Quick Answer: How Long Does Spaghetti Last?
Typically, when properly stored, you can expect spaghetti to last for around 3 to 5 days when kept inside the refrigerator. At room temperature, it is quite a different story. Bacteria tend to grow very rapidly at room temperature. Cooked spaghetti left out for around 2 hours should be discarded. Dry pasta lasts around 3 years, while fresh pasta will last anywhere from 2 to 7 days.
So, you’ve recently bought yourself a box of delicious spaghetti. You decide to prepare some for lunch one day and find yourself with some leftovers.
How long can spaghetti last after it has been cooked, you ask? We’re here to help answer that question.
In this post, we are going to be taking a closer look at how long spaghetti lasts after it has been cooked, as well as what storage options are the best for prolonging the window that you can eat it.
Along with that, we are also going to be sharing with you some additional advice on how long spaghetti will typically tend to last on the shelf, too. So, whenever you’re ready, just keep reading!
How Long Does Spaghetti Last?
Generally speaking, after you have cooked spaghetti and you have some leftover spaghetti that you would like to keep for later – you can typically keep it for up to 5 days so long as it is being stored in the fridge.
As for fresh spaghetti, however, the case is quite a different one. When kept at room temperature there is a higher risk of bacteria growth that will make food unsuitable to be eaten.
For this reason, if you are keeping cooked spaghetti out and exposed to room temperature, then you will need to consume the remaining pasta within a period of around 2 hours.
To make sure that you are eating your pasta within the appropriate time frame, it is important to make sure that you take a look at the label that will be on the packaging of your pasta.
On the label, you will be able to find all of the relevant information regarding how long your particular brand of spaghetti will last, including the timeframe as well as the best by shape.
How Do You Store Cooked Spaghetti?
As we have mentioned above, cooked spaghetti can often last up to 5 days after it has been cooked. However, ensuring that the cooked spaghetti does not spoil before this time greatly depends on the way that it has been stored.
In order to make sure that you are able to get the most out of your cooked spaghetti and enjoy it across multiple meals, it is important to make sure that your cooked spaghetti is placed inside an airtight container and then kept inside the fridge.
The fridge will help to keep the cooked spaghetti fresh and delicious for up to 5 days, while also ensuring that mold or bacteria do not begin to grow.
If you want to stretch your cooked pasta over the week, for example, it is very important that you do not keep your cooked pasta stored at room temperature, as this will lead to your spaghetti becoming spoiled.
As we have already briefly mentioned above, cooked pasta kept at room temperature will only offer a window of around 2 hours before the pasta begins to spoil, discolor and grow bacteria.
This will make the cooked pasta unsuitable for eating, which is something to keep in mind when it comes to proper storage of your cooked spaghetti.
How Long Does Spaghetti Pasta Last On The Shelf?
Now that we have covered how long you can expect spaghetti pasta to last after it has already been cooked, we are now going to give you a better understanding of how long you can expect spaghetti to last on the shelf.
Typically, just like with other types of pasta, the shelf life of spaghetti will be very long.
Unlike perishable food items that can go bad quite quickly (such as meat or fresh produce) spaghetti shouldn’t go rotten while it is sitting on your shelf, or being stored inside one of your kitchen cupboards.
In fact, when stored correctly – dry pasta (that is being packaged correctly) will last upwards of 3 years, although many agree that the flavor and texture of spaghetti pasta will taste the best when it is consumed within 2 years of buying it.
Of course, in order to make sure that you are able to enjoy your particular brand of spaghetti pasta, we recommend that you make sure to read the packaging that your pasta comes in – as this will contain all of the necessary information regarding its shelf life.
Keep in mind, though, that even though all pastas will come with a “best by” date, this doesn’t necessarily mean that this is an expiration date.
Instead, the “best by” date is simply an indication by the manufacturer as to what they deem to be the best timeframe to consume the pasta.
However, even though dry pasta will typically keep for around 2 years – it is important to note that fresh pasta is quite a different story.
Fresh pasta, unlike dry pasta, contains eggs which means that it is classed as a perishable food. For this reason, you should make sure that you are eating fresh pasta within 2-3 days of purchasing it, otherwise it will be unsuitable to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does Uncooked Spaghetti Last?
The answer to this question ultimately depends on whether you have dry pasta or fresh pasta. If you have dry, uncooked spaghetti pasta – then you can expect your pasta to last for around 3 years.
Although, keep in mind that many agree that the flavor and texture of spaghetti pasta typically tastes better between the 2 year timeframe.
On the other hand, if you have uncooked fresh spaghetti pasta, the time frame before the pasta spoils and goes bad will be much quicker than this.
Typically, uncooked fresh spaghetti pasta will typically last from anywhere between 2-7 days, as fresh pasta contains egg and mistre that makes it a perishable food item.
Of course, to make sure that you are consuming your pasta safely (while also being able to enjoy the best flavor and texture) we recommend that you make sure to read the packaging that the pasta has come in.
On the packaging, there will be an informational label that will contain all of the necessary information including the “best by” date and the shelf life.
How Do You Know When Spaghetti Goes Bad?
This is a great question. If you have dry pasta, it can be quite hard to tell whether or not pasta has gone bad. However, some of the most telltale signs to keep an eye out for are mold growth and discoloration.
On the other hand, when it comes to fresh pasta, the most obvious signs that pasta has gone bad is if it is slimy, mold is growing and there is an unpleasant smell.
Can I Get Food Poisoning From Spaghetti?
Yes, it is possible to get food poisoning from spaghetti pasta. After it has been cooked, cooked spaghetti pasta will then be a food poisoning risk if it is not eaten and kept at room temperature.
Keeping cooked pasta at room temperature will raise the risk of Bacillus cereus bacteria growing in the spaghetti, and this is a bacteria that is directly linked to food poisoning.
Spoiled fresh spaghetti that has not been cooked but has passed it best by date may also cause food poisoning. Some of the main symptoms of food poisoning or stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue and more.
Final Thoughts
There we have it.
Now that you have taken the time to read through all of the above, we hope that you now have a much better idea of how long your spaghetti will last – regardless of whether you are keeping it on the shelf, cooking it or even buying it fresh.
Thank you for reading, and we hope that you have a great day.
Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.
I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!
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Fareed Abdelhak
Tuesday 20th of September 2022
Thanks for sharing this useful information! Hope that you will continue with the kind of stuff you are doing.