The Clever Way To Plate Pasta To Ensure Even Reheating In The Microwave

One of the greatest leftovers that you can feast upon is pasta. Those carb-rich noodles taste just as good warmed up the next day as they did when first cooked and served. Whether doused with a marinara sauce or coated in a beautiful pesto, pasta satiates the appetite. However, if you get reheating anxiety when it comes to microwaving this dish, you aren't alone. 

Finding just the right balance of pasta on a dish and time to warm it up in the microwave can be tricky. You may notice that your pasta primavera or cacio e pepe is frequently hot on the edges and cold in the middle. Luckily, for leftover aficionados, there is a clever way to plate your pasta so it heats evenly and thoroughly every time. Simply place your pasta on your microwave-safe dish and form it into a ring with a hole in the middle. It should look a little like a donut or Bundt cake. Why does this work?

Microwaves use short electromagnetic waves to heat your food. As they bounce off the walls of your small appliance, they only penetrate the outer perimeter of your food, creating heat to warm your food. To get the food in the center warm, the heat being created on the edges of your pasta must travel to the middle. That's why it not only takes longer to cook but it also explains some of your pasta might look dried-out and taste overcooked. When you push your food out to the edges of your plate, you are making it easier for your microwave to generate the friction needed to heat your food.

To combat the dryness, you can sprinkle a little water over your pasta or cover the dish with a moist paper towel, which will help preserve your noodles' texture. And one more pro tip about using the microwave to heat your pasta: as hungry as you might be, let it set for a minute before you dip your fork into it. Conduction allows heat to continue to spread, making your ring of pasta warm throughout.