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 it. 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 in doing 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.
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Oven Method For Reheating Pasta
Pasta With Sauce
If you’re working with pasta that’s already in a sauce, the oven method for reheating is a great option.
- Turn the oven to 350° Fahrenheit and transition your leftovers into an oven-safe container (if they aren’t already in one).
- 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.
- Cook the pasta in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the sauce has warmed.
Pasta With Cheese Topping
- If you’re reheating a pasta dish with a cheese topping, such as a baked ziti or lasagna, it’s a good idea to portion out only what you plan to eat for that day’s leftovers.
- Place leftovers in an oven-proof container or dish and follow the same instructions as above.
- If the cheese doesn’t start to bubble or brown lightly after 15-20 minutes, you may want to increase the temperature to 375° Fahrenheit.
Stovetop Method For Reheating Plain Pasta
In A Skillet Or Pan
Lots of pasta dishes reheat great in a hot skillet or pan. But pasta without sauce (or undressed) that needs reheating can be placed in boiling water for 30-40 seconds.
- Just boil water in a large pot as you would if you were cooking pasta for the first time.
- 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.
- Drain and proceed to use the leftover pasta the way you’ve planned.
Using Metal Strainer
Another way of boiling pasta as a way of reheating it with a little more care involves a metal strainer.
- Once your water has started boiling, simply place a metal strainer in the pot so that the basket is submerged in the water.
- To this basket, add your leftover pasta for up top 30 seconds or so.
- Carefully remove the strainer from the pot and proceed with your pasta recipe.
Alternative Methods For Reheating Pasta
The decision surrounding how to reheat pasta depends on the type of pasta you’re reheating. If you’ve got 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. But microwaves and toaster ovens on the right setting can come in handy too.
Stovetop Skillet
A great way to achieve delicious-tasting pasta the next day is to reheat the dish in a skillet.
- Heat a skillet or saucepan over medium heat on the stove.
- Add olive oil and then add the leftover pasta.
- 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 make sure your skillet is quite hot before you add the pasta so that 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.
Toaster Oven
Another easy method of reheating pasta is the toaster oven.
- 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.
- Turn the toaster oven to its bake setting—350° or 375° Fahrenheit—or put it on its convection setting and allow it 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.
Tips For Maintaining Pasta Quality When Reheating
The most important thing in reheating pasta is to determine the best method for the pasta you are using. If it’s just plain pasta, the quick boil method is best.
- If it’s a saucy dish with protein and vegetables but no cheese, the skillet is probably your best bet.
- 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.