Ever eat something from your fridge after a big dinner and discover something magical? You’re not imagining things as science has your back. There are foods that taste better when consumed immediately, while there are other foods that taste even better when they’re left overnight. Today, we’re bringing you the 9 foods that taste even better when you eat them the next day. This will make you look inside your fridge for leftovers!
9. Banana Bread
It’s a fact that banana bread tastes even better with age. The science behind it lies in its moisture migration and starch retrogradation. When banana bread comes out of the oven, the starches are in a gelatinized state, and the moisture is unevenly distributed. But over the next 24 hours, the starches return to their structure, which creates a tender crumb. The natural sugars of the banana also develop and concentrate to make the bread sweeter.
8. Pasta Sauces
Nothing competes with a homemade pasta sauce developed overnight. Well, the magic happens through flavor melding, wherein the herbs, garlic, onions, and tomatoes interact with one another to create a new flavor. As the sauce cools and sits, the oil redistributes to allow a more subtle flavor. Now, if your sauce contains meat, then the proteins will break down slightly, which releases amino acids for the umami.
7. Bean Salads
Your mom was probably on to something when she made her three-bean salad a day ahead before the potluck. Bean salads are like edible sponges that get better overnight. Why? The starchy legumes absorb the acidic dressing that allows flavors to fill each bean. Meanwhile, the vinegar in bean salad dressings also helps break down the beans’ cells while making them receptive to flavor.
6. Soups
There’s a reason why chicken soup tastes better the next day. Soup is a flavor laboratory where you give time for ingredients to offer their best qualities. When soup sits overnight, the vegetables release their natural juices to absorb the seasoned broth. If it contains meat, then the proteins break down to release their glutamates that enhance the umami flavor. Even the salt has enough time to fill the ingredients from inside and out.
5. Braised Dishes
Pot roast does taste better over time, so you don’t get to complain about it. The science behind this is the collagen transformation and the concentration of flavors. During cooking, the tough collagen in meat breaks down into gelatin. As it cools down in the fridge, the gelatin becomes silky, trapping the flavors. When you reheat the dish, the gelatin melts again, intensely releasing its flavors. Even the spices have enough time to infuse the dish.
4. Stews
The science behind stew is one big process that happens as time goes by. First, the collagen in tough cuts of meat breaks down even after cooking, so it becomes gelatin. Next, the vegetables, such as the root variety, release starches that naturally thicken the stew while absorbing the cooking liquid. The fat-soluble flavor compounds from herbs and spices also fill the stew, creating an intense flavor.
3. Curries
Always let your curry develop overnight for a flavor explosion as it ages. When cooking curry, you’re creating a complex process like the dispersion of water and oil, and the aromatic herbs and spices, along with other ingredients. Overnight rest allows for melding, wherein fat-soluble compounds in spices migrate into the oil and coconut milk. Meanwhile, the water-soluble ones distribute throughout the sauce. The proteins from the meat or veggies also break down to contribute to the umami.
2. Lasagna
Lasagna is the dish that needs time to reach its full potential. Since you’re creating layers of separate components, you should give the ingredients time to infiltrate one another overnight. Why? The pasta sheets absorb the moisture from the sauce, becoming tender as the sauce intensifies the flavor. It’s all in the tomato’s acidity that breaks down proteins in the cheese and meat. As you reheat the lasagna, the cheese melts, which becomes a creamy layer.
1. Chili
For centuries, people have been making chili taste better the next day. Why? The blending of spices takes time to balance for overnight rest. The fat from the meat and added oils acts as a carrier for the fat-soluble flavor that allows even distribution. The proteins from the meat also break down to release glutamates and enhance their umami flavor. Also, the bean absorbs the seasoned cooking liquid to flavor it. That’s the secret to getting the best-tasting chili.