Spaghetti is a classic Italian dish with everybody enjoys, especially with meatballs. But this dish is perishable, even if you store it in a refrigerator.
So, how long spaghetti last in the fridge? It depends on storage conditions.
Here we will show you how long spaghetti lasts in different storage conditions.
- Cooked Spaghetti: It lasts for 2 hours at room temperature, 3 to 5 days in the fridge, and 1 to 2 months in a freezer.
- Dry Pasta/ Noodles: It lasts for two years without cooking. You have to check the use before date, though.
- Fresh Pasta: Fresh pasta, which is bought or made at home, will last only 4 to 6 hours at room temperature. It lasts 4 to 5 days in the fridge and 6 to 8 months in the freezer.
How to know if a pasta of spaghetti is bad or rotten?
Check for these signs to know if the pasts are bad or edible.
- Odor: The most common sign is a bad odor. It will smell pungent and rotten.
- Slimy appearance: It will become slimy and watery. The pasta will stick together.
- Foul taste: It will taste foul, bitterly, and tangy. Avoid eating bad pasta.
- Mold: Mold will appear on the top of the pasta. It is a sure sign of a bad pasta.
- Discoloration: The color of the pasta will change. It will become dark green or grey.
How to maximize the shelf life of cooked spaghetti?
You can simply do it by storing it in a refrigerator or freezer.
Can you freeze cooked pasta? Yes, you can.
- Refrigerator: It will keep the spaghetti fresh for 3 to 5 days.
- Freezer: It will keep the spaghetti edible for 1 to 2 months.
How does spaghetti sauce affect its shelf life?
Different types of spaghetti squash have different effects.
- Tomato Red Sauce: If you store this sauce in the fridge, it will last 4 to 5 days, and in the freezer, it will last 5 to 6 months.
- Alfredo White Sauce: The same goes for Alfred sauce. If you put it in spaghetti, it will last for 4 to 5 days in the fridge and 5 to 6 months in the freezer.
- Butter: Butter doesn’t go bad even if you keep it at room temperature. So it doesn’t affect the shelf life much.
- Vinegar and Oil: It actually increases the shelf life as vinegar and oil are natural preservatives.
- Meat Sauce: It lasts for four days in the fridge and four months in the freezer.
- Fish Sauce: It lasts the same as a meat sauce.
How to properly store leftover spaghetti in the fridge?
Most of the time, cooked spaghetti or pasta is leftover from dinner or lunch. In that case, you can store it so that it will be edible.
The best way to maximize pasta’s shelf life is by storing it in the fridge or freezer.
Make sure the spaghetti doesn’t remain at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
After you consume it, immediately store it.
Take a dry container with a lid and keep the cooked spaghetti inside it.
Close the container properly and store it inside the fridge.
If you keep it in the fridge, it will last for 3 to 5 days.
If you store it in the freezer, it will last 1 to 2 months.
How to thaw or reheat cold spaghetti?
There are two methods you can follow.
- Room temperature: you can simply remove the container and keep it at room temperature for some time. It is time-consuming.
- Microwave: If you want to thaw it quickly, you can defrost it in a microwave and immediately consume it.
Main Takeaways:
If you want to preserve cooked spaghetti for a long time, store it properly in a freezer. Choose the spaghetti sauce that lasts long.
Reference:
- https://beezzly.com/how-to-store/how-long-does-spaghetti-last-in-the-fridge
- https://www.simplyhealthyfamily.org/spaghetti-store-in-fridge/
- https://www.canitgobad.net/can-pasta-go-bad/
