âčïž Skipped - page is already crawled
| Filter | Status | Condition | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| HTTP status | PASS | download_http_code = 200 | HTTP 200 |
| Age cutoff | PASS | download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH | 0 months ago |
| History drop | PASS | isNull(history_drop_reason) | No drop reason |
| Spam/ban | PASS | fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0 | ml_spam_score=0 |
| Canonical | PASS | meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed | Not set |
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| URL | https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/make-ahead-pasta |
| Last Crawled | 2026-04-11 12:05:12 (1 day ago) |
| First Indexed | 2017-10-26 16:34:29 (8 years ago) |
| HTTP Status Code | 200 |
| Meta Title | This Easy Trick Lets You Cook Pasta in Advance (!!) | Bon Appétit |
| Meta Description | You can cook your noodles hours before serving time. All you need is some olive oil, a large Ziploc bag, and your favorite pasta. |
| Meta Canonical | null |
| Boilerpipe Text | When you host a dinner party, timing is everything. Serving a few dishes that require different ingredients and techniques can make for a stressful night of cooking. Time management is key, and if youâre going to be serving pasta (because
everyone loves some pasta
), it's easy for your noodles to overcook while your mind is on seven other things. Luckily for you, there's a way to avoid the stress of making sure your pasta is cooked just right, exactly when you want it. With a bit of oil, a Ziploc bag, some water, and
your favorite pasta
, you can cook noodles a day in advance and forget about them until a few minutes before serving.
Less anxiety. More pasta.
According to senior food editor Rick Martinez, you can cook your penne or gemelli or bucatini up to 48 hours before you want to serve it, but really, any time that day is fine. Once your noodles are finished boiling (al dente), you can take them out of the pot, while reserving some pasta water for
whatever beautiful sauce
youâll be making later that night. Martinez say you should take one or two tablespoons of olive oil and drizzle it onto your noodles, tossing them to make sure they are all coated. Once your noodles cool for about 15 minutes, dump them in a large Ziploc bag and put the sealed bag in the refrigerator.
Coating your noodles in olive oil is the key to this entire process. Not only does the oil give them a subtle flavor, it also helps to control moisture in the bag. Dry noodles are bad for business. When the moisture leaves the pasta, the noodles get sticky and clumpy. A coating of olive oil provides a barrier, keeping the moisture in, the air out, and your pasta fresh and separated.
Hit that pre-made pasta with a little chile pesto and grated egg. Photograph by Marcus Nilsson
Marcus Nilsson |
| Markdown | [Skip to main content](https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/make-ahead-pasta#main-content)
[SUBSCRIBE](https://www.bonappetit.com/v2/offers/baa01039?source=Site_0_JNY_BNA_DESKTOP_NAV_CTA_0_MARCH_2026_CTA_TEST_ZZ_PANELB)
[SUBSCRIBE](https://www.bonappetit.com/v2/offers/baa01039?source=Site_0_JNY_BNA_DESKTOP_NAV_CTA_0_MARCH_2026_CTA_TEST_ZZ_PANELB)
[Newsletter](https://www.bonappetit.com/newsletter?sourceCode=navbar)
[Recipes](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes)
[Drinks](https://www.bonappetit.com/drinks)
[Cooking](https://www.bonappetit.com/cooking)
[Shopping](https://www.bonappetit.com/shopping)
[Restaurants](https://www.bonappetit.com/restaurants)
[Culture](https://www.bonappetit.com/culture)
[Video](https://www.bonappetit.com/video)
[Sign In](https://www.bonappetit.com/auth/initiate?redirectURL=%2Ftest-kitchen%2Fcooking-tips%2Farticle%2Fmake-ahead-pasta&source=VERSO_NAVIGATION)
[Recipes](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes)
[Drinks](https://www.bonappetit.com/drinks)
[Cooking](https://www.bonappetit.com/cooking)
[Shopping](https://www.bonappetit.com/shopping)
[Restaurants](https://www.bonappetit.com/restaurants%20)
[Culture](https://www.bonappetit.com/culture)
[Video](https://www.bonappetit.com/video)
[Podcast](https://www.bonappetit.com/podcast/dinner-sos)
[Merch](https://shop.bonappetit.com/)
[Culinary Getaways](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/culinary-getaways)
[Bon Appétit Wine Shop](http://bonappetitwineshop.com/)
[Search](https://www.bonappetit.com/search)
[Sign In](https://www.bonappetit.com/auth/initiate?redirectURL=%2Ftest-kitchen%2Fcooking-tips%2Farticle%2Fmake-ahead-pasta&source=VERSO_NAVIGATION)
[Newsletter](https://www.bonappetit.com/newsletter?sourceCode=hamburgernav)
[](https://www.bonappetit.com/v2/offers/baa01039?source=Site_0_JNY_BNA_DESKTOP_NAV_ROLLOVER_0_MARCH_2026_CTA_TEST_ZZ_PANELB)
Get one year of unlimited access for just ~~\$6~~ \$3/monthâcancel anytime. [GET DIGITAL ACCESS](https://www.bonappetit.com/v2/offers/baa01039?source=Site_0_JNY_BNA_DESKTOP_PAYWALL_THIN_METER_ARTICLE_1_0_MARCH_2026_CTA_TEST_ZZ_PANELB)
[techniques](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/techniques)
# This Easy Trick Lets You Cook Pasta in Advance (!!)
You can cook your noodles hours before serving time. All you need is some olive oil, a large Ziploc bag, and your favorite pasta.
By [Alex Delany](https://www.bonappetit.com/contributor/alex-delany)
September 13, 2016
Christina Holmes
When you host a dinner party, timing is everything. Serving a few dishes that require different ingredients and techniques can make for a stressful night of cooking. Time management is key, and if youâre going to be serving pasta (because [everyone loves some pasta](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshow/favorite-pasta-recipes)), it's easy for your noodles to overcook while your mind is on seven other things. Luckily for you, there's a way to avoid the stress of making sure your pasta is cooked just right, exactly when you want it. With a bit of oil, a Ziploc bag, some water, and [your favorite pasta](https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/how-to-choose-the-right-type-of-pasta-for-a-sauce), you can cook noodles a day in advance and forget about them until a few minutes before serving. **Less anxiety. More pasta.**
According to senior food editor Rick Martinez, you can cook your penne or gemelli or bucatini up to 48 hours before you want to serve it, but really, any time that day is fine. Once your noodles are finished boiling (al dente), you can take them out of the pot, while reserving some pasta water for [whatever beautiful sauce](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshow/pasta-sauce-ideas) youâll be making later that night. Martinez say you should take one or two tablespoons of olive oil and drizzle it onto your noodles, tossing them to make sure they are all coated. Once your noodles cool for about 15 minutes, dump them in a large Ziploc bag and put the sealed bag in the refrigerator.
Coating your noodles in olive oil is the key to this entire process. Not only does the oil give them a subtle flavor, it also helps to control moisture in the bag. Dry noodles are bad for business. When the moisture leaves the pasta, the noodles get sticky and clumpy. A coating of olive oil provides a barrier, keeping the moisture in, the air out, and your pasta fresh and separated.
Hit that pre-made pasta with a little chile pesto and grated egg. Photograph by Marcus Nilsson
Marcus Nilsson
At this point, your noodles have been off-duty in the fridge for a while, but now itâs time to get them back in action. Serving time is near. Set your pasta pot on the stove and bring salted water to a boil. Now, you want to shock the pasta youâve already cooked in the boiling water. Martinez cautions that you shouldn't cook your noodles any more than theyâve already been cooked, so **a 30 second soak is all you need.** While talking to Martinez, he explained that the point here is to warm the pasta to serving temperature and remove most of the oil. Once your noodles have been warmed and strained, you can continue cooking them as if they were just brought out of the pot for the first time.
Watch
[Panda Express Began With This Legendary Chinese-American Restaurant](https://www.bonappetit.com/video/watch/on-the-line-panda-express-began-with-this-legendary-chinese-american-restaurant)
An extra 10 minutes makes a huge difference when you have 4 or 5 dishes to serve to a group of hungry people. Itâs all about finding ways to minimize frantic scrambling (and cold, ready-too-soon pasta), and this preemptive technique does just that. Even if you donât use your 10 minutes for your other dishes, at least youâll have some time to take a breath and [grab the magnum](https://www.bonappetit.com/drinks/wine/article/why-buy-magnum-wine) to pour a glass of wine for yourself.
You've got your noodles, now it's time to finish the job with [one of our favorite pasta recipes](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshow/favorite-pasta-recipes).
Editor in Chief Adam Rapoport Runs You Through [the Easiest Cheesiest Pasta](https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/fast-cacio-e-pepe-pasta):
Explore Bon Appétit[Noodle](https://www.bonappetit.com/ingredient/noodle)[Pasta](https://www.bonappetit.com/dish/pasta)[Test Kitchen](https://www.bonappetit.com/misc/test-kitchen)
### The best of BA in your inbox every day
Recipes to cook, products to add to your kitchen, and stories to bookmark for your lunch break.
Read More
- [Cooking Slice Your Loaf Cake Before You Bake It By Jesse Szewczyk](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/slit-cake-batter#intcid=recommendations_bon-appetit-article-bottom-recirc-recsys_df0712d1-91cd-4a0b-8dfa-435177fcba5b_roberta-similarity1_roberta-similarity_mongo_bucket)
- [Cooking Weâre Going to Stop Trying to Make âAlliumâ Happen By Chris Morocco](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/alliums-word-from-the-test-kitchen#intcid=recommendations_bon-appetit-article-bottom-recirc-recsys_df0712d1-91cd-4a0b-8dfa-435177fcba5b_roberta-similarity1_roberta-similarity_mongo_bucket)
- [Cooking 7 Smart Ways Our Editors Use Up a Bag of Frozen Peas By Nina Moskowitz](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/meals-our-editors-make-with-frozen-peas#intcid=recommendations_bon-appetit-article-bottom-recirc-recsys_df0712d1-91cd-4a0b-8dfa-435177fcba5b_roberta-similarity1_roberta-similarity_mongo_bucket)
- [Cooking How to Boil Eggs for Easy-to-Peel Results By Sarah Jampel](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/easy-peel-hard-boiled-eggs#intcid=recommendations_bon-appetit-article-bottom-recirc-recsys_df0712d1-91cd-4a0b-8dfa-435177fcba5b_roberta-similarity1_roberta-similarity_mongo_bucket)
- [Cooking WTF Is a Weeknight Recipe? By Chris Morocco](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-a-weeknight-recipe#intcid=recommendations_bon-appetit-article-bottom-recirc-recsys_df0712d1-91cd-4a0b-8dfa-435177fcba5b_roberta-similarity1_roberta-similarity_mongo_bucket)
- [Cooking Does Flour Go Bad? How to Tell If Itâs Still Good By Hannah Lee Leidy](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/does-flour-go-bad-article#intcid=recommendations_bon-appetit-article-bottom-recirc-recsys_df0712d1-91cd-4a0b-8dfa-435177fcba5b_roberta-similarity1_roberta-similarity_mongo_bucket)
- [Cooking ââOur Spring Cookbook Potluck Was a Salad Fest By Nina Moskowitz](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/our-spring-cookbook-potluck-was-a-salad-fest#intcid=recommendations_bon-appetit-article-bottom-recirc-recsys_df0712d1-91cd-4a0b-8dfa-435177fcba5b_roberta-similarity1_roberta-similarity_mongo_bucket)
- [Cooking Bone Broth Soup and More Recipes We Made This Week By The Bon Appétit Staff](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/recipes-bon-appetit-editors-cooked-april-2026#intcid=recommendations_bon-appetit-article-bottom-recirc-recsys_df0712d1-91cd-4a0b-8dfa-435177fcba5b_roberta-similarity1_roberta-similarity_mongo_bucket)
- [Cooking Almond Extract Can Make or Break Your Dessert By Emily Saladino](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-almond-extract-article#intcid=recommendations_bon-appetit-article-bottom-recirc-recsys_df0712d1-91cd-4a0b-8dfa-435177fcba5b_roberta-similarity1_roberta-similarity_mongo_bucket)
- [Cooking 10 Vibrant New Recipes to Lure You Out of Hibernation By Editors of Bon Appétit](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/spring-recipes-2026#intcid=recommendations_bon-appetit-article-bottom-recirc-recsys_df0712d1-91cd-4a0b-8dfa-435177fcba5b_roberta-similarity1_roberta-similarity_mongo_bucket)
- [Cooking Momâs Matzo Balls and More Recipes Weâre Cooking for Passover By Nina Moskowitz](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/recipes-bon-appetit-editors-are-cooking-for-passover#intcid=recommendations_bon-appetit-article-bottom-recirc-recsys_df0712d1-91cd-4a0b-8dfa-435177fcba5b_roberta-similarity1_roberta-similarity_mongo_bucket)
- [Culture Why Burlap & Barrel Is Suing the President By Ori Zohar](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/burlap-and-barrel-lawsuit#intcid=recommendations_bon-appetit-article-bottom-recirc-recsys_df0712d1-91cd-4a0b-8dfa-435177fcba5b_roberta-similarity1_roberta-similarity_mongo_bucket)
[](https://www.bonappetit.com/v2/offers/baa01039?source=Site_0_JNY_BNA_DESKTOP_FOOTER_0_MARCH_2026_CTA_TEST_ZZ_PANELB)
[](https://www.bonappetit.com/)
Recipes you want to make. Cooking advice that works. Restaurant recommendations you trust.
More from Bon Appétit
- [ABOUT US](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/about-us)
- [Masthead](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/digital-masthead)
- [Newsletter Signup](https://www.bonappetit.com/newsletter)
- [Bon Appétit Media Kit](http://www.condenast.com/brands/bon-appetit/)
- [EPICURIOUS](https://www.epicurious.com/)
- [Find Us on the Epicurious App](https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id312101965?pt=45076&ct=BA_Site_Footer&mt=8)
- [Archive](https://archive.bonappetit.com/)
- [Subscribe](https://www.bonappetit.com/subscribe)
Contact
- [Subscription FAQs](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/subscription-faq)
- [Manage Account](https://www.bonappetit.com/account/profile)
- [Careers](https://www.condenast.com/careers/)
- [Contact Us](https://www.bonappetit.com/info/contact-us)
- [User Agreement](https://www.condenast.com/user-agreement/)
- [Privacy Policy](http://www.condenast.com/privacy-policy#privacypolicy)
- [Your California Privacy Rights](http://www.condenast.com/privacy-policy#privacypolicy-california)
- [RSS Feeds](https://www.bonappetit.com/rss-feeds)
- [Site Map](https://www.bonappetit.com/sitemap)
- [Accessibility Help](https://www.bonappetit.com/story/accessibility-help)
- [Condé Nast Store](https://www.condenaststore.com/)
- Your Privacy Choices
© 2026 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. *Bon Appétit* may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. [Ad Choices](http://www.aboutads.info/)
Food Innovation Group |
| Readable Markdown | When you host a dinner party, timing is everything. Serving a few dishes that require different ingredients and techniques can make for a stressful night of cooking. Time management is key, and if youâre going to be serving pasta (because [everyone loves some pasta](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshow/favorite-pasta-recipes)), it's easy for your noodles to overcook while your mind is on seven other things. Luckily for you, there's a way to avoid the stress of making sure your pasta is cooked just right, exactly when you want it. With a bit of oil, a Ziploc bag, some water, and [your favorite pasta](https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/how-to-choose-the-right-type-of-pasta-for-a-sauce), you can cook noodles a day in advance and forget about them until a few minutes before serving. **Less anxiety. More pasta.**
According to senior food editor Rick Martinez, you can cook your penne or gemelli or bucatini up to 48 hours before you want to serve it, but really, any time that day is fine. Once your noodles are finished boiling (al dente), you can take them out of the pot, while reserving some pasta water for [whatever beautiful sauce](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshow/pasta-sauce-ideas) youâll be making later that night. Martinez say you should take one or two tablespoons of olive oil and drizzle it onto your noodles, tossing them to make sure they are all coated. Once your noodles cool for about 15 minutes, dump them in a large Ziploc bag and put the sealed bag in the refrigerator.
Coating your noodles in olive oil is the key to this entire process. Not only does the oil give them a subtle flavor, it also helps to control moisture in the bag. Dry noodles are bad for business. When the moisture leaves the pasta, the noodles get sticky and clumpy. A coating of olive oil provides a barrier, keeping the moisture in, the air out, and your pasta fresh and separated.
Hit that pre-made pasta with a little chile pesto and grated egg. Photograph by Marcus NilssonMarcus Nilsson |
| Shard | 144 (laksa) |
| Root Hash | 6389551939407734344 |
| Unparsed URL | com,bonappetit!www,/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/make-ahead-pasta s443 |