I love pasta! Naturally, meal prep pasta was one of the first things I aimed to master on my meal prep journey. Initially, I only prepared pasta sauces in advance and cooked the pasta right before serving. I quickly learned that this wasn’t necessary. Pasta is very meal prep-friendly if you do it right!
Keep reading to find out how to meal prep pasta successfully, as well as how to store and reheat it correctly. Last but not least, I’ll share some tasty pasta meal prep recipes.
Table of Contents
How To Meal Prep Pasta Successfully
Pasta is one of the world’s most popular dishes for good reason! It is easy to prepare, versatile, and delicious. Conveniently, it can also be cooked in large batches and prepped ahead of time. You can either prep fully prepared pasta dishes or plain-cooked pasta and then add the sauce just before serving.
1. Choose the Right Pasta Shape
Different pasta shapes hold up differently when stored and reheated. Shorter pasta like penne, rotini, or farfalle tends to reheat better than long pasta like spaghetti or linguine.
2. Undercook for Better Reheating
When boiling pasta that you will reheat later, make sure to undercook it slightly. If you skip this trick, your pasta will turn out mushy once you serve it.
3. Olive Oil Keeps Pasta Fresh
When cooking plain pasta for later use, allow it to cool down slightly and drizzle it with a tablespoon of olive oil. This will create a barrier, keeping the moisture in and the air out, keeping your pasta fresh and separated.
4. Oil-Based Dressings for Pasta Salads
For meal prep pasta salads, make sure to use an oil-based dressing or pesto. This will prevent the pasta from drying out or clumping.
5. Avoid Excess Sauce Initially
When prepping pasta dishes with sauce, avoid adding too much sauce initially. You can always add more when reheating to achieve the perfect consistency.
6. Portion Pasta for Easy Reheating
Divide your pasta into single-serving portions before storing. This makes reheating easier and ensures you don’t reheat more than you need, preserving the quality of the rest.
7. Cool and Store Pasta Promptly
Store your pasta in the fridge once cooled down within two hours of preparation. This ensures the pasta has cooled down, guaranteeing its quality for future consumption while still being safe to eat.
8. Label Containers with Dates
Always label your meal prep containers with the date you prepared the pasta. This helps you keep track of how long the pasta has been stored and ensures you consume it within a safe timeframe.
Continue reading to find out how to store plain-cooked pasta and prepared pasta dishes so both maintain their quality and freshness until you are ready to eat them.
How to Store Cooked Pasta for Meal Prep
Plain-Cooked Pasta
Store your plain-cooked pasta in an airtight container or storage bag. According to the FDA, plain-cooked pasta lasts up to five days in the refrigerator.
Prepared Pasta Dishes
For fully prepared pasta dishes, store them in airtight meal prep containers. According to the FDA, prepared pasta meals last up to four days in the refrigerator. Most pasta dishes are also freezer friendly and last in the freezer for up to three months.
How to Reheat Pasta
You can reheat meal prep pasta in the microwave, on the stove, or in the oven or air-fryer. The reheating technique will slightly differ depending on whether you are reheating plain-cooked pasta or a fully prepared pasta meal.
How to Reheat Pasta in the Microwave
To reheat both plain-cooked pasta and fully prepared pasta meals, add 1-2 tablespoons of water into the microwave-safe dish with the pasta. Stir and cover with the container lid or a microwave food cover before reheating.
How to Reheat Pasta on the Stove
To reheat plain-cooked pasta on the stove, bring a pasta pot filled with salted water to a boil. Since your pasta is already cooked, you simply want to shock the pasta in boiling water for 30 seconds or until deliciously al dente. This will reheat the pasta and remove most of the oil. Then, drain the pasta and continue to prepare your pasta dish as if your pasta was cooked for the first time.
A prepared pasta dish is also easy to reheat on the stove. Just place the pasta in a skillet over medium heat and stir in some extra sauce or water until you reach your desired consistency. Bring to a simmer until evenly heated through. Serve and enjoy.
How to Reheat Pasta in the Oven or Air Fryer
Baked pasta is my favorite kind of pasta for meal prep. The oven or air fryer works best for reheating baked pasta.
Preheat the oven or air fryer to 180°C (350°F) and make sure your pasta is in an oven-safe container. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until heated through. In the air fryer, this should take 5-8 minutes, while in the oven this should take 15-20 minutes.
How to Reheat Frozen Pasta
Always defrost pasta in the refrigerator. If you want to eat it for lunch, move it from the freezer to the fridge to thaw the night before. If you want to eat it for dinner, move it from the freezer to the fridge in the morning. Once thawed, reheat it using one of the three methods above.
Tasty Pasta Meal Prep Recipes for Busy Weeknights
Below are a few pasta recipes which were designed for meal prep. Prepare them to spice up your busy weeknights.
Recipe: Vegan Tuna Pasta Bake – GF!
Vegan Tuna Pasta Bake – vegan tuna with pasta and mixed vegetables in a lovely creamy, cheesy sauce. It’s an easy meal that everyone loves! Vegan and gluten-free!
Recipe: Vegan Chickpea Pasta Salad In A Jar
This Vegan Chickpea Pasta Salad is the perfect to-go salad. Chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, olives, pasta, vegan feta, rocket, and balsamic vinaigrette.
Recipes: Chakalaka Mac and Cheese
Chakalaka Mac and Cheese deliver spicy and cheesy flavors with chakalaka, beans, bell peppers, and pasta! So much yum is achieved with only a handful of ingredients.
Final Thoughts
Meal prepping pasta can be a game-changer for busy weekdays. With these tips and delicious recipes, you can enjoy your favorite pasta dishes anytime without the hassle of cooking from scratch every day. Whether you’re looking to save time, reduce stress, or just enjoy a hearty meal, meal prepping pasta is the way to go.
Did you find this post helpful? Don’t forget to let me know by leaving a comment below.
Happy meal prepping!
Love, Lien x