Turn Your Leftover Spaghetti Into An Epic Sandwich

Using up leftover spaghetti can be pretty tricky. Whether you're reheating traditional marinara and meatballs or cheesy baked chicken parm pasta, it can be a struggle to keep your noodles from getting rubbery or drying out your pasta sauce. One ultra-delicious way to combat this is to simply sandwich your leftover spaghetti between two pieces of Texas toast or moist and zesty garlic bread. This may sound like a curious way to enjoy your leftovers, but we promise this superior sammie will be something you crave over and over again. 

The best way to build this sandwich is with intention. You'll want to assemble and cook it much like a super fancy and flavorful grilled cheese: butter and toast both sides of the bread to give it a bit more structure and an extra layer of browning; then you can twirl together some of your saucy leftover spaghetti and pile it between the bread, pressing it a little to secure the precious pasta within. After a few minutes, you'll want to very carefully flip the sandwich to ensure both sides get golden brown, and to help your spaghetti heat through.   

To turn this sammie up to 1000, we recommend making it on garlic bread. The richness of butter and zing of the garlic easily punch up the flavor of your spaghetti, bringing out the sweetness of the marinara and lightly coating your noodles. Using cheesy garlic bread takes this idea even further by adding additional moisture and salty, savory, nutty flavor via the gooey goodness of melted mozzarella.

Though this sandwich makes a deliciously carby and satisfying weeknight meal, midnight snack, or even a tasty breakfast, there are plenty of ways to jazz it up with ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. The most obvious choice for that is cheese — and nearly any kind will do. Mozzarella may be traditional, but don't be afraid to opt for cheddar or smoked gouda instead. Cheddar cheese and tomatoes are a match made in heaven, and smoked gouda gives a double-punch of buttery texture and smoky, bacon-y flavor.

If the combination of bread with pasta feels a little heavy, you can easily lighten things up with a healthy dose of acid from a number of craveable sources. Olives of any size or color elevate the flavors in the marinara with their bright brininess — bonus points if you opt for the garlic-stuffed version. Traditional giardiniera — Italian pickled veggies like carrots, celery, and cauliflower — also offers a tangy hit of flavor that plays beautifully against buttery toasted bread, cheese, and dense, chewy noodles.

One more way to zhuzh up your spaghetti sandwich that may even make it guest-worthy is to add protein. Even if your pasta noodles are already dressed in beefy bolognese, a few slices of prosciutto, crumbled bacon, or even some crisped pepperoni add salt, fat, and spices that can give your day-old pasta new life. You can even make it a true leftover sammie by adding grilled chicken or steak from a previous meal.