Can cooked spaghetti be frozen for later use?

[kenny1999]

hello everyone
i would like to know if it is ok to freeze the cooked spaghetti in refrigerator for later use, because it usually takes more than 10 minutes to cook spaghetti which is quite time-consuming and not environmental friendly to use so much fuel.
Another question is - if it is okay to do so, should i put it in "ice part" of the refrigerator or just "normal" part? sorry i am not English speaker

[Claire]

Don't apologise for your speech, we can mostly get around it, and you'll learn more by reading our replies. You can refrigerate pasta or freeze it. If I know I'm going to do that, I under cook it slightly. It can be refrigerated (the big part of the refrigerator) or frozen (the ice part). Refrigerate for a few days or freeze for longer. Then a quick immersion in very high boiling water, or if you have one, a couple of minutes in a microwave oven.

[kenny1999]

Originally Posted by Claire

Don't apologise for your speech, we can mostly get around it, and you'll learn more by reading our replies. You can refrigerate pasta or freeze it. If I know I'm going to do that, I under cook it slightly. It can be refrigerated (the big part of the refrigerator) or frozen (the ice part). Refrigerate for a few days or freeze for longer. Then a quick immersion in very high boiling water, or if you have one, a couple of minutes in a microwave oven.

what do you mean by "under cook it slightly"? don't understand this sentence

[Rocklobster]

As Claire said, you can freeze it. I have seen it done at a few restaurants I worked at over the years. But you could probably take it out of the water and cool it off with fresh cold water a couple of minutes before it is cooked through. Freezing it sometimes will make it turn mushy or break up in bits when you go to reheat it in hot water. If it is just for you at home and you don't mind broken up pasta, then fine. But, if you are trying to recreate freshly cooked pasta then I don't think you will be happy with the results.

[Claire]

What I meant is to drain the pasta before YOU consider it fully cooked. That way, after you refrigerate or freeze the pasta, you can plunge it back into some very high boiling water and it will not get soggy and clump together. I like my pasta a little on the firm side. Have you cooked some Asian noodles? Bean threads, rice vermicelli, soba, ramen, etc?

[taxlady]

If you tell us what language(s) you are fluent in, we might be able to help even more ;)

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by kenny1999

usually takes more than 10 minutes to cook spaghetti which is quite time-consuming and not environmental friendly to use so much fuel.

I am not entirely certain you will end up saving energy with this. Cooking pasta generally requires a lengthy time to heat the water to a boil and a short cook time. Freezing the pasta will require energy to run the freezer to cool the pasta to frozen and then you when you reheat it will take more fuel (energy) to get the water and frozen pasta hot again.

[kenny1999]

Originally Posted by Claire

What I meant is to drain the pasta before YOU consider it fully cooked. That way, after you refrigerate or freeze the pasta, you can plunge it back into some very high boiling water and it will not get soggy and clump together. I like my pasta a little on the firm side. Have you cooked some Asian noodles? Bean threads, rice vermicelli, soba, ramen, etc?

now i have under cooked some of the pasta (that mean it can't be eaten directly now) and i have put it into the refrigerator for later use. I will use
some hot water to regenerate it. Is it a correct way to do so?

[kenny1999]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

I am not entirely certain you will end up saving energy with this. Cooking pasta generally requires a lengthy time to heat the water to a boil and a short cook time. Freezing the pasta will require energy to run the freezer to cool the pasta to frozen and then you when you reheat it will take more fuel (energy) to get the water and frozen pasta hot again.

i certainly believe that it will end up saving a lot of energy and time by doing this.

in fact i don't use town gas to heat the water from its general state to boil, instead i use electricity to boil the water first, immediately after it boils i drain the water into the large bowl and cook it.

i am not sure about western countries but in my area electricity is much faster and cheaper than town gas

[kenny1999]

Originally Posted by taxlady

If you tell us what language(s) you are fluent in, we might be able to help even more ;)

fluent in Chinese, you can also speak Thai to me.... rare languages

[Claire]

Originally Posted by kenny1999

now i have under cooked some of the pasta (that mean it can't be eaten directly now) and i have put it into the refrigerator for later use. I will use
some hot water to regenerate it. Is it a correct way to do so?

Yes, but really, very hot water, what we call a "high rolling boil". I don't know what your kitchen facilities are; I was in Hong Kong and for many people it was just a gas ring. You really want very hot, boiling water, then it only takes a minute or two. That is why it isn't necessarily a savings on time, energy or the ecology to save pasta.

[taurus430]

We do this all the time, freeze left over spaghetti. Just take it out of the freezer and let it thaw out. You can even give a quick rinse under hot tap water just to warm it. We use this 2 ways: Fry it in a little oil and add your marinara sauce or make lo mein various ways adding stir fry sauce and veggies, meat etc.

[joesfolk]

I agree with taurus430. I freeze fully cooked spaghetti. Then I thaw it when I am ready to use it and just warm it. I have never had a problem with the spaghetti breaking up. This works well for me when I come home very late at night and want a quick meal.

[Addie]

Any time I wonder if something can be frozen, I stop and ask, "Can I find this in the frozen section of the supermarket?"

Simple question, simple answer.

[buckytom]

creepy old men?

[Aunt Bea]

Originally Posted by buckytom

creepy old men?

Cryonics!