Vodka sauce, one of the most unique pasta sauces can be made in advance and stored in the fridge or the freezer. When you are ready to use it you can then reheat it. However, it is important to know that, when vodka sauce is reheated the wrong way you can end up sacrificing its creamy flavour and texture. In order to avoid that, the article below highlights a step by step guide on how to reheat vodka sauce. So carefully follow the instructions in order to achieve the best results.
Contents
What is vodka sauce?
Vodka sauce is an Italian-American type of sauce that contains vodka as one of its main ingredients. Some of the other ingredients found in a vodka sauce include tomatoes, cream, garlic and onion.
Reheat vodka sauce on a stove
NB: this is the most recommended method for reheating leftover vodka sauce. This is because it retains the flavour and texture of the vodka sauce.
Step 1
In order to reheat vodka sauce on the stove, the first step is to take a saucepan and place it on a stove that is turned on between medium and low heat.
Step 2
Pour the vodka sauce into the saucepan and let it reheat for a couple a minutes. The exact time that the vodka sauce takes to reheat is depended on the quantity you are reheating.
Step 3
Once the vodka sauce has reheated, remove it from the stove and serve with your favourite pasta.
Reheat vodka sauce in the microwave
NB: this method is ideal for reheating vodka sauce that is mixed with pasta. However, if you do decide to reheat vodka sauce on its own then you have to prepare yourself since the sauce will leave splatters in your microwave.
Step 1
In order to reheat vodka sauce in the microwave, the first thing that you need to do is to place the vodka sauce and pasta in a bowl. Add a 2 tablespoons of water to the bowl.
Step 2
Place the bowl in the microwave and reheat the pasta with vodka sauce for 1 minute. After that remove it from the microwave and gently stir it. Place it back into the microwave and reheat for another minute. When you take it out, check the temperature of the pasta and vodka sauce. If the dish has heated up, serve it immediately and if not, pop it back into the microwave for another minute.
Reheat vodka sauce in the oven
NB: this method is ideal for reheating pasta mixed with vodka sauce however, if you are desperate and only need to reheat the vodka sauce on its own, then you can consider this method.
Step 1
When reheating vodka sauce in the oven the first thing that you have to do is to preheat the oven to 350F.
Step 2
While the oven is heating up, take a take an oven safe dish and place the vodka sauce inside. Cover the dish with aluminium foil, this will help to trap heat inside so that the vodka sauce can reheat evenly.
Step 3
Place the vodka sauce in the oven and let it reheat for 10 to 15 minutes or until completely reheated. When the vodka sauce is ready, remove it from the oven and serve immediately.
NB: avoid reheating leftover vodka sauce more than once as you will be exposing it to bacteria.
How to store vodka sauce
If you find yourself with leftover vodka sauce you need to store it the right way or else it will get contaminated before you can even reheat it. Below are 2 widely recommended methods for storing vodka sauce which you should definitely try out.
Store vodka sauce in the fridge
NB: this method stores vodka sauce for 4 to 5 days.
In order to store vodka sauce in the fridge, the first step is to allow the vodka sauce to cool down at room temperature. This is because if you place it in the fridge while hot, it will alter the temperature of the fridge. This will then affect the shelf life of most foods in the fridge. When the vodka sauce has cooled down, transfer it into an airtight container and store in the fridge. Use the vodka sauce within 4 to 5 days or else you risk the chances of getting sick.
Store vodka sauce in the freezer
NB: this method stores vodka sauce for up to 6 months.
When storing vodka sauce in the freezer, the first thing that you need to do is to let the vodka sauce cool down at room temperature. Once it has cooled, divide the vodka sauce into meal sized portions. This will help you especially when you want to thaw the vodka sauce. So instead of thawing all the vodka sauce you can simply thaw the one you want to use at that particular time. Place the vodka sauce into air tight containers or freezer bags. Do not fill the vodka sauce all the way to the top, you need to leave a little bit of room for expansion. Label the freezer bags with the date in which you are placing the vodka sauce in the freezer and also indicate how many people each portion of vodka sauce serves. Store the vodka sauce in the freezer for up to 6 months.
How to thaw vodka sauce
In order to thaw vodka sauce, simply take it out of the freezer and place it in the fridge. Let it thaw in the fridge for a couple of hours. Avoid thawing vodka sauce on a countertop since you will be exposing it to bacteria.
NB: once vodka sauce has been thawed and reheated do not place it back into the fridge or freezer as you will be exposing it to bacteria.
Conclusion
Vodka sauce can be reheated using 3 different methods. However, always choose a method that is more convenient for you. Remember to always store vodka sauce the right way if you intend on reheating it. The fridge provides short term storage while the freezer provides long term storage.
