Spaghetti isn’t your typical one-recipe, one-taste type of meal. These comforting glutenous strands are cheap, versatile, and offer endless recipe possibilities, making them the perfect base for meal prepping.
Although spaghetti cooks quickly, having a pre-cooked batch on hand saves time and effort on busy days. Here’s how to meal prep spaghetti without getting it mushy or stuck together.
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How to Meal Prep Spaghetti
When you’re meal prepping for the week, or you simply want to stop wasting time preparing dinner, you can trust spaghetti to save the day. Refrigerated or frozen, plain spaghetti can help you fix a quick, comforting dinner later in the week (or month).
Unfortunately, cooked spaghetti often becomes sticky and clumped together when it sits too long. However, a few tricks help keep the spaghetti fresh and ready to be incorporated into your favorite dish later. Note: my tips work for all types of pasta, from spaghetti to linguine, penne, and farfalle.
Spaghetti is my absolute favorite meal when on a tight budget. A standard one-pound box of spaghetti costs under $2 at Walmart and equals four to six servings depending on the sauce, toppings, and hunger level.
Here’s how to meal prep pasta spaghetti in six easy steps:
- Add uncooked spaghetti to a pot of salted boiling water. Stir it gently to ensure the pasta strands aren’t stuck together.
- Cook the spaghetti 2 minutes under the recommended cooking time for al dente – to the bite – pasta to prevent the pasta from becoming mushy during reheating. Pasta brands’ cooking times differ – follow the package instructions instead of a generic timing.
- Once the spaghetti is cooked, transfer it onto a baking tray and spread it into a thin layer to increase the surface area. This allows it to cool as fast as possible. I highly recommend tossing your prepped cooked spaghetti in a splash of oil while still hot to prevent the strands from sticking together in the fridge or freezer.
- Once cooled, place the spaghetti into freezer-friendly Ziploc bags or shallow, airtight containers.
- Label the Ziploc bags or containers with a date and description of the type of pasta you made to prevent eating spoiled spaghetti.
- Store the spaghetti in the fridge for 3 to 5 days or in the freezer for a month or two.
The best oil to coat the spaghetti is up to personal preference. While I like using olive oil (for everything!), I recommend using a more neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil if you’re unsure about what you’ll pair the pasta with. If you’re meal-prepping cooked homemade pasta, toss it with a sprinkle of flour instead.
The Best Way to Store Spaghetti
After cooking spaghetti, ensure it cools thoroughly and get it to the fridge or freezer within two hours of being cooked. After two hours in the “Danger Zone,” the spaghetti can become unsafe to eat, causing food poisoning symptoms.
While you can directly refrigerate small amounts of hot food, the moisture trapped when sealing warm spaghetti and placing it in the fridge creates an ideal environment for harmful bacteria and mold to grow.
Place the cooled spaghetti inside the fridge or freezer in Ziploc resealable bags or shallow, airtight containers.
How to Store Spaghetti With Sauce
You can store spaghetti with sauce following the same method as plain spaghetti. However, try keeping the pasta and sauce separately.
Separately storing the spaghetti and pasta sauce gives you more flexibility later on and keeps the pasta from turning soggy after several days.
How Long Does Spaghetti Last in the Fridge or Freezer?
Most cooked spaghetti lasts 3 to 5 days when stored correctly in the fridge. After that, it can lose its flavor and texture and potentially cause symptoms of food poisoning. Examine the pasta and ensure there aren’t any signs of spoilage before digging in.
You can store cooked spaghetti in the freezer for up to 3 months. However, eating it within a month or two is best for optimal flavor and freshness. Starchy foods like pasta can get freezer burn and develop a rougher texture.
How to Reheat Spaghetti
Here are my favorite tried-and-tested methods to reheat spaghetti while ensuring it tastes as good as the first time. Once your spaghetti is warmed and strained, continue cooking like the noodles were removed from the cooking pot for the first time.
Boil It – Best for Plain Spaghetti
For obvious reasons, only use this method if your spaghetti and pasta sauce are kept separate during storage.
Bring your salted water to a boil and switch off the heat. Dunk the spaghetti into the warm water – a 30 to 40-second soak is all you need. Drain the warmed spaghetti immediately to keep it from turning soggy. Toss your spaghetti with your favorite pasta sauce and serve.
I like to go all in and place the leftover spaghetti in a colander and dip the entire colander into the water for 30 seconds to warm the pasta. It makes draining the pasta a breeze.
Bake it – Best for Spaghetti with Sauce
If your spaghetti is coated in pasta sauce and filler ingredients, reheat it in the oven to retain the juicy flavors.
Place the spaghetti (sauce and all) in an oven-proof baking dish and cover it with aluminum foil to prevent drying. You can also add a splash of water or pasta sauce to the dish if you’re nervous it will be too dry. Bake the pasta at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes.
Sauté It – Best for Both Pain and Saucy Spaghetti
You can warm your spaghetti on the stove by adding oil to your pan and heating the pasta over medium-high heat until heated. Ensure you carefully watch the spaghetti to prevent it from browning or burning.
Last Resort – Microwave (With Water)
You can reheat your spaghetti in the microwave if you have no other option. However, add a dash of water or pasta sauce for the perfect taste and texture to prevent it from clumping and drying out.
Loosely cover your microwave-safe dish and reheat the spaghetti for 60 to 90 seconds. If it isn’t heated through, continue to microwave the pasta at 15-second increments until hot.
How to Use Leftover Spaghetti
Your imagination is the limit when creating spaghetti dishes. Here are 8 fun, creative ideas on how to use leftover spaghetti.
- Baked Spaghetti
- Frittata Spaghetti
- Spicy Fried Noodles
- Spaghetti Sliders
- Spaghetti Pie
- Spaghetti Salad
- Spaghetti and Meatball Pizza
- Lo Mein
Related Questions
Should You Thaw Frozen Spaghetti Before Cooking?
No, you should not thaw spaghetti before cooking; it will ruin the texture. Instead, reheat the pasta in a pot with salted boiling water or pop it in the oven. It may take slightly longer to warm up than cold, refrigerated pasta, but it will taste better.
Does Plain Spaghetti Freeze Better Than Sauced Spaghetti?
Yes, plain spaghetti freezes better than already-sauced spaghetti. It also maintains a better texture and quality once thawed.
How to Prevent Meal-Prepped Spaghetti From Drying Out?
To prevent meal-prepped spaghetti from drying out, coat the spaghetti in vegetable or olive oil to prevent drying. This also helps prevent the pasta from sticking together.
Conclusion
My top three secrets include al dente spaghetti, olive oil, and airtight containers. The endless possibilities of spaghetti make it the unashamed ruler of many hearts. This staple ingredient is perfect for meal prepping and offers countless possibilities and variations.
Nathaniel Lee is an avid cook, drawing on his decades of home cooking and fine dining experience. He is a contributing chef at Mashed, and his recipes and contributions have been featured in Tasting Table, Edible Arrangements, Insanely Good Recipes, and The Daily Meal.
