Macaroni, spaghetti, ravioli, tagliatelle … how delicious pasta is and how many varieties exist to cook it! If you are a pasta lover and want to learn how to preserve it correctly so that you can enjoy those dishes at any other time, there are some tricks that you should know.
Have you cooked more pasta than necessary and you don’t know how to preserve it correctly? The following article explains if you can pasta be frozen and what tips you should follow to do it properly.
Can pasta be frozen?
The quickest answer is that yes, you can freeze pasta, as it is suitable for your freezer. If you cook large amounts of pasta and save the leftovers for later use, the freezer may be the most feasible option.
However, you must bear in mind that this food can lose flavor, texture and quality once it is frozen, so it will not be as rich as freshly made. Considering this, we recommend that if you consume it in less than 4 days, put it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, without seasoning, where it can hold in perfect condition.
Thus, although pasta can be frozen, it is necessary to keep track of some basic tricks to keep it perfect. We will talk about them below.
Tips for freezing pasta
Now you know that fresh pasta can be frozen, but how can you ensure the best possible result after thawing? With these tricks you will learn how to freeze pasta to keep your dishes in perfect condition:
Leave it al dente: the most important trick is to cook the pasta al dente before storing it in the freezer, because this way, when you thaw it, you will still find it soft and rich. If, on the other hand, you cook the pasta a lot and put it in the freezer, when you defrost it, you will find a very soft and unpleasant texture.
Use the right container: the container where you will freeze the pasta is also very important, as it must be completely airtight to preserve food well at low temperatures. It will also be essential that you add the right amount of pasta in each container, because by distributing it in portions you will ensure good conservation for two or three months. You can also use specific freezer bags.
Freeze without seasonings: Whenever you can, freeze your pasta without seasonings, that is, without sauces or other ingredients. Once you have the selected container and the pasta added, we recommend sprinkling it with oil, as this way defrosting will be faster and easier.
Leave distance between the pasta: if you are going to freeze fresh and raw pasta , place it in the form of nests on a baking tray with baking paper, always leaving one or two centimeters apart. This will prevent it from sticking in the freezer and making it difficult to defrost. Leave the pasta for an hour in the freezer and once this time has passed, place it in an airtight container.
How to defrost pasta?
Now that you know how to freeze pasta correctly, you must know how to defrost it to try to maintain its rich flavor and original texture to the maximum. In this case, the first thing to keep in mind is that it is essential to remove the pasta a few hours before consumption and let it defrost at room temperature. Another good trick is to remove the pasta the day before and leave it for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
If the pasta was already cooked previously, we recommend defrosting it and pouring the contents of the container into a pot to heat it in a bain-marie. It is an easy method that will conserve the flavor of your pasta dish remarkably.
How to defrost stuffed pasta?
If the frozen pasta is fresh, you can proceed to cook it directly. However, we recommend that if the pasta is stuffed, first let it thaw at room temperature, as its slow cooking could make it too soft. The trick is to place the pasta on a tray lined with plastic wrap to prevent it from sticking to the surface and allow it to thaw.
Now you know that cooked and fresh pasta can be frozen, so start applying these tips and enjoy your pasta dishes at any time.