Have some leftover carbonara sitting in the refrigerator and a bit unsure how to warm it up properly?
It can be a bit challenging to properly warm it up, due the ingredients used in creating this dish.
Today, in this short guide, you are going to find out the 2 best methods that can be used to reheat carbonara, along with step-by-step instructions.
Keep reading as we explore this topic a bit more.
Can Carbonara Be Reheated?
Can carbonara be reheated? Yes, you can reheat carbonara, but it is one of those dishes that’s just not meant to be warmed up.
Carbonara is an Italian dish that typically consists of bacon, eggs grated cheese pasta.
Generally, reheated pasta is never as good as when it was freshly made and with carbonara, the difficulty of warming it up increases because of ingredients that are used to make it.
A quick search in Twitter showed tweets of people who found out the hard way what happens when carbonara is reheated (incorrectly)
It can be tricky reheating Carbonara, as it will not taste the same as when it was freshly made.
Reheating will change the character of the dish, but if that is minor, then keep reading to see what methods can be used.
3 Best Ways to Reheat Carbonara
As mentioned earlier, carbonara is one of those dishes that is best had freshly made. If you do have cold leftovers and you want to try and warm them up, then the best reheating methods to use are:
- The Stovetop
- The Microwave
- The Oven
Each method will get this popular pasta dish steaming hot and ready to eat.
Nonetheless, each method requires specific steps and we will take a look at each one in more details below.
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Reheating Carbonara Using the Microwave
Using the microwave to reheat your pasta carbonara is a quick and reheating method and it should have your dish warm and ready to eat in a minute or less.
While we need to state that reheated Carbonara will not have the same taste. If you just warm leftovers and not big on the texture/taste, the microwave will do.
Steps
- Place the carbonara in a microwave safe bowl/plate
- Cover the bowl/plate with a damp kitchen or paper towel.
- Microwave on medium in 5-10 second blasts
- Check until it is heated to your liking.
- Once the carbonara is properly reheated, give it a minute to rest before serving.
Please remember that there will be some inevitable trade-offs if you decide to follow this method.
Reheating Carbonara Using the Stovetop
You can also try to reheat the carbonara on the stovetop.
By adding in some fat in the reheating process, there is a good chance that it could taste close to when it was originally made (This is not a guarantee).
Steps
- Place your sauce in a separate pan and put it over medium heat. Keep stirring until is warmed all the way through. Heat a skillet/frying pan over a low-medium flame
- Add some oil or butter and heated, add the leftover carbonara
- Stir the pasta continuously for 3-5 minutes until it is warm.
- Once heated, remove from the pan, allow to cool and then serve.
Reheating Carbonara in the Oven
The oven can also be used to heat the carbonara.
You will have to use a low temperature to gently warm it up, while also not baking it to where it comes out crispy or tough.
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Place the carbonara in an oven-safe bowl and cover with foil
- Take the bowl or pan with the carbonara and place in the oven.
- Allow it to heat up for around 15 minutes.
- You should check every five minutes or so and stirring occasionally until hot throughout.
- Once warmed, remove from the oven, let cool and serve.
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Wrapping it up
Reheating carbonara can be done, but it is usually best to have it when it is freshly made.
Getting carbonara warmed up can be a real tricky process, but having it warm is better than nothing at all.
The reheating process you use will depend on what you have available, but it is recommended to go with the microwave, skillet or oven.
Let us know in the comments if you have any more questions or felt there were some things we missed.
