Cooking and eating spaghetti is a great way to enjoy a hearty and homemade meal, and has become one the most favored dinner dishes.
Spaghetti is a staple of Italian cuisine that the whole world has come to enjoy. The term spaghetti comes from the Italian word spaghetto, which is a derivative of ‘spago’; which means thin string.
Spaghetti has been used in Italian recipes for centuries, and brought into American culture as well. You would think that we would be able to get it right, but we often overcook spaghetti or cook way too much!
If you are anything like us, you have no portion control when it comes to cooking pasta and spaghetti. No matter how hard you try or how closely you measure out the spaghetti before hand, you always end up with extra.
Cooking the right amount of pasta for the first time is one of the world’s greatest mysteries.
There is no need to throw it away and waste a delicious Italian delicacy. You can freeze just about any pasta or spaghetti and use it again next time you want a quick meal.
Obviously we are talking about freezing already cooked spaghetti as there is no need to freeze uncooked pasta as it can be stored for up to two years.
You can freeze pretty much any food. This way you can maintain its freshness and longevity, or keep it for later use instead of wasting it. Spaghetti is no different.
If you have cooked a beautiful dinner and do not want the leftovers going to waste, you have no need to worry. All you have to do is slightly undercook the spaghetti, and once it has cooled you can swirl it into little bunches and home freeze it for later!
Freezing pasta is also super handy when you are in a rush or want to cook a quick meal. Once you have frozen spaghetti left from the last time you made an Italian dinner, it will save you so much time.
Have you ever had one of those days where you just want a cozy night in, with a bowl of your favorite pasta sauce and some noodles? Because we have.
There is nothing worse than standing by the stove watching the water boil while you spaghetti bubbles around the pan. It’s like watching paint dry, except this time you are starting to get a little hangry.
If you have frozen spaghetti already in your freezer, you can just whip that out instead and it cooks in just one minute! You could be fed and happy in the time it normally takes for the water to boil.
How to freeze spaghetti
Freezing your cooked spaghetti is a great way of not wasting it and using it next time you have a hearty Italian meal. How you cook the spaghetti before freezing initially plays a big part in how they will taste once they have been thawed.
When cooking pasta, a great rule of thumb is to always add a little olive oil to the mix so that your spaghetti, linguine or penne never sticks together. This will help you greatly when trying to freeze your spaghetti.
Once you have realized that yet again, you’ve cooked too much spaghetti for the meal, and you are going to have far too many leftovers, aim to cook your pasta al dente. As al dente usually means the spaghetti is a little harder, it will survive reheating after being frozen.
Lessen your usual cooking time to slightly undercook the pasta and get that al dente result. If you have softer spaghetti, when you reheat it in the future it will probably turn out soggy or mushy, so aim for firm al dente.
Next rinse the spaghetti with cold water to cool it off quickly and prevent it from overcooking.
The best way to reduce space and freeze your spaghetti is to create little bundles or nests of noodles, use a fork to twirl the strands into the nest.
Do this with all of your spaghetti and lay out onto a baking sheet. Make sure there is a gap between each bundle and place the baking tray into the freezer for at least an hour.
If you have used olive oil like we suggested, this is the part where it comes in super handy. Now your nests will not stick together in a big pile of noodles.
Once the spaghetti has started to freeze and harden, you can remove it from the sheet and place into a freezer-safe bag or container.
Once in the freezer, your cooked spaghetti will keep for up to three months. However, you will need to thaw your spaghetti in its entirety before you consume it.
How to defrost spaghetti
When you are ready for a quick and easy way to make pasta, get your frozen spaghetti from the freezer.
You will need to transfer the spaghetti from the freezer to the refrigerator first, and thaw it completely. You can also thaw your frozen spaghetti by placing it into a pan of warm water. This should not be hot or boiling water.
This is a quicker way of defrosting your spaghetti if you are going to eat it straight away. Once the spaghetti has reached room temperature, it is ready to cook.
If you are defrosting in a refrigerator, wait until it is thawed all of the way through, and then you can then place the pasta into a pan of boiling hot water and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Always make sure that you heat the pasta until it is warmed throughout its entirety, and serve accordingly.
Never worry about wasting your spaghetti again, you can freeze spaghetti and always use it next time!
Caroline Stevens
Hi there! My name is Caroline Stevens, and I am an American mom of three wonderful children. I started this blog to help everyday families be more sustainable and save money by preventing food waste. I currently live in Wisconsin, and enjoy crafting, cooking at home, and traveling. I have a degree in art and previously worked in the restaurant business.