How to store soup, rice, and pasta
Where to keep soup, cooked rice, and sauced pasta so leftovers stay safe and the texture is still worth eating.
Soup
Cool soup in a wide container, not a deep pot left on the stove. Refrigerate within two hours. Most vegetable, chicken, and bean soups keep for three to four days in the refrigerator. Leave a little headspace if you freeze a portion, and thaw it in the refrigerator.
Noodles in chicken noodle soup keep drinking the broth. If you can, store the noodles apart and add them when you reheat a bowl.
Cooked rice
Cool cooked rice quickly and refrigerate it within two hours. Do not leave a pot of rice on the counter overnight. Use refrigerated rice within three to four days, and reheat it until it is steaming. Fried rice is a good next-day use because the rice must be cold before it hits the pan.
Pasta
Sauced pasta keeps for three to four days in the refrigerator. It thickens as it sits. Loosen it with a splash of water or broth when you reheat it in a skillet over medium heat. Baked pasta such as a frittata's neighbor, a cheesy skillet, or stuffed shells can be portioned and reheated covered so the edges do not dry out.