Making Pasta ahead and freezing it

mizjohnston

How do you make Pasta ahead and freeze it? I do not want it with sauce I just want to make a batch separate and put it in the freezer. I heard if you add oil it helps preserve it. Just need ideas. Thank you.

neanderthin

You really can't freeze cooked pasta. If you make your own pasta, you can freeze it in batches singularily or otherwise. The water that the pasta absorbed through cooking will break down the structure of the pasta reslting in a mushy mess, and the reason it doesn't freeze well, or at all.

pelleld

I'm sorry, but all I can think is "Yuck, why would you want to do that?". I've frozen homemade mac and cheese, or a lasagna, but can't imagine freezing plain cooked pasta. I think it would disintegrate into a watery, mushy, mess.

BarbWhite09

I don't think you can freeze cooked pasta. Trying to unfreeze it seems like it would be a disaster

welcominganewself

You can buy premade frozen dinners of spaghetti, so you must be able to do it. I would think that tossing it in oil would be best and then just dunking it in hot water for a couple minutes to reheat.

LethaSue

I think if you boiled a large pot of pasta (from the dryed kind) and made sure not to let it cook to mush, just al dente. Then cooled it in a ice bath, tossed it in a small amount of cooking oil and seperated it into portion size, and placed in a zip baggie with the air pushed out. I think it might work, to reheat in the microwave with sauce. Not sure never tried it but seems like it would otherwise, all those frozen lean cusine or weight watcher etc.... meals would not be frozen either.

LethaSue

I am thinking she is thinking of the convinence of tossing it in the microwave, maybe to take along for lunch or to keep from boiling water for a small portion size of pasta.

havalinaaa

Unless you have a flash freezer, this isn't going to go over well. Pasta cooked al dente holds over well in the fridge though, safely for up to 5 days.

LethaSue

I really didn't want to cook any pasta and freeze it, but since everyone thinks it wont work, I may have to create my own little myth busters and try it myself to see.

mizjohnston

Thanks everyone. I was wondering because Trader Joes has it plain and you just reheat it in the microwave or boiling water. Tastes great and not mushy or watery, but expensive if you keep buying. If it can keep in the fridge for five days that would work. Some things are meant for freezing and some are not oh well. Great to hear other peoples thoughts.

pelleld

I think there is a difference between freezing plain cooked pasta and pasta that is either part of a "dish" or has a sauce on it. I think the sauce, whether it be cheese or tomatoe somehow "protects" the pasta when its frozen. Just my thoughts on the matter

mizjohnston

I think there is a difference between freezing plain cooked pasta and pasta that is either part of a "dish" or has a sauce on it. I think the sauce, whether it be cheese or tomatoe somehow "protects" the pasta when its frozen. Just my thoughts on the matter

I think so too.

MummaAimz

You can freeze it. I used to do it ALL the time at work. Thats how resturants produce pasta so fast...you cook it until it is ALMOST el dente...then shock it under cold water to stop the cooking process and then bag and freeze...when you want to use it you par boil it in water that is already hot for 3-5 minutes and presto chango you have perfectly cooked frozen pasta :O)

neanderthin

You can freeze it. I used to do it ALL the time at work. Thats how resturants produce pasta so fast...you cook it until it is ALMOST el dente...then shock it under cold water to stop the cooking process and then bag and freeze...when you want to use it you par boil it in water that is already hot for 3-5 minutes and presto chango you have perfectly cooked frozen pasta :O)

I can assure you that isn't the way restaurants do it. they precook enough pasta for a few days and refriderate it, not freeze it. Anyway, I would never freeze cooked pasta and considering fresh pasta takes a few minutes and dry anywhere from 8 to 12 minutes i don't see why frozen cooked pasta would be an option. I'm only talking for myself, but I'm also a chef and what is acceptable for me might be different than other people, I guess.

kjloiselle

you can freeze cooked pasta. I used to make my own individual portions of frozen pasta, with those little "bricks" of sauce and veggies like you can get in the freezer section.
make the pasta until it is soft, but still kinda hard (2-3 min before al dente)
drain really well, then lay in a single layer on a lined baking sheet and freeze until frozen and hten transfer to a bag. if you want little bits of sauce like in the frozen meals, take your favorite sauce and spread it into a thin layer on a plastic wrap lined cookie sheet (make sure it has edges) when frozen break into pieces or run a knife through it to create little squares when it's only partially frozen so it breaks easier)

mizjohnston

You can freeze it. I used to do it ALL the time at work. Thats how resturants produce pasta so fast...you cook it until it is ALMOST el dente...then shock it under cold water to stop the cooking process and then bag and freeze...when you want to use it you par boil it in water that is already hot for 3-5 minutes and presto chango you have perfectly cooked frozen pasta :O)

I new it had to be possible. Thank you

mizjohnston

you can freeze cooked pasta. I used to make my own individual portions of frozen pasta, with those little "bricks" of sauce and veggies like you can get in the freezer section.
make the pasta until it is soft, but still kinda hard (2-3 min before al dente)
drain really well, then lay in a single layer on a lined baking sheet and freeze until frozen and hten transfer to a bag. if you want little bits of sauce like in the frozen meals, take your favorite sauce and spread it into a thin layer on a plastic wrap lined cookie sheet (make sure it has edges) when frozen break into pieces or run a knife through it to create little squares when it's only partially frozen so it breaks easier)

Cool Idea, thank you.