We’ve all heard the phrase “it tastes better the next day” when applied to batches of chili, stews, sauces, and soups. While some people stand by this, is there science to back this claim?
The answer is both a yes and a no, sort of. What makes certain things taste better the next day varies from ingredient to ingredient.
What tastes better the next day?
Canned ingredients like tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and beans taste better the next day. The raw tinniness associated with canned products is reduced significantly with a stint in the fridge.
Excessive heat can be mellowed with time in the fridge. Things like chili powders or fresh slices of jalapeño can lose their painful sharpness after a day of cooling in the fridge.
Strong dried herbs like sage, rosemary, oregano, and cinnamon all can have a raw and unpleasant strength to them that naturally mellows out and blends with the other ingredients.
Large cuts or cubes of meat taste significantly better the next day. After the dish is pulled off of the heat, the food continues cooking in a process called carryover cooking. The residual cook time and rest time, breaks down the gelatin and tough fibers of meat, making them more tender after the first serving.
Rice in a dish like a chili or stew tastes better the next day, absorbing the flavors of the sauce and meat, making a more well-blended dish.
Homemade chicken, turkey, beef, and seafood stock taste more developed the next day thanks to gelatin and proteins from the meat and bones breaking down.
What tastes not so good the next day?
Fresh herbs like parsley and basil taste significantly blander or even lacking flavor, but the problem can simply be resolved with an extra pinch of fresh herbs.
Noodles and pasta have a negative reaction to carryover cooking. The once al dente carb can become a mushy mess that can negatively alter the texture of the soup or stew it’s in.
Rice can fall into both categories. When it comes to soup, rice absorbs the broth of a soup, meaning you’ll have to make more broth (or separate the rice from the soup before putting it in the fridge). Depending on the rice and the cooking time, the rice can become overcooked due to carryover cooking and become too mushy.
While excessive heat is cooled down by a stint in the fridge, mild or subtle elements of spice can be washed out as it becomes a leftover. A few additional dashes can spice up leftovers without drastically altering the taste and texture of a recipe.
Watery vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and Chinese cabbage are prone to becoming too mushy as a leftover. While the breakdown of these vegetables can make for a more cohesive dish, the excess water released from the vegetables can alter the thickness of the broth or sauce.
Vegetable stocks can lose their complex contrast and become more mellow due to an absence of fat and protein found in meat-based counterparts.
Want to know certain recipes that taste better the next day? Check out a list of our recipes here!