Noodles are an easy addition to a meal. You can make an Asian dish with them or you can cook an Italian dish with pasta noodles. The surprising thing is that both noodles and pasta freeze well so you can stock up for future use. You can even freeze leftover noodles. However, uncooked noodles freeze the best (see also Freezing Egg Noodles). Perhaps there was a sale on fresh noodles in the store and you couldn’t resist buying more than you needed for that night. The answer is simple, freeze them. Cooked noodles may go soggy when they are reheated after being frozen, but if you cook them al dente, they should still stay firm. Unfortunately, if you have cooked the noodles with a sauce, they won’t be that receptive to freezing. The noodles can easily turn soggy and, in addition, sauces tend not to have as long a shelf life as noodles do. It is best to freeze the noodles and the sauce separately if you can.
In the fridge, cooked noodles will only last for around six days. However, in the freezer, they can last for up to two months as long as the temperature is kept continually at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
In this article, we will be telling you how to freeze noodles, how to defrost them, and how to reheat them.
Freezing Noodles
How to Freeze Cooked Noodles
As we have said, if you want to freeze cooked noodles, don’t freeze them with a sauce. Freeze them separately and then you can reheat them together.
You need an airtight container to put the noodles in. First, toss them in olive oil. This stops them from clumping together. Put them in the container and lay them out flat. This prevents ice from forming and causing freezer burn. It also prevents the edges of the noodles from getting overcooked when you come to reheat the noodles.
When you have put the noodles in the container, make sure that there isn’t much air in it, seal it, and write the storage date on the container. If you freeze a lot of items, it is too easy to forget when you froze them.
You can freeze the cooked noodles in a resealable plastic bag as well. Divide the noodles into single-serve portions, lay them flat, and seal the bag. It’s as simple as that.
How to Freeze Uncooked Noodles
You can use a resealable plastic bag or an airtight container to freeze uncooked noodles. If you have a vacuum sealer, this is even better. It is really only worth freezing fresh noodles, as shelf-stable dry noodles last for many months so there is no need to freeze them.
An added bonus is because the noodles aren’t cooked, they will stay fresher for longer than cooked noodles so you have a win-win situation here. Once sealed, put the date frozen on the bag or container and stick it in the freezer. Don’t forget to put the date on the bag or the container.
How to Freeze Leftovers
This is a difficult one. If you have already mixed the sauce with the noodles, they’re not going to have a long shelf life in the freezer. We would recommend that you only keep them in the freezer for up to two weeks. If you haven’t already blended the sauce with the noodles, freeze the noodles separately laying them flat in either a plastic container or a resealable plastic bag. They should last for up to two months.
How to Defrost Noodles
If you are thawing uncooked frozen noodles, it’s really simple. All you have to do is put them in the fridge and they will be defrosted within two hours. Thawing frozen cooked noodles takes longer. Leave them in the fridge overnight and then they will be ready to use.
Reheating Thawed Frozen Noodles
It is easy to reheat thawed uncooked noodles. Just put them in a pan of boiling water and cook for 8 – 10 minutes. However, there are different methods to use if you are reheating frozen cooked noodles.
Reheating Cooked Noodles in the Oven
If you cooked your noodles al dente before freezing and without a sauce, just put them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Try to make sure that the noodles are separated as they will cook better this way. Bake them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 20 minutes.
Reheating Cooked Noodles in the Microwave
Put a cup of water in the microwave so that your noodles don’t dry out while microwaving them. Put the noodles on a plate that is safe for use in a microwave and heat them on high for 20 seconds. Check and keep heating them in 20-second intervals until they are heated through.
Conclusion
Freezing noodles isn’t that difficult and can save you lots of time if you have a dinner party arranged and you want to be prepared ahead of time. Just remember that you’ll probably get better results if you freeze uncooked noodles rather than cooked noodles.
