Can You Meal Prep Pasta? (Yes, Here’s How)

So, you’re an avid pasta lover, and you want to save some time! 

You might be wondering: Can you meal prep pasta and cut back your hours in the kitchen? 

The answer is yes — you absolutely can! Pasta can be easily meal prepped, as long as you follow some simple meal-prep safety tips. 

Pasta also makes ideal meal-prepping food due to the large variety of recipes you can make with pasta (more on that later)!

Meal prepping is all the rage lately, and rightly so. Meal prepping your food will save you time and money, and help to ensure you are eating nutritious foods. 

In addition, meal prepping can be used on a huge variety of foods, including pasta!

If you’re someone always on the go with not enough time to cook healthy meals from scratch, then this is the guide for you. In this article I’ll cover:

• A comprehensive list of ways to ensure you meal prep pasta safely
• Some recipes you can use to meal prep pasta
• Answers to some FAQ’s surrounding pasta meal prepping. 

Let’s dive into it!

Tips on How to Meal Prep Pasta Safely

While you can meal prep pasta with ease, it’s important to follow a few meal prepping food safety tips. 

These include the method you use to cook your pasta, how you store your pasta, and how you reheat the pasta when it comes time to dig in! Let’s delve into the tips for each stage of the process. 

Undercook Slightly

A great tip when preparing your pasta is to slightly undercook it. This is called cooking pasta al dente. 

You can tell when pasta is cooked al dente as it will still have a firm bite; it should not be completely soft. As pasta continues to cook after you’ve taken it off the heat, this will ensure the pasta doesn’t overcook and go soggy.

Rinse with Cold Water

Once you’ve finished cooking the pasta, taken it off the heat, and drained the hot water, you will then want to give it a rinse with cold water. 

This will ensure the pasta does not continue to cook and become mushy. 

Drizzle with Olive Oil

Next, give the pasta a small drizzle with olive oil. 

The olive oil will function to prevent the pasta from clumping up and sticking together when stored. 

Portion into Individual Containers

When it comes to refrigerating the pasta, you will then want to portion it out into separate containers. 

This makes it much easier when it comes time to reheat the pasta. 

Add Sauce Separately

It’s also a good idea to add the pasta sauce separately to the pasta when reheating. 

This will stop the pasta from going soggy and will make the finished meal appear freshly made.

Ensure Containers are Airtight

When storing your pasta you will also want to ensure that the containers are airtight. 

If not, the pasta will not keep as well in your refrigerator.

Cool Completely Before Refrigerating

Before you put the pasta away in the refrigerator, make sure you allow it to completely cool down. 

This decreases the risk of increasing the overall temperature of your refrigerator.  

Consume within 3-4 Days

While meal-prepping pasta is a safe method, pasta should be consumed within 3-4 days when stored in the refrigerator to prevent potential food poisoning. 

Freeze for Longer Storage

However, if you want your pasta to last a bit longer than this, you have the alternative option of storing it in the freezer. 

Pasta in the freezer has a shelf life of 3-4 months. It’s important that if you decide to store your pasta in the freezer you do so when the pasta is first cooked. 

Reheat Thoroughly 

When it comes time to reheat your pasta, make sure you do so thoroughly. 

This can either be on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring intermittently to ensure thorough heating.

How to Meal Prep Pasta: The Best Recipes

Now that we’re clear on how to meal prep pasta, how do we decide what pasta recipes to make?

Here, I’ve got some of the best (and most delicious) pasta recipes for meal prepping:

Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese is a crowd favorite, and an essential on any pasta recipe list. The ingredients you will need to make Spaghetti Bolognese are:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 3 chopped cloves of garlic
• 2 chopped carrots
• 1 chopped celery stick
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 500g beef mince
• 1 can of tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• Salt and pepper
• 500g dried spaghetti pasta. 

Heat olive oil on a pan, then add onion, garlic, mince, carrot, celery, and rosemary, and saute for five minutes. 

Add mince and cook until browned. Add canned tomatoes and tomato paste, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil, simmering for 20 minutes. 

In a separate pot, bring water to a boil, then add dried pasta. Cook until al dente. 

Portion pasta and sauce separately into containers, let cool, and then refrigerate. Once reheated, add parmesan cheese if desired!

Pesto Pasta

Pesto pasta is simple, quick, and tasty — ideal for meal prep. To make pesto pasta you will need:

• 2 cups of fresh basil 
• ½ cup of olive oil
• ⅓ cup of pine nuts or walnuts
• 1 garlic clove
• ⅓ cup of grated parmesan
• 500g dried penne pasta. 

Cook dried penne pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain and cool in separate containers. 

Combine all other ingredients together in a food processor. Portion and refrigerate. To serve, add pesto to penne pasta and reheat!

Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Chicken alfredo pasta is another ideal meal-prepping recipe. The ingredients you will need to make it are:

• 300g cooked chicken
• 250 ml cream
• 2 chopped cloves of garlic
• 25 g butter
• ⅓ cup cheese
• Pepper
• Any herbs of your choice 
• 500g dried fettuccine pasta. 

In a saucepan combine butter, cream, garlic, cheese, herbs, and pepper, cooking for five to ten minutes. Then, stir through the chicken. 

In a large pot, boil water and cook fettuccine until al dente. Portion, cool, and refrigerate!

Vegetable Primavera Pasta

Vegetable primavera is a great way to use up those extra veggies in the fridge and makes for a healthy, nutritious meal. 

• Chopped veggies of your choice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh herbs
• Salt and pepper
• 500g dried spiral pasta. 

Cook any vegetables of your choice, and combine together with a tablespoon of olive oil, some fresh herbs, and salt and pepper. 
Boil water in a large saucepan and cook dried pasta until al dente. Portion, cool and refrigerate.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta

To make this tasty dish you will need the following:

• 100g of butter
• 5 cloves of chopped garlic
• Juice of one lemon
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 200g of cooked shrimp
• 500g dried spaghetti pasta.  

Melt butter, add garlic, salt and olive oil. Take off the heat and add lemon, then stir through the shrimp. 
Boil water in a large saucepan and cook dried pasta until al dente. Portion, cool, and refrigerate. Garnish with parsley when served!

Mushroom and Spinach Stuffed Shells

A healthy mushroom and spinach pasta is also a guaranteed success. Follow the steps below:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves of chopped garlic
• 250ml of cream
• 2 cups of fresh chopped spinach
• 200g of chopped mushrooms 
• Salt and pepper
• 500g dried pasta shells. 

Heat olive oil in a pan and add garlic, mushrooms, and cook for five minutes. Then, add cream spinach and salt and pepper. 
Boil water in a large saucepan and cook dried pasta until al dente. Portion, cool, and refrigerate.

FAQs