Pasta’s a great quick-and-easy dinner for busy nights – just boil, cook and serve. But for the busiest nights, here’s something even better: make-ahead pasta you can reheat in an instant.

Cook ahead. After a long day at work, pasta that’s cooked ahead, frozen or refrigerated can be a lifesaver. Pop it in the microwave, top it with a jar of sauce and serve it up.

Make-ahead casseroles. Pasta is a great ingredient for make-ahead one-dish meals. You can freeze everything from lasagna to hamburger-macaroni casserole – the options really are endless. Either bake it to reheat before eating, or just have it ready for the oven on busy days.

More freezeables: Homemade chicken noodle soup and hamburger soup with small pasta shells are great options for the freezer. You can freeze individual portions to reheat faster, or thaw a full container in the ’fridge before heating in the microwave.