How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time
A few small habits stand between you and truly great pasta.
A simple guide to cooking pasta the right way, covering water ratios, salt, timing, and the pasta water trick that ties a whole dish together.
Pasta feels foolproof, which is exactly why so many small mistakes slip through unnoticed. A few adjustments make a noticeable difference in the final bowl.
Use More Water Than Feels Necessary
A crowded pot cools down the moment pasta hits it, which leads to gummy, unevenly cooked noodles. Use a large pot with plenty of room so the water stays at a rolling boil the whole time.
Salt the Water Like You Mean It
Pasta water should taste noticeably salty, close to seawater. This is the only chance the pasta itself has to actually absorb seasoning, since very little salt makes it into the noodles once they're drained.
Set a Timer for a Minute Less Than the Box Says
Most pasta finishes cooking in the sauce, not just the water. Pulling it slightly early and finishing it in a hot pan with sauce gives you noodles that actually taste like they belong with what's on them.
Save a Cup of Pasta Water Before Draining
That starchy, salty water is the secret to a sauce that clings instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. A splash whisked into butter, oil, or cream sauce brings everything together into something glossy and cohesive.
Don't Rinse It
Rinsing washes away the starch that helps sauce stick to the noodles in the first place. The only exception is pasta going into a cold salad, where rinsing stops the cooking and keeps things from clumping.