Your first instinct might be to nuke it in the microwave. Resist that urge like you’d resist eating a whole cake at 11 p.m.—possible, but not ideal. Microwaving frozen pasta directly often turns it into a rubbery mess, especially if it’s a shape like spaghetti or penne.
Instead, think of pasta as a sleepy bear that needs to wake up slowly. The best method is low and slow: let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Place the frozen block in a covered bowl or Ziploc bag, and just let it chill out (literally) for 6 to 12 hours. By morning, it’ll be soft enough to handle without turning into mush.
But what if you’re in a hurry? No worries—you’ve got options. Just don’t pick the microwave until you’ve tried the water bath trick.
