether it’s homemade spaghetti and meatballs, linguine with pesto, or a seafood pasta, there’s just something comforting about the carby noodles slathered in delicious sauces. As a one-bowl meal, there really are few things that can compete. But the thing about pasta is that it’s often quite filling, and sometimes this means leftovers.

Pasta can be reheated to no ill effect, but the key is to do it well to avoid soggy pasta or a bowl of dried-up noodles. You also want to consider what’s in the dish as you want to be careful not to overcook the proteins or vegetables, for example. Also, your method may change if your dish has cheese or a tomato-based sauce. Here are the best ways to reheat pasta.

How To Reheat Leftover Pasta In The Oven

Pasta With Sauce

If you’re working with pasta that’s already in a sauce, the oven method for reheating is a great option.

1. Turn the oven to 350° and transition your leftovers into an oven-safe container (if they aren’t already in one).
2. If you’re worried you don’t have enough sauce, you can add a pat of butter or a drizzle of olive oil, and toss the pasta to coat. This will help keep your noodles from drying out. You can also add a little bit of water to the dish. For best results, add oil for oil-based pasta sauces, water or wine for marinaras, and cream for creamier sauces.
3. Cook the pasta in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce has warmed.

Pasta With Cheese Topping

1. If you're reheating a pasta dish with a cheese topping, such as a baked ziti or a lasagna, it's a good idea to portion out only what you plan to eat for that day’s leftovers.
2. Place leftovers in an oven-proof container or dish and follow the same instructions as above. You can add a little bit of water to the baking dish to help steam the pasta and revive its previous moisture.
3. If the cheese doesn’t start to bubble or brown lightly after 15–20 minutes, you may want to increase the temperature to 375°.

How To Reheat Leftover Pasta In The Toaster Oven

Another easy method of reheating pasta is the toaster oven.

1. If your toaster oven has a bake or convection setting, you can take the portion of pasta you wish to use and place it on foil on a small baking sheet made for the toaster oven. Foil alone is also fine, unless your pasta is very saucy or messy. 
2. Turn on the toaster oven to its bake setting—around 350° to 375°—or to its convection setting and allow the pasta to cook for 10–15 minutes. If you are reheating a large portion of pasta, you may need to leave it in for up to 20 minutes.

How To Reheat Leftover Pasta With Boiling Water

In A Skillet Or Pot

Lots of pasta dishes reheat great in a hot skillet or pan (see instructions below). But pasta without sauce (or undressed) that needs reheating can be placed in boiling water for 30-40 seconds. Here's how to do it with just a pot or skillet.

1. Just boil water in a large pot or high-rimmed skillet as you would if you were cooking pasta for the first time.
2. When the water comes to a boil, toss in the leftover, sauce-free pasta, and let it get hot in the boiling water for less than a minute.
3. Drain and proceed to use the leftover pasta the way you’ve planned.

Using A Metal Strainer

Another way of boiling pasta as a way to reheat it uses a metal strainer to dunk your noodles in the water.

1. Boil a pot of water on the stove.
2. Once your water has started boiling, simply place a metal strainer in the pot so that the basket is submerged in the water.
3. To this basket, add your leftover pasta for up to 30 seconds or so.
4. Carefully remove the strainer from the pot and proceed with your pasta recipe.

How To Reheat Leftover Pasta By Sautéing It

A great way to achieve delicious-tasting pasta the next day is to reheat it by sautéing it in a skillet. Here's what to do:

1. Heat a skillet or saucepan over medium heat on the stove.
2. Add olive oil and then add the leftover pasta.
3. Using tongs for long pasta shapes and a wooden spoon for shorter pasta varieties, give the ingredients in the skillet a few good tosses or stirs to make sure it’s all heated through properly.

If your pasta dish is a stir-fry with chunks of meat and vegetables, it’s important to ensure your skillet is hot before adding the pasta. This way, you can give it a blast of heat and make sure everything is heated through without risking overcooking any of the ingredients. Of course, if you’ve got, say, a blue cheese, broccoli, and steak pasta you’re reheating and last night the steak was cooked to medium-rare, know that by reheating the dish and all of its components is going to lead to steak pieces that are closer to medium or medium-well.

On the other hand, if your pasta is cheese or dairy-forward, you don't want the pan to get too hot, which could cause the dish to overcook or the dairy to separate. Instead, bring the pasta to a low simmer and cook for just a few minutes, adding in a little more milk to get a little more moisture in there and topping with more cheese.

How To Reheat Leftover Pasta In The Microwave

Many folks don't like reheating pasta in the microwave because it can make the noodles dry and hard. Especially if you keep microwaving the same dish over and over again. And it can heat the pasta unevenly, leaving you with patches of cold noodles in an otherwise warm dish. It's not suggested if you have a baked pasta dish or casserole, like lasagna. However, this method can be used in a pinch for loose noodles. Here's how:

1. Portion out your desired amount of pasta to eat into a microwave-safe container.
2. Add a little water or extra sauce to the dish and lightly cover. The water will help the pasta retain its moisture and keep the noodles from sticking together.
3. Heat the dish in the microwave for about a minute, and stir the pasta after.
4. If the pasta is still cold, heat it again in increments, stirring in between, until it is hot.
   

How To Get The Best Results While Reheating Pasta

The decision surrounding how to reheat pasta depends on the type of pasta you’re reheating. Here are a few tips for picking the best method for your noodles.

• If it’s a saucy dish with protein and vegetables but no cheese, the skillet is probably your best bet. If you’ve got leftover leftover Bolognese, for example, the skillet works great.
• Lasagna, macaroni and cheese, or other cheese-forward, large-format pasta dishes reheat well in the oven.
• Pasta casseroles and similar-type dishes do best reheated in the oven. 
• The size of your skillet or oven-safe or microwave-safe dish should make sense for the amount you’re reheating. No one wants to take a bite of pasta with a cold center!
• Remember a little drizzle of olive oil can go a long way in reviving leftover pasta.
  
• Make sure your reheated food, especially if it has protein, reaches an internal temperature of 165° before consuming.

How Long Does Leftover Cooked Pasta Last?

In The Fridge

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, your leftover pasta will last about three or four days in the refrigerator. If you reheat the whole dish, it will last another three or four days, but its quality will diminish every time you reheat it.

In The Freezer

Frozen, pasta can last up to six months. Just be sure to freeze your noodles separately from the sauce and freeze it in the portions you'll be using later. The great thing about frozen pasta is that you do not necessarily have to thaw it overnight in the fridge, like you do with foods like chicken. You can drop the frozen pasta directly into your boiling water.

Our Favorite Pasta Recipes

The best part about pasta is being able to eat it for days. Here are some of our favorite recipes that taste just as good the next day.

• Spinach-And-Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
• Beefy Skillet Lasagna
• Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole Recipe
• Sloppy Joe Casserole
• Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas