How long can spaghetti last out of the fridge

Almost all of us have done it—cooked up a big batch of spaghetti, left it to cool on the counter, and then forgotten to pack it away before going to bed.

If you have left spaghetti out overnight, is it safe to eat? It is not a good idea to eat spaghetti that has been left out overnight, especially in warmer months. If left out at a temperature above 40°F for more than a few hours, there is a chance of bacteria growth, which could lead to food poisoning if the spaghetti is eaten.

It is always best to pack leftover spaghetti away as soon as it has cooled down, but while this might be your intention, it is easy to forget to do, and you are left wondering the morning whether the spaghetti is still okay to eat or not.

Plain Spaghetti

There is a safe zone for food, where it should be kept below 40°F to stop bacteria growth or to slow it down.

If food is left above this temperature for too long, then there is a higher risk of the food developing an increased level of bacteria, and then passing on a foodborne illness if eaten.

If you have left pasta out overnight, there is a good chance it would have been left out above 40°F, and therefore you run the risk of becoming sick from eating it.

For when you are super hungry and against wasting food, there are some signs you can look for to tell whether the spaghetti has spoiled or not:

Odor

Check to see if the pasta has an off odor. If you notice any foul or different odors at all, then the spaghetti should be thrown away, and you should not risk eating it.

Color

Spaghetti which has started to go bad will develop a different color. Fresh spaghetti is a yellow, golden color. When it begins to go off, it will be dull and lighter in color.

When it really begins to spoil, it will look almost white and grey, and this is a sign that it should be thrown away immediately.

Texture

Fresh spaghetti should be soft, firm, and a little tender. When it has been left out too long and begins to spoil, then it would become slimy and very gummy.

Squish the spaghetti between your fingertips to try and determine the texture.

Different Types Of Spaghetti Left Overnight

Below are some of the different types of spaghetti dishes you may have made at home, and accidentally left out overnight.

We have gone through each and whether or not they will be fine to eat (keep in mind there is always a risk when eating spaghetti that has been left out overnight, and you should always look for signs of spoiling before eating any)

Spaghetti With Meat Sauce

As spaghetti with meat sauce contains meat, which can go rancid and have increased bacteria growth quickly, it is best to throw this away if left out overnight and not eat it.

There is too high of a risk that the meat sauce will not be okay.

Spaghetti With Marinara Sauce

Marina sauce contains quite a high tomato content which can be acidic. You will have to judge the sauce the next morning to see whether it has started to go rancid or spoil and whether this acidity has increased.

To be safe, you should not eat spaghetti with marinara sauce which has been left out overnight.

Spaghetti With Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo sauce is made with dairy ingredients, which means that it really should not be left out at room temperature.

Dairy products spoil very quickly at room temperature, and it is not worth the risk of eating spaghetti with Alfredo sauce which has been left out overnight.

Buttered Spaghetti

Buttered spaghetti might be okay to eat the next morning, but you will have to smell the spaghetti to ensure that the butter has not started to go rancid. You should be able to smell this quite easily.

Spaghetti With Olive Oil

Spaghetti with olive oil can be fine to eat the next day if left out overnight, as long as there is no off odor, discoloration, or change in the texture of the spaghetti.

Related Questions

Now that we’ve gone over spaghetti, let’s take a look at a few more related questions we thought you might’ve had while reading this article!

How long can spaghetti sit out before it starts to go bad?

Spaghetti left to sit out can start to go bad in only 2 hours. This is true for when spaghetti is left to sit in the food-danger zone, which is between 40-140°F.

Does spaghetti need to be kept in the fridge?

As soon as cooked spaghetti has cooled down, it should be placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge. This prevents the spaghetti from spoiling.

Spaghetti is a great go to meal when you’re looking for something quick and delicious. It is also easy to cook in large quantities, meaning you’ll have plenty of leftovers to spare. But how long is spaghetti good for? Check out these storage tips and tricks to store your leftovers correctly to make sure they don’t go to waste.

Leftover Spaghetti

For me, a big spaghetti dinner is the gift that keeps on giving. It’s a super simple dish to make, and you can make large quantities at a time and serve it different ways, meaning more meals with less time.

The downside to this plentiful meal, though, is that it spoils quickly if it’s not preserved properly. The perishables in the sauce can quickly make cooked spaghetti go bad.

The moisture and the perishables in the spaghetti make it a perfect breeding ground for bacteria to grow. If you like spaghetti and meatballs, the meat makes this dish even more prone to bacteria growth.

For that reason, proper storage will make all the difference when it comes to how long your leftovers will last.

Follow along to find out how to correctly store leftover cooked spaghetti, so you can dine for days on this delicious home cooked meal.

I make my Chicken Spaghetti or Southern Baked Spaghetti because the leftovers are amazing!

How long is spaghetti good for at room temperature?

Because bacteria can grow quickly, spaghetti does not last long at room temperature. Leftover spaghetti will not be good if left out for more than three hours.

How long is spaghetti good for in the fridge?

Whether or not the spaghetti noodles are already combined with the sauce makes a difference in how long your leftovers will last in the fridge.

• If you store the spaghetti noodles separately from the sauce, then they should be good for about 4-5 days. Cooked pasta lasts in the fridge longer than the sauce.
• If the sauce and spaghetti are together, then only keep your leftovers for 3-4 days.
• If you like meat sauce rather than plain red sauce, then only keep your leftovers for 2-3 days. The meat mixed into the sauce shortens the shelf life.
• Always store meatballs separately from the pasta and sauce.

For best quality, uncooked fresh pasta has a shorter shelf life and is best the next day.

As usual, dry pasta or uncooked pasta is best stored in an airtight container in a cool dry place. This is a great pantry staple as it is inexpensive and has a long shelf life.

Even though it lasts a long time, be sure to check the expiration date as everything has one.

Looking for more comfort food? Follow LTB on Pinterest!

How do I store it in the fridge?

The best way to store cooked pasta is in the fridge. Make sure the leftovers are completely cooled before storing.

Rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process and drain as much as possible.

When you are ready to store the leftovers, use a shallow airtight container. If using a bag, be sure to remove as much air as possible. Keeping the air out will prevent bacteria growth.

If you have a lot of leftovers, store them in multiple shallow airtight containers rather than one deep container. Shallow containers ensure even cooling.

Tightly cover with plastic wrap if no container lid.

Store the pasta and sauce in the fridge separately, if possible. Pasta will generally last longer than the sauce, so separating them will give the pasta its optimal shelf life.

How long does pasta last in the freezer?

If properly stored, spaghetti can last up to 2 months in the freezer. I like to toss my cold spaghetti in a little bit of olive oil to keep the noodles from sticking.

Be sure to use heavy-duty freezer bags or a freezer-safe container.

How do I store it for freezing?

Unlike refrigerating, when freezing leftover spaghetti, it’s actually better to keep the leftover pasta and sauce combined.

Plain pasta can get mushy when thawing, so combining it with the sauce helps maintain the consistency. Be sure to cook al dente or slightly undercooked to avoid getting too soft when thawing.

Store pasta in airtight resealable plastic bags rather than containers. Squeezing out the air will help with preserving the leftovers and avoiding freezer burn.

If you have multiple servings, store each serving in a separate bag. Once you thaw the frozen leftovers, you cannot re-freeze them.

Separating the servings beforehand lets you thaw the right amount of pasta you’ll need for your meal.

Is spaghetti still good after 5 days?

If the spaghetti is frozen properly, then absolutely.

If you store it in the fridge, it might be good after 5 days, but only if the pasta and sauce were stored separately.

It’s still best to eat the leftovers within 3-4 days to be safe, but plain pasta can last up to the 5 day mark in the fridge.

I recommend freezing any leftovers you plan to eat after 5 days rather than storing them all in the fridge.

Is spaghetti still good after 7 days?

Spaghetti is only good after 7 days if it is stored in the freezer.

You should not eat spaghetti stored in the fridge after 4 days.

The variation of colors and textures in pasta sauces hide bacteria well, so even if it looks okay to eat, it might not be.

What if it has meatballs?

Even if you store the pasta and sauce combined, always keep the meat separate. Meat spoils the fastest, so storing it with the other ingredients will shorten the shelf life of the entire dish.

If you want to enjoy your refrigerated leftover spaghetti with meatballs, make sure you eat it within 2-3 days.

After day 3, you can still enjoy the other parts of your spaghetti for another day or two.

If you freeze your leftovers, then the meatballs can last up to 2 months, but still store them separately to be safe.

How do you know when spaghetti goes bad?

The variations in color and texture that come naturally with spaghetti sauce can make it hard to know when it’s time to toss.

If your leftovers have any of these warning signs, it might be time to get rid of them. You don’t want to get food poisoning.

• The noodles are slimy. Gooey spaghetti noodles are the first sign the pasta has gone bad. This will only be apparent if you store it separately from the sauce.
• Specks of mold. Spotting the specks of mold in pasta sauce can be tricky. Mold can often look like the seasoning and herbs in the sauce, so look closely at the leftover sauce before consuming it.
• Unpleasant odors. Even if the scent is faint, if there is any change in odor to the spaghetti, don’t eat it.

How to Prepare Leftover Spaghetti

If you stored the pasta and homemade spaghetti sauce separately, you can heat the sauce in a saucepan or in the microwave.

If you’re reheating it in the microwave, be sure to stir for even heating. Reheat the pasta in boiling water for 30 seconds. Strain the pasta like normal and combine with the sauce.

If the pasta has sauce on it, heat 2-3 tablespoons of water in a pan. Add in the pasta and simmer on low until the pasta is completely heated.

You can also add the leftovers and a little water and microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave again until reheated.

If you stored the pasta in the freezer, you can move your leftovers to the fridge to thaw overnight and prepare how you would for refrigerator-stored spaghetti.

You can also thaw the frozen leftovers by placing the plastic bags in a bowl of hot water. Once the spaghetti is malleable, you can go about reheating pasta according to the steps for refrigerated leftovers.

If you have meatballs, you can reheat these in the microwave in 40-second increments until thoroughly reheated.

You can also pop them on a baking sheet and reheat them in the oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

The great thing about spaghetti is that, like other types of pasta dishes, no matter how you decide to reheat it, it always tastes just as delicious as it did on day one!

More Kitchen Basics

• What to serve with Meatballs
• Chopped Greek Salad (Easy Meal Prep)
• How Long Is Taco Meat Good For?

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Is it OK to eat pasta left out overnight?

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How long can spaghetti sit out?

How long will spaghetti last at room temperature?