I just had some of my mom’s leftover spaghetti, and I realized that it always has a slightly more bitter taste in the morning after being reheated. What causes this kind of reaction?

Question

It happens both when stored in pyrex or tupperware.
Ingredients aren’t anything unusual; onions, garlic, hamburger, tomato paste, etc.
Tastes sweeter when fresh off of the stove, but has a more bitter taste when reheated as leftovers.

In: 159

Answer 1

I can’t say I’ve experienced this reaction (pasta sauce always tastes better to me the next day, and not at all bitter). However, you mention garlic is in the ingredients. Overcooked/burnt garlic does get a very bitter flavor. It’s possible the hot, fresh sauce does a good job of covering this up but after it sits and the flavor gets absorbed into the pasta sauce this brings out the bitter flavor of the garlic.