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With a tiny bit of planning, you can have rich, yummy pasta sauce ready for fast dinners, rather than relying on store-bought. When life gets chaotic and you don’t have time to whip up a sauce from scratch, just defrost some from the freezer. Bam – fast dinner ready in minutes! Gotta love having those frozen sauces ready to go and sure makes throwing together a last minute meal simple. Just boil some noodles, heat the sauce, and dinner’s served. Freezing pasta sauce lets you be ready for those nights you need some shortcuts.
Here’s everything there is to know about how to correctly freeze your pasta sauce, ensuring that it retains all the delectably rich flavours and remains super smooth when you finally thaw out.
Types of Vegan Pasta Sauce That Freeze Well
Nearly all vegan pasta sauces freeze well, although a little special treatment might be needed for some. Here’s what you need to know:
Veggie-Loaded Sauces: If your sauce has tons of veggies in it simply undercook them a little bit so they don’t get mushy or soft during the reheating process.
Tomato-Based Sauces: classic marinara, puttanesca, or lentil bolognese freeze extremely well. Actually, the flavours can even mature and enhance with time.
Pesto: pesto freezes beautifully, just skip the nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan until you are ready to use it. Freeze pesto in ice cube trays for small, easy-to-thaw servings.
Cashew or Nut-Based Cream Sauces: other cream sauce options, like vegan alfredo and creamy roasted red pepper sauce are also safe to freeze, but they may separate a little as you heat them up. Reheat carefully and whisk until smooth again.
Step-by-Step Guide to Freezing Vegan Pasta Sauce
1. Cool the Sauce Completely
- Give your sauce time to cool off to room temperature first before freezing it. That keeps condensation from forming which can bring on icy crystals and ruin the texture of the sauce.
2. Choose Freezer-Safe Containers
- Glass Jars: just be sure they are freezer safe and leave a little room at the top for expansion.
- Freezer Bags: lay them flat inside the freezer to store more efficiently and for faster thawing.
- Reusable Silicone Containers: A sustainable, eco-friendly option that works well for freezing sauces.
- Muffin Tray (like I used in my video): pour neatly into each muffin cup (so they look nice and even), filling right up to the top but making sure you have a little room for expansion from freezing. A regular muffin tray is great for 1/2 cup portions making it a super easy single serving.
3. Portion the Sauce
- Divide the sauce up into meal size portions and freeze them so you can take out just what your need to make a quick dinner. That way, it saves on waste and re-heats more quickly.
4. Label and Date Everything
- the general rule is that you can freeze pasta sauce for up to 3 months before you notice any flavour or texture changes. It might technically last even longer if you’re not too picky, but why risk a funky marinara? I’d say label that container with a date and use it up within 90 days.
How to Thaw and Reheat Vegan Pasta Sauce
1. Thaw in the Refrigerator
- Transfer your pasta sauce from the freezer to the fridge and let it thaw overnight. This slower thawing technique is less likely to damage the texture and flavour of your sauce.
2. Quick Thaw Option
- For a faster method, place the sealed bag or container of sauce in a bowl of warm water. Stir occasionally to help it thaw evenly.
3. Reheating Tips
- Slowly heat tomato based sauces in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat stirring occasionally. If the sauce is too thick add some water, vegetable broth or plant-based milk.
- For creamy cashew-based sauces, reheat gently and whisk well to keep the sauce from breaking. To bring back the creaminess, add just a little bit of unsweetened plant milk.
How to Reheat Pasta Sauce in the Microwave
- Transfer to a Microwave-Safe Dish:
- place the pasta sauce in a bowl that is safe for use in the microwave. Do not heat in plastic containers unless specifically marked microwave-safe as some plastics release chemicals into food when heated.
- Cover the Sauce:
- cover the bowl with a microwave-safe cover, microwave-safe plate or even a wet paper towel. This keeps the moisture from escaping and helps keep that sauce from splattering all over your microwave.
- Heat in Short Intervals:
- set the microwave to medium-low power (around 70%) so as not to overheat. Begin with 30-second intervals. Stir sauce after each interval; the 4th or even 5th interval may be needed to avoid hot spots. It helps to retain an even consistency as well.
- Add Liquid if Necessary:
- in case your sauce has thickened up or dried out a little whilst reheating, simply mix in a splash of water, vegetable broth or plant-based milk to get the consistency back. Serve immediately.