How to Reheat Carbonara – The 4 Best Ways

Carbonara pasta is one of the most famous Italian dishes and is also one of the fastest ones to cook. The unique taste and creamy, rich texture made it a favorite for lunch or dinner, and this is why throwing away any leftovers would be a shame.

With the right tips, reheating carbonara will never be an issue. Instead, it will taste just like it has just been freshly made. This is why we want to share our magic. 

What is the best way to reheat carbonara? The best way to reheat carbonara sauce is on the stove, then reheat your pasta separately. If you’re in a hurry, using the microwave will work, too. You can also reheat the pasta and sauce at the same time using the stove or microwave. 

The Best Ways To Reheat Carbonara

Authentic carbonara originates in the region of Lazio in Italy. This hearty dish was made to provide workers with warmth, but nowadays, everyone can enjoy its creaminess whenever they like. 

Original carbonara sauce is made of eggs, hard cheese, cured pork, and black pepper. The sauce is mixed away from direct heat, or the eggs will cook, and the sauce will become lumpy. 

In most cases, spaghetti or bucatini pasta is used with this sauce as it absorbs it well. The pasta should be al dente, so it doesn’t ruin the look and taste of your dish. 

While reheating carbonara, you should avoid using extremely high temperatures to avoid curdling the eggs. You should also avoid reheating the pasta for a long time, or the sauce will lose its creamy texture.

The American version of the sauce contains cream that makes the sauce richer, and you can elevate your reheated pasta carbonara by adding a dash of cream while it’s reheating.

No one can get enough of this tasty dish, and if you have leftover pasta carbonara, you know that you shouldn’t throw it away. However, you need to know how to store it properly. 

Before storing it, you need to bring carbonara to room temperature. Don’t store it in the fridge while it’s still hot, or the vapor will condense and make the pasta soggy. When stored well, carbonara can last up to 4 days in the fridge but it’s recommended to eat it within 24 hours since you first made it.

Don’t store your pasta carbonara in the freezer. As a matter of fact, the longer you keep it in the freezer, the worse it will get. 

In the freezer, the pasta loses its quality, becomes mushy, and the sauce separates. So it’s always better to prepare the whole dish from scratch in this case. 

But if you’re craving last night’s spaghetti alla carbonara, you can reheat the leftovers and enjoy this deliciously hearty dish.

We’ve prepared a detailed guide to help you reheat leftover carbonara and get the best out of it. Just follow our guide, and you’ll be able to enjoy the richness and smoothness of this dish whenever you like. 

How to Reheat Carbonara Sauce and Pasta Separately On the Stove

If you haven’t mixed all the sauce with your pasta, you’re in luck. Reheating the pasta and the sauce separately guarantees better results.

Do this if you’re busy and want to save time before serving dinner. Also, by storing the sauce and pasta in two separate containers, your leftover carbonara won’t be mushy or soggy because it won’t absorb the sauce. 

Using the stove to reheat leftover carbonara is easy because this is how the dish was made in the first place. You need nothing but some water, and your spaghetti carbonara will taste exceptional. 

Take the pasta and sauce out of the fridge so they’re at room temperature before you start the reheating process, and you’ll be ready. 

Here are the steps to reheat carbonara sauce and pasta separately on the stove:

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. 
2. Place the cold pasta in a colander.
3. Put the colander into the pot and leave it for 1 minute. If the pasta is not hot enough, you can leave it a little longer, but not more than 3 minutes. 
4. Once the pasta has reached the desired temperature, strain the moisture out and put it in a bowl.
5. Put the sauce in a pan and set the heat at low.
6. Keep on stirring the sauce until it has warmed up. 
7. Mix the sauce with the pasta in the bowl and serve immediately.

It’s important not to overcook the pasta because the extra heat will ruin its texture. As for the sauce, low heat and continue stirring will prevent the eggs from getting lumpy. 

How to Reheat Carbonara Sauce and Pasta Separately In the Microwave

The microwave can save the day when you have no access to the stove. If you have a high-tech microwave, you can make use of the special features that you have that will allow you to set the temperature properly.

If there’s a reheat button, it will come in handy because the low heat setting won’t overcook the pasta or the sauce. All you need is to add some water, and your reheated spaghetti carbonara will be amazing. 

For the carbonara sauce, there might be a Keep Warm feature that works for sauces. If not, then you need to stick to medium to low heat to avoid cooking the sauce. 

Here are the steps to reheat carbonara sauce and pasta separately in the microwave:

1. Place the pasta in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Add some water and cover the bowl with plastic wrap to retain the moisture.
3. Use the reheat button or set the heat to medium for a minute.
4. Stir the pasta, then switch on the microwave for another minute.
5. Repeat the process as needed while stirring continuously until the pasta has reached the right temperature.
6. Strain the pasta.
7. Put the sauce in a microwave-safe bowl and set the heat to low. 
8. Switch on the microwave for 30 seconds, then stir the sauce. Microwave again, and stop at 30-seconds intervals. 
9. Repeat this process until the sauce is warm.
10. Pour the sauce over the pasta and serve warm.

Reheating carbonara in the microwave takes more time because you have to follow these detailed steps. However, they guarantee that pasta and sauce will maintain their textures. 

Without using water or stirring, the pasta will be dry, and the sauce will become lumpy. Avoid adding water to the sauce because this will change its consistency and minimize its flavor.

How to Reheat Pasta Carbonara On the Stove

If you have pasta leftovers, you can reheat the whole dish on the stove. However, don’t use the boiling water method because the water will ruin your sauce. At the same time, you need to be careful about adjusting the heat as you might cook the sauce while the pasta remains cold.

To maintain the creamy texture of the pasta, you might need to add some oil or cream. This will guarantee that the sauce won’t dry up, and it will be hard to tell that it’s leftover pasta.

If you follow the correct steps, the pasta will remain al dente, and the sauce will be warm and tasty. Just make sure that you get the dish out of the fridge about half an hour before reheating it, as this will make the process easier. 

Here are the steps to reheat spaghetti carbonara on the stove:

1. Use a non-stick pan and add 1-2 tbsp of vegetable oil.
2. Keep the flame on medium to avoid burning the sauce and wait until the oil is hot enough. 
3. Add the pasta and start stirring.
4. Stir the pasta for about 5 minutes without increasing the heat. 
5. Add 1 tbsp of oil or cream to maintain the richness of the carbonara.
6. Stir the pasta and serve hot. 

The most crucial step is to keep on stirring, as this will guarantee that the sauce won’t burn. You can top your reheated pasta with some fresh Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano and parsley to make the dish tastier. 

How to Reheat Pasta Carbonara in Microwave

Without separating the pasta from the sauce, you can reheat carbonara in the microwave if there’s no access to the stove.

Don’t add too much water, or it will ruin the consistency of the sauce. If you don’t have a reheat option, you can use the medium heat setting. 

While this method might not be the best to retain the texture of your cooked carbonara, it works fine if you’re out of options.

Here are the steps to reheat pasta carbonara in the microwave:

1. Put the pasta in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Don’t cover the pasta and switch on the microwave for one minute. 
3. Check the pasta and stir well, then switch on for another minute. 
4. Keep on repeating the process until the pasta is properly heated. 
5. If you feel that your pasta is too dry, add a tablespoon of cream or some oil. 

It’s quite difficult to retain the smoothness of the sauce when you exceed the time or heat while reheating your carbonara. Stirring will prevent the sauce from getting too lumpy, but using very high heat will eventually cook the eggs.

This is why we recommend adding some cream and cheese to give your precooked carbonara a much-needed makeover. 

Can You Reheat Carbonara?

Yes, you can reheat the pasta and sauce separately if you have prepared them in advance. Using the stove works best, especially if you keep the heat low. It’s fast, and you can control the heat, so you don’t overcook the sauce. 

You can also use the microwave oven. As long as you remember to stir pasta and the sauce regularly, the results will be excellent. 

If you have already mixed all the pasta with the sauce the previous night, you can still use the stove or the microwave. You will have to add some oil or a little cream to prevent the pasta from drying. 

No matter the method you choose, as long as you follow our step-by-step guide we guarantee that your pasta will taste amazing. Add some cheese on top, and enjoy it.