freezing cooked pasta?

BLUEBIE

Hi

I have a boy living with me for the time being who does a lot of sport. He loves pasta, which the rest of the family also enjoy, however not quite so often. Also with my son doing clubs etc also there are times when I have to dish up 3 different meals at three different times.

So my question is, if I did a huge pasta bake can I freeze the rest individually? Even if it contains cheese?

I guess you can I'm just pondering out loud?

Also what else can I serve up with pasta? He must be sick of side salad and garlic bread :-(

Any ideas would be good thanks

Bee

x

aileth

Yes, I've done it before. Just make sure you stick it in the oven and get it really hot and cooked through before serving, maybe add a bit of stock when you put it in the oven or liquid to re-hydrate the pasta a bit. I'd avoid the microwave as it'll dry it out more.

Not sure about what else with pasta as side salad and garlic bread is what I always have! Maybe some diced potato crusted with a bit of parmesan? If he likes veg, roasted veg, like roasted peppers/onions? Ooh I'm hungry now!

onlyroz

Yes, of course you can. When you come to reheat it I'd suggest adding a bit of water and/or olive oil to moisten it up a bit. Hubby makes huge double-portion lasagne all the time, and we usually have the second portion a week or two later.

HPoirot

We freeze pasta bakes all the time, we also freeze ratatouille - olive oil, garlic, aubergine, courgette, olives, red peppers, sometimes carrots, a can of chopped tomatoes, spoon of tomato paste and some herbs, stewed - and we serve them together. The ratatouille from the freezer is a good way of ensuring we get our 5 a day when on the go and stuck for cooking time. It also adds a contrast to our stodgy tuna pasta bake...

SailorSam

I wouldn't have thought it was worth it, pasta cooks that quickly anyway.

Just_a_name_2

Yes, I do it all the time too, I always tend to make 2 lasagnes at the same time, and freeze one. Maybe you could actually portion them up for him, then he can take one out of the freezer at a time. Macaroni cheese is also a change, if he likes pasta will prob like that. My older son likes pasta done with a small bit of smoked salmon - dead simple, I buy the "off cuts" packets of smoked salmon in Morrison's, from the fish packet display, pieces too small for the smoked salmon slices packs, cook the pasta, when still hot stir in the smoked salmon along with soft cheese (Philadelphia type) - tastes lovely, but inexpensive and quick to do. Salmon and cheese warms with the pasta heat, but you could give it s stir over the heat for a couple of minutes if its cooled too much..
Also is this young man able help you with the meal prep sometimes? That will give him some ideas on how he can also help you....

kingfisherblue

My daughter works shifts and has very limited cooking facilities at work. She batch cooks various pasta dishes and freezes them in individual portions. We use lidded plastic boxes, similar to those some chippies use. They're about 79p for five in Home Bargains. They freeze well, reheat well in the microwave, and the boxes stack neatly in the freezer and are reusable.

She cooks some pasta bolognese, some veggie pastas, some lasagne. you could try pasta with chicken breast, again you can cook and freeze individually. Bolognese sauce, with or without pasta, can go on baked potatoes (which you can cook in advance and keep in the fridge, although they taste better when cooked from fresh). Cooked veg is fine with pasta as well.

NervousHomeowner

We do macaroni cheese, tortilla lasagne (Cheese sauce and veggies between layers of tortillas with cheese melted on top), spaghetti, cheesy pasta with veggies with some crisps on top & melted cheese on that to make it crunchy, pasta with pesto and melted cream cheese is really nice too. I usually just shove in things like sweetcorn, quorn/chicken, broccoli, carrots etc. to bulk pasta out.

Is it maybe also worthwhile to have things that he can eat cold? For example, Macaroni Cheese is quite nice cold, as is Risotto. I am on a risotto kick at the minute because I just found a amazing recipe for it where you shove it in the oven for 20 minutes and you don't have to sit there stirring it It's packed full of carbs too, so great if you're a sporty family!

aileth

Buy some packets of Kraft macaroni cheese and let him gorge himself in cheesy dreams!

thriftylass

I always freeze leftovers with pasta (with pesto, veg and chicken, lasagne or as a bake etc) and take them for my lunch (3min at full power in the microwave). Don't think you need anything to go with pasta as it's got everything. I would only have a salad or bread if that as otherwise for me it's like having chips on a roll, why? It's two carbs/side dishes. Maybe some fesh veg if they're not already in the pasta dish.

FatVonD

I always think that if I've ever seen something frozen in a supermarket then I can freeze it too. I regularly freeze cooked pasta (sauce on.) I put a sandwich bag into a bowl that's portion sized, fill it with the pasta then take out and tie, then do the next one. To cook I defrost and tip out into a bowl then microwave for 3 minutes.

NervousHomeowner wrote: »

I am on a risotto kick at the minute because I just found a amazing recipe for it where you shove it in the oven for 20 minutes and you don't have to sit there stirring it It's packed full of carbs too, so great if you're a sporty family!

Recipe, please!