Pantry-Friendly Tricks for Reheating Leftover Pasta: How to Reheat Carbonara?

Spaghetti carbonara is one of Italy’s most prized possession. Not only does it taste amazing, but the creamy texture of the dish also leaves every person in awe. However, as easy it is to make a bowl of carbonara, reheating the leftover bits is never easy, especially when you have a lot.

The key to perfecting the delectable taste of carbonara is to ensure the correct ratio of eggs and cheese mixture that is added in the end. And, this is the part that makes the reheating process so complicated. You always have a risk of overcooking the eggs in the leftover carbonara, leaving this with a very “eggy” taste instead of the creamy and cheesy aftertaste.

So, how should you go about reheating your carbonara? Is there a certain way to do it or is there more than one way to re-heat this dish? Read on and find out!

Related post: Reheat Kraft Mac and Cheese like a Pro!

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I. Methods to Reheat Carbonara

II. How to Store Leftover Carbonara?

III. How to Make Carbonara at Home?

IV. Frequently Asked Questions

V. Conclusion

VI. PIN IT!

Methods to Reheat Carbonara

While reheating leftover foods in the oven and microwave is the most common way to do it, the same can’t be the case with carbonara. This is primarily because using an oven to reheat the carbonara can overcook the eggs, making it into a frittata instead.

Following are a few alternative methods that you can do to reheat carbonara.

#1 On the Stove

If you reheat carbonara on a stovetop following the correct steps, chances are that not only will it leave the pasta al dente, it will also keep both its creaminess and flavor. So here’s how to do so:

Take out the leftover carbonara and let it thaw to room temperature before you start the reheating process.
Once the pasta has come to room temperature, heat up your pan to medium, then add some oil.
When the oil has heated up, transfer the pasta to the pan and heat it up over low to medium heat for 4-5 minutes, mixing the pasta every once in a while.
Ensure that you constantly move the pasta around in the pan to prevent the eggs from overcooking or becoming lumps.
Add a splash of milk or cream if the pasta gets too dry during the process.
Remove the pan from the stove, transfer the pasta to a plate, and grate some cheese on top before serving.

#2 Convert it into a Frittata

Since carbonara contains eggs in it, reheating the pasta dish can become extremely challenging, especially if you don’t want the eggs in the dish to become an omelet.

One of the best methods of reheating this dish is to add it to a frittata. Here are the steps you can follow:

Start by cutting up the long strands of spaghetti into smaller chunks using kitchen scissors.
Heat up a pan over medium heat, add a blob of butter to the pan and let it melt completely.
Once the butter has melted, you can add the cut-up spaghetti carbonara into the pan and heat it up for some time.
In a separate bowl, crack two to three eggs, add some salt and pepper, and whisk thoroughly to mix everything together.
Add the whisked eggs on top of the leftover carbonara.
Let the eggs cook on one side and then flip it over. Make sure both sides are cooked evenly.
You can always grate some extra cheese on top of the dish to make it even creamier.

#3 Transform it into Another Pasta Dish

For a twist on your go-to pasta dish, leftover carbonara can be used to make another pasta dish like herby pesto linguine!

Start by pulling the leftover carbonara out of the fridge or freezer and let it come to room temperature.
When it’s ready, heat up a pan, then add the carbonara.
Mix the leftover carbonara with half a cup of fresh basil and ¼ cup of olive oil.
Add some whole wheat noodles or spaghetti and toss it all together until cooked through.

How to Store Leftover Carbonara?

Don’t even think about leaving it out on the kitchen counter!

If you have leftover carbonara, more than the reheating process, you need to make sure that you’ll store this dish the right way. Here is an easy way to store them for the next day:

Transfer the leftover carbonara to a bowl. If it’s still too hot, let it cool down to room temperature.
After cooling it down, you can transfer the dish from the bowl to an airtight container or ziplock bag and seal it tightly.
Check to make sure that there’s no air trapped when sealed, then store the dish in the fridge.

Remember this: Carbonara is a dish that can last for up to four days, if you store it in the refrigerator!

How to Make Carbonara at Home?

If you enjoy eating carbonara from the nearby Italian restaurant, you’d be surprised as to how easy it is to make it at home. All you have to do is follow these steps:

Start by boiling the pasta first. For this, you can heat up some water in a deep-vesseled pot and add some salt to it and throw the pasta into the boiling water.
Cook the pasta until it achieves an al dente texture and isn’t soggy or overcooked.
While cooking the pasta, scoop out 2 cups of the pasta water to use later.
Heat two to three strips of bacon ’til the grease oozes out of the bacon strip and you are left with enough bacon grease on the pan.
Crack one whole egg and an extra yolk in a bowl along with 1 cup of parmesan cheese to make a cheesy mixture that will be added later to the cooked pasta.
In the pan with the leftover bacon grease, add the cooked pasta along with the egg and cheese mixture and keep tossing the pasta around in the pan to prevent overcooking the eggs.
Once done, crack some black pepper and add extra cheese on top of the served dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can carbonara last in the fridge?

If you are planning on freezing your leftover carbonara, keep in mind that you shouldn’t store it in the fridge for more than 3-4 days since it contains eggs in it. Keep in mind that the longer you store the carbonara, the drier it will get.

Can I reheat carbonara in a microwave?

While you can reheat carbonara in a microwave, it is not necessarily a recommended method. This is ideal for individuals who tend to have very little time in their hands. Reheating the leftover carbonara in a microwave will scramble the eggs in the dish, destroying the texture of the dish completely.

Conclusion

We hope you have found these tips helpful and that they will inspire you to try a few different ways of reheating your leftovers. If not, then we’re sure there are some other tricks up our sleeve! Stay tuned for more posts in the future about how to make pasta dishes into something new with just a little creativity.

Bon Appetit!

Pantry-Friendly Tricks for Reheating Leftover Pasta: How to Reheat Carbonara?