How to Freeze Tuna Pasta Bake
If you’ve made a hearty tuna pasta bake from scratch, the chances are that you have a fair amount leftover after your initial meal. It’s often difficult to accurately predict precisely how much pasta to serve, which often results in you using more than you actually needed!
To save the leftovers from going to waste, below are the simple steps you need to take to freeze tuna pasta bake:
- Cool
You will need to let your pasta bake cool thoroughly before placing it in the freezer. It’s a good idea to remove it from the dish you used for baking, as this will speed up the cooling process considerably. - Divide into Portions
Although you can freeze tuna pasta bake as it is, we recommend dividing it into portion sizes before freezing it. This makes things easier when you come to defrost it, as you can easily remove the required amount from the freezer. - Place in Containers
Place your portions of tuna pasta bake in freezer-safe containers and cover with an appropriate lid (or plastic wrap if no lid is available). - Label and Freeze
Write today’s date, as well as the use-by date of the tuna pasta bake on the lid or cover of the container, before transferring to a flat surface in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze tuna pasta bake for around four months.
3 Tips for Freezing Tuna Pasta Bake
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing tuna pasta bake to have the best results:
- Reheat in the Oven – While it’s quicker to reheat tuna pasta bake in the microwave, if you have enough time, it’s much better to reheat it in the oven for around twenty minutes. At around ten minutes, remove the tray from the oven and sprinkle some additional cheese (and maybe even some breadcrumbs) on top of the pasta bake. This will give it a gorgeous and crispy topping that can’t be replicated in the microwave.
- Consider Freezing the Contents Individually – If you know in advance that you’re going to have too much tuna pasta bake, consider freezing the component parts of the dish separately. So, bag up the pasta, sauce, tuna and other fillings separately, and bring it all together when you come to reheat it in the oven. This can help preserve your tuna pasta bake for slightly longer, and you don’t have to worry as much about the dish going soggy.
- Take Care When Defrosting – You need to be careful when defrosting fish, as it can potentially cause a stomach upset if you allow harmful bacteria to grow. As we introduce below, the safest way to defrost tuna pasta bake is in the fridge. You should never defrost fish at room temperature.
How Long Can You Freeze Tuna Pasta Bake?
You can freeze tuna pasta bake for around four months.
Leftover tuna pasta bake will be okay in the fridge for a couple of days, but it’s best to get your leftovers in the freezer as quickly as you can to ensure they’re as fresh as possible.
You Can Freeze Tuna Pasta Bake for up to 4 Months
How Do You Defrost Tuna Pasta Bake?
The safest way to defrost tuna pasta bake is in the fridge. The night before you plan to use your leftovers, remove them from the freezer and allow them to thaw in the fridge.
You should never defrost fish at room temperature, as harmful bacteria can grow at these temperatures, which is potentially damaging to your health.
Can You Refreeze Tuna Pasta Bake?
It’s advisable not to refreeze tuna pasta bake. If you’re concerned about wasting your leftovers, consider splitting them into smaller portion sizes so it’s easier to remove precisely what you need at any given time.
Should you refreeze tuna pasta bake, it is likely to go soggy, which is something that we’re sure you wish to avoid!
Does Tuna Pasta Bake Freeze Well?
Tuna pasta bake freezes extremely well.
Once it has thoroughly cooled, it can be split into suitable portion sizes and stored in the freezer for around four months, providing you with a quick, easy, and delicious meal option for you and the family when you’re pressed for time in the kitchen.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing tuna pasta bake or pasta bake in general, then these may help:
Can You Freeze Vegetable Pasta Bake?
A pasta bake made solely with vegetables can be frozen using the same method. The only difference is that it will last in the freezer for even longer! You should be able to freeze it for between 6 and 8 months without any major textural changes.
Can You Freeze Cooked Pasta Bake?
Yes, you can freeze cooked pasta bake. The method remains the same. Decide whether to freeze an entire tray or portions then wrap accordingly before placing it into the freezer.
