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If you want to enjoy leftovers safely and with the best flavor, it’s important to know how to store your favorite foods properly. Spaghetti is a staple in many households, offering a quick and easy weeknight dinner. But how long can spaghetti last in the fridge?
Issues like bacterial growth and quality changes can impact how long Italian pasta dishes like spaghetti last when refrigerated, and the specific ingredients used in the dish can also affect this.
In this article, we’ll cover how to store spaghetti in the fridge and how to spot signs of spoilage to ensure your leftovers taste great and remain safe to eat.
Can Spaghetti Be Left in the Fridge?
Spaghetti can be stored in the fridge and usually lasts 3-4 days. Store it in an airtight container at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit to maximize its shelf life.
Before storing spaghetti, let it cool down to help prevent moisture that can lead to bacterial growth. It’s also best to store the sauce and pasta separately to help maintain the flavor. Be sure to check for signs of spoilage, such as changes in texture or appearance, mold, or off-putting smells, which means it’s probably time to discard leftover pasta.
How Long Can Different Types of Pasta Stay in the Fridge?
Different types of pasta will vary in how long they can stay in the fridge. Fresh homemade pasta, for instance, lasts only 2-3 days, while dried pasta can stay good for as many as 5 days. Ingredients and sauce types also affect how long pasta can stay in the fridge. Here’s a quick overview to help you make the most of your pasta leftovers.
Fresh Pasta
Due to its high water content, homemade fresh pasta lasts only 2-3 days when stored in an airtight container. To prevent your homemade pasta from sticking, store it with a light coating of olive oil. If the pasta hasn’t been cooked yet, parchment paper and a light dusting of flour may be a better option to keep it fresh in the fridge before cooking.
Cooked Plain Pasta
Plain pasta can last 3-5 days in the fridge. It should be stored in an airtight container along with a bit of cooking water or oil to help maintain moisture since pasta can dry out quickly in the fridge.
Meat Sauce Pasta
When keeping meat sauce pasta, like spaghetti and meatballs, in the fridge, store the sauce and pasta separately. This helps prevent the pasta from soaking up the sauce, causing it to be dry. Like other pasta, use an airtight container for the sauce, pasta, or the combined dish if stored together. Because high-protein meat is perishable, pasta with meat sauce should be eaten within 3-4 days to avoid potential bacteria growth.
Cream Sauce
Cream-based pasta dishes such as fettuccine alfredo contain a good amount of dairy. Due to dairy’s shorter shelf life, which can spoil quickly, they will last only 2-3 days in the fridge. If possible, store the sauce and pasta separately, and be sure to use an airtight container.
Seafood Pasta
Seafood is known for its pungent odor, which is part of why seafood pasta has the shortest shelf life. Pasta with shrimp or other pescatarian seafood pasta dishes lasts only 1-2 days in the fridge, as seafood can spoil more quickly than other proteins and quickly develop an unpleasant odor. Like other pasta, store it in an airtight container—and be mindful of leaving it too close to sensitive foods that might absorb the smell.
Vegetable Pasta
Veggie pasta dishes can last up to 3-4 days in the fridge in a sealed, airtight container, as produce won’t spoil as quickly as meat and cream-based dishes. That said, the vegetables can release moisture when stored, which might change the texture of the pasta.
Signs That Spaghetti Has Spoiled
Before eating spaghetti stored in the fridge, you should check for signs of spoilage to ensure your food is still safe to eat. Various changes in appearance, texture, and smell can signal that the pasta’s quality has deteriorated. When deciding whether to eat leftover pasta, prioritize these warning signs over the expiration date.
White Mold Spots
When spaghetti grows mold, you will see white, gray, or colored spots on the dish. Eating pasta with mold spots is still unsafe, even if it only looks discolored in a small area.
Slimy Texture
If your pasta has a slimy or sticky texture that doesn’t seem quite right, it’s a sign of bacterial growth and degraded quality. You should immediately dispose of pasta with a strange texture.
Strange Smells
If spaghetti stored in the fridge takes on a sour, musty, or otherwise off-putting smell, it has likely spoiled and begun growing bacteria. Pasta with a strange odor should never be consumed and disposed of immediately.
Discoloration
Any color changes, including a dull appearance or unusual coloring, can suggest that the pasta’s quality has deteriorated and may be unsafe to eat.
What’s the Best Way to Store Leftover Spaghetti?
Proper storage is the key to extending the shelf life of leftover spaghetti and meatballs in the fridge. Follow these techniques to help extend the shelf life of your pasta dish.
Store In an Airtight Container
Use a clean, airtight container with a tight-fitting lid to store leftover spaghetti. This helps prevent moisture loss and bacterial contamination, keeping your leftovers fresh and maintaining a palatable texture.
Remove Excess Air Completely
Be sure to remove excess air from storage containers before putting spaghetti in the fridge to prevent oxidation and reduce the risk of bacterial growth.
Refrigerate Within Two Hours
While you want to let cooked pasta cool off before putting it in the fridge, you should not let it sit at room temperature for longer than two hours. If the room is above 90°F, reduce this time to one hour. This will prevent dangerous bacterial growth that can make pasta unsafe to eat.
Label Container With Date
Before storing your pasta, clearly label it with the date. This will help you keep track of its freshness and make sure you enjoy it within the safe time frame of 3-5 days.
What’s the Ideal Fridge Temperature for Storing Pasta?
According to FDA recommendations, storing pasta at or below 40°F (4°C) is essential to prevent bacteria growth and maintain food safety. Storing leftover pasta above these temperatures can lead to quicker spoilage, potentially creating a food safety risk. To ensure that food stays within a safe zone, you can keep an eye on the fridge’s built-in temperature controls or monitor temperature with a thermometer.
What Containers Are Best for Storing Spaghetti?
Airtight glass or BPA-free plastic containers with secure, tight-fitting lids are ideal for storing pasta. These will help prevent moisture loss while blocking odors, helping to maintain food safety and quality.
You should also choose the container size carefully, ensuring that the pasta fits well within it but doesn’t have much excess air space. This can help preserve pasta quality and increase its shelf life.
Bottom Line
When stored properly in an airtight container at or below 40°F (4°C), spaghetti can last 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Even within this safe window, you should monitor the leftovers for signs of spoilage, including changes in color, texture, or odor, to make sure they’re still safe to eat.
The actual shelf life of pasta will vary depending on the type of noodles and sauce. Cream-based and seafood dishes must be eaten more quickly than plain pasta or veggie-based options. With careful attention to proper storage techniques, you can safely store spaghetti and pasta dishes in the fridge to enjoy leftovers after a big meal.
