How to Reheat Pasta

Have you ever tried to reheat your pasta and cream sauce only to get a greasy separated mess? 

Who hasn't?! I hate it. It's gross and it's almost not worth eating.

Since I just posted the Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo recipe yesterday, and this recipe makes a lot (at least for a family of two), it behooveth me to share with you how I store and reheat cream-based pasta dishes. I love me some pasta (that's an understatement) and have a very simple tried and true method that never fails to reproduce delicious pasta meals the day after you prepare them. There are many ways to reheat them, but I like simple so this is probably the simplest way of doing it (plus it's good and it works).

So here are some rules to reheating cream-based pasta dishes

{these do not necessarily apply to marinara sauces}

Rule #1: 

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT mix your pasta and your cream sauce together when you store them! 

This is for multiple reasons: pasta absorbs sauce as it sits so you have less coating and dryer, softer pasta, also, using my method to reheat sauce, it can't be mixed. So store your pasta apart from your sauce in airtight containers.

Rule #2:

Reheating the Pasta: Place your desired amount of pasta in a bowl and put a very small amount of water on it (you don't need much at all). Using your fingers, toss the pasta around so it all gets coated with the water and loosens up. This allows the pasta to be somewhat steamed and stay moist while cooking. Cover it loosely with a lid or another plate (whatever looks convenient). Cook in the microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time and toss in between until it is heated thoroughly. Brava.

Rule #3:

Reheating the Sauce: Place your sauce in a microwaveable bowl and cover loosely. Microwave for 15-20 seconds at a time stirring thoroughly in between each heating, When you heat it and take it out of the microwave you will notice it has separated. "Crap!" you say to yourself. Fret not my hungry flustered friends. Just stir it until it comes back together completely.... trust me, it will. Sometimes it takes longer than others but it should not take more than a couple minutes. Our quest is to allow all the ingredients to melt and recreate an emulsion by stirring the water and oil components together. This happens at different rates depending on the ingredient so be patient.

{There is another method that involves adding egg, which acts as an emulsifier, and this method may be better for reheating large amounts or if you are serving super picky eaters}

Once sauce comes together, heat it more and repeat steps until the sauce is as hot as you will want it. Magnifique.

Rule #4:

Assemble your dish. Place your pasta in your bowl and cover it with an unnecessary amount of sauce.

Rule #5:

Don't you dare think about sticking it back in the microwave because you decided at the last minute that you want it hotter. Nuh uh! You made your choice, buddy, and now you have to live with it.

What do you think will happen to your sauce if you heat it again?

{Go ahead. Try it and let the tears flow. Don't say I didn't warn you.}

Rule #6:

Sing praises to Sara and enjoy.