Reheating Pasta Related Questions

We always recommend storing and reheating pasta and sauce separately, but if your pasta is already mixed with sauce, reheating it in a microwave will yield the best results. Here’s what you should do:

• Place a single-serving of the pasta in a round or oval microwave-safe dish and drizzle a little extra sauce or water on top to keep the pasta moist and separated while it cooks.
• Then, cover the dish and microwave the pasta at medium heat for 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
• Check to see if the pasta is warmed all the way through—if it isn’t, stir it and continue to microwave it at medium power in 15-second increments until completely heated.

To reheat plain pasta that has only olive oil on it, simply sauté it with a little water in a skillet over medium-heat. Cook the pasta until its internal temperature reaches 165 degrees—approximately 2-3 minutes for 1 serving (1 cup) of cooked pasta.

To reheat plain pasta in a microwave oven, here’s what you should do:

• Place a single-serving of the pasta in a round or oval microwave-safe dish and drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil on top to keep it moist and separated while it cooks.
• Then, cover the dish and microwave the pasta at medium heat for 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
• Check to see if the pasta is warmed all the way through—if it isn’t, stir it and continue to microwave it at medium power in 15-second increments until completely heated.

We suggest freezing lasagna leftovers in individual servings. This will help maintain the original structure of each portion. 

How to Reheat Frozen Lasagna in the Oven

1. Preheat oven to 375°. 
2. Unwrap the lasagna piece and place it on a microwavable and oven-safe dish.
3. Thaw the lasagna in the microwave on the defrost setting for approximately 5 minutes.
4. Remove it from the microwave, cover with foil and bake it in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 160°.  Hearing or seeing the edges sizzling is usually a good indication that it is nearing or at the desired internal temperature.

How to Reheat Lasagna in the Microwave

1. Reheat individual portions one at a time. 
2. Place a single serving of lasagna on a microwave-safe dish and drizzle a little extra sauce or water on top to keep it moist while it cooks.
3. Then, cover the dish and microwave the lasagna at medium heat for 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
4. Check to see if it is warmed all the way through—if it isn’t, continue to microwave it at medium power in 15-second increments until completely heated.

How to Reheat Refrigerated Lasagna

Refer to the instructions above for oven or microwave.

• If using the oven to reheat refrigerated lasagna, skip step 2.
• If using the microwave, check the lasagna after 1 minute in step 3.

To reheat non-casserole baked pasta dishes, such as stuffed jumbo shells, place the shells in an oven-safe dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 375 degrees until the shells’ internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Hearing or seeing the shells sizzling is usually a good indication that they are nearing or at the desired internal temperature.

If you have to use a microwave to reheat stuffed shells, you should reheat individual portions one at a time. Here’s what you should do:

• Place a single serving of shells on a microwave-safe dish and drizzle a little extra sauce or water on top to keep them moist while they cook.
• Then, cover the dish and microwave the shells at medium heat for 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
• Check to see if they have warmed all the way through—if they haven’t, continue to microwave them at medium power in 15-second increments until completely heated.

To reheat tortellini filled with cheese or cheese and spinach, bring a large pot of water to a boil and then use a metal strainer to submerge the tortellini in the boiling water. Cook for approximately 30 seconds or until warmed all the way through.

Unfortunately, it is not advisable to reheat gluten-free pasta because it is made of corn and rice, both of which break down more quickly and easily than wheat. As a result, gluten-free pasta tends to become mushy and tasteless when cooked a second time.