My Dad’s 15-Year-Old Trick for Making Leftover Pasta Taste Amazing (It’s So Easy!)

Rachel Perlmutter
Rachel PerlmutterCulinary Producer at The Kitchn
I’m a recipe developer, food stylist, and content producer. I’ve spent the past seven years at meal kit companies like Marley Spoon and Dinnerly, teaching at food nonprofits, and doing a little farming. Originally from Houston, I live with my partner, dog, cat, and rabbit. We all love local, seasonal produce.
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published Jul 15, 2024
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overhead shot of cacio e pepe in a pot.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Stylist: Brett Regot

My dad made a lot of pasta when I was growing up. His go-to move was to sauté any vegetables hanging out in the crisper drawer in a pan and then add store-bought pesto or red sauce. He’d probably also throw in some chicken he grilled earlier in the week, and boom! Dinner was served, with plenty to spare. 

However, as anyone who’s made pasta can attest (so, everyone), the leftovers can be kind of lackluster. Sauces get gloopy, and pasta gets mushy and overcooked in the microwave — it leaves a lot to be desired. But my dad has the perfect trick!

Instead of zapping his leftovers in the microwave, he reheats them in a pan. All you have to do is add a bit of olive oil and spread out the pasta in an even layer. The edges get crispy — think lasagna edges! — and it breathes new life into too-thick or broken sauces. While it’s never going to be better than fresh, this little hack makes me so excited for leftovers.

How to Revive Your Pasta

  1. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Obviously it depends on how much pasta you’re heating up, but I eyeball about a tablespoon if it’s for a couple people. Use a nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat –– regular pans might cling to the sauce and pasta, roughing up your leftovers too much.
  2. Add the pasta. Spread your leftover pasta in an even layer and let it cook, undisturbed for a few minutes to get crispy. If you feel like it’s burning, turn the heat down to medium. Once the bottom layer is crisp, stir occasionally until everything is warmed through.
  3. Garnish, if you like. To freshen things up a bit, I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, or maybe some chopped fresh herbs depending on the dish, but it’s totally up to you. Even a few cracks of black pepper will do the trick!

A Few Tips

  • While you can totally do this with thin, noodle-y pasta, short shapes work best because they hold their shape better.
  • This doesn’t work well with mac and cheese! I’m sorry, I don’t make the rules.
  • Some pastas have sauces that will naturally separate in the fridge, like Carbonara or Cacio e Pepe. Lean into that and let the separated oil crisp up your pasta.

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