4 Easy Ways to Use Leftover Pasta by Bridget

As I was photographing each way to use leftover pasta, I would think to myself, “Oh, this one is my favorite!” Basically, I’m a sucker for pasta. I think I’ve taken for granted how much I depend on it for quick weeknight meals and for leftovers. Even for our small family, I always cook the entire box or bag of pasta because I love using the leftovers so much!

 
 

Reheat in boiling water

If my memory serves me, I got this trick years ago from our Italian friend Ed. It not only works for leftovers, but also if you’re having people for dinner and don’t want to stand by the pot testing pasta for doneness.

Place un-sauced, cooked pasta in a large ziptop bag and refrigerate.

 
 

When ready, boil water in a big pot. Add the leftover pasta and stir for about 1 minute.

 
 

Drain as usual and you have hot, steamy, perfect pasta. No one will know it was pre-cooked.

 
 

Lunchbox pasta

I’ve learned over the years not to cook and sauce an entire box of pasta for our family of three. Now I only add the amount of pasta I want for a particular sauce and save the rest plain. If we have pasta for dinner, this is in Jack’s lunchbox the next day.

Divide the plain leftover pasta into containers. Before packing lunch, toss the pasta with olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper, Italian seasonings, and a bit of crushed red pepper. This is just as good served cold as it is hot. That’s handy when the line for the microwave at school is just too long.

 
 

Pasta salad

I love adding cold leftover pasta to just about any salad. In our family, salads go over for a lunch or dinner entrée much better when they’re filled with pasta.

Our favorite is a Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad. Yes, most of the ingredients are store-bought, but I love this when I know I have limited time to make dinner and don’t want to stop for fast food. Toss leftover pasta with lettuce, shredded rotisserie chicken, grated Parmesan, Caesar dressing, lots of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper—and of course, croutons.

 
 

Pasta frittata

This is a basic pasta frittata: just eggs, pasta, and Parmesan. You can always add leftover vegetables (roasted veggies would be good here) or sauté some garlic and onion before adding the eggs.

You’ll whisk egg with seasonings, then stir in pasta and Parmesan. Cook in a nonstick skillet on the stove until the edges are cooked, then transfer to the oven. Bake until set, then give it a golden top under the broiler.

 
 

Serve warm from the oven or at room temperature. I love that. I even eat it cold right out of the fridge like cold pizza (with a lot less guilt).

 
 

Leftover pasta, I’ll never take you for granted again!