Add Egg To Soften Up Tough Leftover Pasta

We've all been there. You have some leftover pasta in the fridge, and it was delicious last night, but today, it's not looking too good. Leftover pasta is one of life's inevitabilities, and to be fair, it's one we're very happy about. Still, knowing how to reheat leftovers in the best possible way is something we all must strive for. Luckily, there's a great way to save leftover pasta that you've probably never heard about, and all it requires is one key ingredient you may already have in your fridge — an egg.

Cracking a single raw egg into your leftover pasta before reheating it may sound unusual, but it will keep your meal from becoming gummy and tough, thanks to the addition of this fresh, liquidy food. And while microwaving often seems like the easiest way to reheat leftovers, for this method, frying will add new life to your pasta, because it allows you to stir the egg and pasta together while they cook. It's a much better way to give leftovers a perfectly even temperature and refreshed texture.

You can mix the pasta and egg together with your sauce and cheese in a skillet with a bit of olive oil, and you'll have perfectly reheated pasta in no time at all. If you prefer your noodles to be a bit on the crispier side, rather than soft, you can add the egg slowly as you cook it in the skillet. Letting the combined ingredients breathe like this will prevent the noodles from getting mushy and allow them to crisp up without leaving them hard or dry.

This method can also help if you find your pasta sauce separating while reheating it. Whisk the egg in quickly as a binder to get the sauce back to its original form. Indeed, while many of us head straight to the microwave when reheating a meal — without adding any new ingredients — it's better to use these simple techniques the next time you're having leftover pasta. An egg, a bit of olive oil, and a frying pan can make all the difference when it comes to enjoying your meal the second time around.