1. Uncooked Pasta
If the pasta is uncooked, you can store it in its original packaging or an airtight container for up to two years. Check the best-used-by date on the pasta packaging for the manufacturer's recommendation on just how long the pasta will remain fresh. Marking the date you bought the pasta on the package is also a useful reminder on which pasta is oldest. Use the first-in, first-out system to rotate out and cook the pasta closest to the one-year expiration time. Make sure that the place where you store the uncooked pasta is cool and dry to keep the pasta edible.
2. Cooked Pasta
Once you have cooked the pasta, place it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The pasta will stay good for about three to five days. To help the pasta maintain a good consistency, you may want to add a half teaspoon of oil for every pound of cooked pasta you store in the fridge. Also, do not store the sauce with the pasta; instead store them separately because the sauce can affect the viability of the refrigerated pasta.
3. Freeze
You can freeze pasta, but there are types of pasta better suited for freezing, including manicotti, lasagna, ziti and jumbo-shelled pasta. Most of these pastas are great in baked pasta dishes. You will obtain the best results if your make the recipe for the pasta and then freeze it before baking the dish. Then, you want to thaw the frozen pasta at room temperature before you bake it.
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