How To Cook Pasta
Grab all of my top tips to learn how to cook pasta perfectly every time. A great option for a quick and easy weeknight meal when tossed in a simple homemade sauce, or use cold in pasta salads. This foolproof method guarantees the best results when cooking dried pasta at home.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 5 quarts water
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 pound dried pasta
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and bring water to a full boil over high heat. Stir in the salt until dissolved.
- After the salt is dissolved, add the pasta to the boiling water, stir a few times to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- Boil pasta according to package directions, stirring occasionally, until al dente, or about 10 minutes. A couple of minutes before the suggested cooking time is up, taste the pasta. It's al dente if it's tender but still slightly firm in the middle.
- Reserve a small cup of cooking water to add to the sauce if needed. Drain over the sink and toss with desired sauce.
- If using the pasta in a salad, add to a colander and rinse with cold water for about 1 minute, stirring until cooled down.
Notes
Learning how to cook pasta isn’t difficult – just follow these tips and your pasta will come out perfect every time!
- The ideal water to pasta ratio is 5 quarts of water for every pound of pasta. It's also the golden rule according to Italians. This allows the pasta to move as it boils so that it doesn't stick together.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil before adding the spaghetti or pasta. If you start it in cold water it won't cook through evenly, or the pasta will sit in water longer and loose it's texture.
- Don't skip the salt! My rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon of salt for every 5 quarts of water. This adds flavor to the pasta for the best tasting finished dish.
- Always stir the water when you first add the pasta.
- Taste the pasta at least two minutes before reaching the time printed on the packaging, and then again a minute later to make sure you drain it just when it is al dente.
- Cook the pasta al dente. If you overcook it, the pasta can become mushy as it will continue to cook once it's drained, and again when added to a sauce.
- To help the sauce cling perfectly to the pasta, skip adding oil to the water or pasta after draining. Don’t rinse the pasta, and reserve some of the pasta water before you drain it to mix into the sauce (the starch in the pasta water helps the sauce stick to the pasta).
- If you use the pasta in a salad or a cold dish, rinse it with cool water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. You can also add a little bit of olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
Nutrition
Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1199mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
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