Pasta in hot flask

[Pringleface]

I sometimes need to take a hot flask meal to work. Everyone seems to recommend macaroni cheese which I love but I’ve tried it a couple of times now and it just comes out mushy.

I make loads of sauce and keep it fairly runny then cook the pasta for about 5 mins so it’s still very al denté, then mix it in with the sauce in the flask. The problem is that I have to make it several hours before I can eat it. Both times, by the time I open it, it’s still hot but is basically just a cheesy mush because it’s been cooking in the flask.

I’d really like to be able to take pasta in the flask because it’s quick and versatile but I need to stop it overcooking in the flask.

If anyone has any tips, I’d be grateful! Tia.

Could you just put the sauce in a ziplock bag and put it on top of the pasta in the flask, then pour it and mix it in when your ready to eat it?

Some really good ideas here, thank you!

Definitely liking the blue cheese and gnocchi suggestions too.

When Covid meant children had to eat lunch outside at school, DS took tinned ravioli in a flask (and sponge and custard in another one) so it can be done. Your version's probably healthier. Either embrace the mush, and use something like orzo, or go for wholewheat pasta, so it's got more substance to it.

This ☝
The pasta becomes mush from cooking in residual heat. If you can cook the pasta al dente and drain it then run it under cold water to cool it, it will stop cooking. If your cheese sauce can stay room temperature that will reduce the odds it will become mush. But that defeats the point of the flask, right? Because you don't get hot food. So you could just bring the room-temperature Mac & cheese in a Tupperware, no flask. Or if you want hot pasta, try cooling the noodles but add the cheese sauce hot. At least the pasta will need to heat up first before it overcooks and worst, it'll be only the top touching the sauce that gets mush.

Dry pasta and extra water should work
also there are flasks available that will heat up so keep it cold until you're almost ready to eat and then heat.
Possibly from Lakeland?

It's the sauce that's the problem, it makes the pasta mushy. Go with a pesto as that doesn't have as much moisture, but oil and ingredients such coat it.
Or just butter and Parmesan if you need the cheese hit.

Could you just put the pasta in a separate container?

Have you got access to a kettle? When we camp we cook pasta by just shoving it uncooked in boiling water, covering and leaving to stand. Takes 20 mins to half an hour so you'd need to be pre prepared but could work. maybe try quick cook stuff.

Let it cool off a bit before you put it in the flask.