Spaghetti is the cornerstone of so many dishes, and it can be added to pretty much any meal to help bulk it out, especially if you find part of the dish doesn’t go far enough.
It can also be very easy to make too much even if you’re an avid spaghetti fan, and while you might be able to go for seconds, it makes more sense if you can freeze some for later.
The good news is that you can freeze spaghetti, with or without sauce. The caveat, though, is that you can only freeze spaghetti with sauce if the sauce is tomato-based (see also Can You Freeze Spaghetti Carbonara?).
You can try to freeze creamy pasta sauce (see also Freezing Pasta Bake The Right Way), but it simply won’t freeze as well. The results may be too dry or watery, and the sauce will most likely split.
How Do You Freeze Spaghetti?
When it comes to freezing cooked spaghetti (see also Freezing Raw Pasta), there are two ways of doing it. There’s only one way to see which is right for you – try both methods, and see which you prefer.
Freezing Spaghetti and Other Ingredients Separately
Freezing Spaghetti
If you’re preparing spaghetti and the rest of the dish ahead of time, this is the one to try.
You’ll first need to only cook the spaghetti until it’s al dente, while it’s still got a little ‘bite’. Don’t forget that once you thaw it, you’ll be heating it up later, so you won’t need to cook it entirely right now.
Drain the pasta. Get some olive oil and drizzle it into the pasta, and this will help stop it from clumping together. Add your desired seasonings to the pasta, and let it cool completely.
Portion the pasta. Because you’re keeping the sauce and other ingredients separate, this method does give you more options when you come to thaw it.
So you may want to divide it into more portions than necessary, saving you some time in the future.
Grab some freezer bags. Decant the spaghetti into the freezer bags, getting rid of any excess air. Seal, label, and freeze.
Freezing Meatballs, Sauce, Or Other Ingredients
Make the sauce, meatballs, or other suitable, freezer-friendly ingredients as you normally would.
Make sure to divide everything into portions, just as you did for the pasta. This makes the defrosting process much quicker, and it’ll also stop you from thawing more than you need.
Once cool, put everything in freezer bags or containers. If you don’t want the plastic to turn orange, brush some olive oil over the containers before you put the sauce in.
Seal the containers, label accordingly, and freeze.
Freeze Everything Together
If you weren’t planning to freeze the dish, but you’ve made too much, this is the option for you. Or maybe you were, but you don’t fancy the idea of thawing the pasta and the sauce separately.
Prepare everything as you normally would, except for the spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti until it’s al dente and no further. Drain the pasta.
Combine everything together, and let it cool. Prepare the containers or bags with a little oil if you don’t want them to go orange.
Once the dish has cooled, portion as necessary and transfer into the freezable containers.
Seal, label, and freeze.
How Do You Thaw Frozen Spaghetti?
There are several ways to defrost frozen spaghetti. For best results, choose a slower option, as this will preserve the texture and quality of the dish.
In The Fridge
Like most food, frozen spaghetti will defrost with no problem at all if you transfer it straight into the fridge. Of course, this is the most time-consuming option as it will need to thaw overnight, but it will also mean that the quality is retained.
Take It To Work
You could also take the frozen spaghetti to work, but this largely depends on where you live and how warm it is whether it will actually defrost in time for lunch, or not.
Once it’s lunchtime, reheat it in the microwave. But you also have the potential problem of water leaking all over your stuff if you’re not careful, so bear this in mind.
Microwave It
You could defrost it in the microwave. While this will change the texture of the dish, it will still defrost it quickly, and you’ll have dinner ready in minutes.
Defrost On The Counter
You could also try defrosting it on the counter top, as this will vastly speed up the thawing process. However, this can be a risky method, as if you forget about it, it could spoil quickly. Use straight away for best results.
Frequently Asked Questions: Freezing Spaghetti
How Do You Freeze Leftover Spaghetti Meatballs?
If you’ve made too much spaghetti in one go, freezing it is the only option to save it for later (see also Can You Freeze Stuffed Pasta Shells). While you could leave it in the fridge, it will only last another day or two.
Because you’ve done all the hard work, added everything you wanted, and the dish is complete, freezing it is the best option.
Portion it as you wish, and wait for it to cool. Once it’s gone cold, transfer it into the freezer in a freezer bag or airtight container.
Can You Freeze Cooked Spaghetti Noodles?
Yes, you can freeze cooked spaghetti with no problem at all. If you’ve already cooked them, let them cool, add some oil, portion, and freeze.
If you haven’t, only cook them until they’re al dente, and then freeze them. This will help preserve the texture through the freezing and thawing process.
