It won’t stick together like that if you actually wait for the water to come to a proper boil before you add the pasta
yes, this is the answer! patience! a proper boil that stays boiling until the pasta is done. no sticking ever. salt and oil are never needed in the cooking water.
You should still be salting your water. It does nothing to prevent the pasta sticking, but it does make it taste better.
I thought it was a texture thing. Otherwise, you could just add some salt to your sauce.
It’s not the same effect. Then the sauce will be salted, and the pasta will maybe absorb some of that salt.
But, in my opinion, that’s an inelegant solution.
I personally do not want any more salt in the pasta sauce than what’s already in there. I do, however, want my pasta to take in a little salt from the water.
For those reasons, I add a little salt to my water as it’s boiling
It changes the way the pasta itself tastes, and is very different from adding it it the sauce.
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Sea water has a salinity of around 35g/kg.
No one wants pasta water as salty as the sea - although unsalted water doesn’t sound much more appealing.
No one except everyone who wants their pasta to taste good. You need to add a ton of salt because most of it is going down the drain at the end.
Edit: ok, I stand corrected.
What you just said is that you want to add in the range of 50-70g of salt depending on the size of your pan. That’s too much salt
For fresh pasta yes, dried you don’t need as much salt
I read that quote regularly. Any clue who it originates from? I think it’s a romantic overstatement and does not hold as a general pasta rule. Salty pasta water is needed when you use a sauce or a pesto that has little salt in it. However, when using a particularly salty sauce or pesto, your end result can easily turn out too salty, if you put too much salt in the pasta water. When I make japanese miso-butter pasta for example, I don’t put any salt in the boiling water, because combined with the miso-butter, that would make the end result way too salty.
I use 2 tablespoons per pound of pasta.
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Seawater is two teaspoons salt per cup of water. That’s a little more than half a cup of salt per gallon of water. That is an unhealthy amount of salt.
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Damn, you guys are missing out.
Knorr salt bullions sounds like a missed oppo.
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Pasta water should be as salty as the sea, and it has nothing to do with sticking.
I’ll give you half as salty as the sea. not full hog
Nooo. You need the perfect amount of water so it reabsorbs it’s own juices. Succulent Cannibalism.
A bit of oil helps too
Oil that floats to the top of the water? Don’t see that helping much
All the oil is doing is helping the pan not boil over while on a high heat as it makes the formation of bubbles at the surface more difficult. So… it kind of helps because you can cook more easily at a high heat but yeah it does nothing for the pasta.
And of course as long as your cooking pot is large enough and you are actually being present, then there shouldn’t be any risk of it boiling over and thus no need for any oil.
I think your comment is the source of a lot of people’s problems with sticking pasta. If there pots aren’t big enough and stove not powerful enough, a large amount of pasta can cool the water enough to stop the boiling and the pasta will stick if not stirred.
It eventually gets absorbed by the pasta and makes it creamier. Unless you have too much water.
For small portions that probably will work. Plenty of times I’ve put pasta in only to have it stick if I don’t stir a little in the first minute or two. There’s just not enough room for the boiling to agitate the pasta enough to prevent sticking.
I think all you really need is a Knorr chicken stock cube.
For spaghetti? That kind of seems like a waste of a stock cube since most of that water is just going to get dumped at the end
It’s a meme. Supposed master chef Marco Pierre white was chilling for Knorr and made a video advocating this
Yeah, but he’s putting stock in the sauce not just throwing it into the water for boiling the pasta though
I wonder wtf you guys do to your pasta, it’s like the easiest thing to cook… Boil water, add salt, wait for the time written on the box (or just look at it, you’ll see when it’s done).
I don’t think they boil the water. Must be that. No other way I can think why it would stick.
If you don’t stir the pasta adequately after adding it to the pot that can make it stick together. Source: my husband does this all the freaking time.
Your stir at the beginning to ensure that each piece of pasta is properly engulfed by water. But after that there really shouldn’t be much need of stirring, the pasta moves around in the water on its own.
Sometimes I just hold the pot handle and swish it around slightly. Never had a problem with sticking. It seems like an infomercial problem.
Yeah, he usually just dumps it in and walks away. 🥴
I usually just snap mine in half, and throw it in boiling water with a bit of salt. I haven’t stirred pasta in years.
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Also, if the pan isn’t large enough the pasta will stick I think. I say I think because despite having cooked pasta hundreds of times I’ve never had this happen lol
pan
*visible confusion*
After cooking the pasta just short of done, many toss them in the sauce pan and let them finish cooking in the sauce for a more even pasta-to-sauce-distribution. Saves you the hassle of portioning your sauce.
Hmm I call the large “pans” that you boil water and make sauces in pans, but I assume you don’t in your country- presumably the USA? I’m not even sure what you would call them instead tbh
Or not stir at least once I guess.
I have never stirred pasta once in my life, it’s self stirring
That is not true, if you don’t stir at all, pasta will stick. To stir just once or twice is sufficient though.
I have never stirred pasta. I need you to understand this. I’m old, I’ve never once stirred pasta. I’ve made a lot of pasta.
I wait for the water to boil, I put salt in and question if this even does anything but I do it anyway, I put the pasta in then seven minutes or so later it’s done.
Salt bumps up the boiling temp of your water, and it also keeps the flavor of your noodles from leeching out. It’s very important
Yeah, I’ve read those theories, I’ve also seen people say it does nothing. I’ve forgotten and it’s made no difference. But I still do it. It’s worth noting you have to add a lot of salt to meaningfully change the boiling temperature.
Did you ever make spaghetti? When you put a bunch of them in the pot, one end of the bunch still sticks out and the bunch just stands there while the lower ends stick together.
I have made endless spaghetti and this has never ever been the case for me, ever.
Are you american? i gotta know if this is some american food is weird thing. american food is often weird. this is not something the rest of the world talks about.
I have never stirred pasta before, and never had it stick even once. Are you sure you’re waiting for the water to reach a full boil to add the pasta? At that point that air bubbles should be knocking it around enough that you don’t have to bother.
Did you ever make spaghetti? When you put a bunch of them in the pot, one end of the bunch still sticks out and the bunch just stands there, so no amount of bubbles is going to “knock them around”.
All you gotta do is push the ends that’re stocking out under once it’s soft enough. No stirring necessary. I suppose you can if that’s easier for you, but I don’t bother.
Editing in real quick though, I’ve never cooked high end pasta, so maybe that’s different. I’m broke, so it’s always the cheap stuff for me
Yeah but we prefer eating our pasta in lots of small pieces, not in one big log.
Source: first time my son was home alone and made spaghetti 😘
Yeah but we prefer eating our pasta in lots of small pieces, not in one big log.
Source: first time my son was home alone and made spaghetti 😘
What are you people doing to your pasta… I don’t even know what universe it would do that. How would it do that? Is this some American thing where American pasta isn’t made from wheat anymore but instead corn syrup?
Nah, they are probably letting it sit for 5 minutes after draining before they serve it.
If you don’t take care, and don’t stir, spaghetti might stick badly.
If you have enough water, hot enough, salt a bit, see to it that when you put the pasta in the water it’s not in a big lump, then it’s going to be okay.
I like to stir after a minute or three, but it’s mostly to see everything is okay like water temp.
Beginners might chuck it in colderer water, not stir spaghetti or whatever. Been there done that ☺️
Good night!
I bought cheap store brand pasta once. That was the only time I’ve ever had noodles stick together.
Did you buy pasta or noodles… I’m confused
Pasta is a type of noodles.
… you what.
I suppose you’ll tell me I’m the king of merry old England next
What do you think the difference is?
It’s a trap! Don’t answer that!
Truest thing I’ve read this morning. O/P better have a strong umbrella by the computer… if they dare.
Noodles are synonymous with east Asian cuisine, come in varieties such as soba, egg, glass, upon, etc.
Pasta is synonymous with Italian cuisine and comes in varieties such as penne, tortellini, spaghetti, rigatoni, etc.
Some bad celebrity chef at some point told Americans that you have to put olive oil in the water to prevent sticking.
Like…no. Just stir it occasionally lol
Americans and oil. Name a more iconic duo.
Ooh ooh! Pasta and sauce!
Italians and pasta!
Stir at the beginning for 45 seconds so that the pasta don’t stick then let the boiling water move the pasta and cook them. Simple.
Like…no. Just stir it occasionally lol
Why? It doesn’t stick while its in the water either way (for me at least, maybe the starch content varies enough to change that around the world).
put olive oil in the water*
*This recipe is sponsored by Sovena.
It’s a shitty pasta fault. Good pasta does not stick, simply boil water add salt put pasta in.
If you throw the pasta on the wall and it sticks, it’s done. If you don’t want to use the wall, use the inside of the microwave’s door.
Or put it in your mouth and taste like a normal person.
Please don’t throw your pasta.
Cooking pasta correctly is an art, but there are some basic rules to follow if you want consistent results.
If you want to avoid this situation in particular, take the pasta out just before it’s done along with about 1/4 cup of the water and add both to your sauce and finish cooking the pasta there. You’ll end up with pasta that is cooked perfectly with a sauce that readily adheres to each noodle and no stickyness
This is the way. Once I learned the pasta water trick, I never looked back.
Don’t you just end up with shitty, watery sauce?
The pasta water helps thicken the sauce and makes it more stickier, same way the cornstarch water slurry works.
No
Let me rephrase: how do you NOT end up with shitty, watery sauce?
Well, you only use a bit of the pasta water, it depends how much tomato sauce you’re making.
Pull out about a cup of the pasta water.
Dump the pasta. Don’t rinse the pasta, ever.Now either slowly pour in a bit of the pasta water into the sauce, stir it, look at it, there should be a sheen. The pasta water makes the red sauce very silky.
Or, take a frying pan, turn the heat on. Add butter and olive oil. When the butter gets melted, dump diced veggies (or not) into the pan. Cook the vegetables to almost desired tenderness. Dump garlic in for no more than one minute.
Dump some pasta water in, just a little, and throw the pasta on top. Mix it up. After a short time, 15 seconds maybe, pour the red sauce on top of the spaghetti and veggies, stir.
After about a minute or so, add pasta water, just a bit. Stir. Taste. Is it shiny and silky? If not add a little more water. Repeat until it’s tasty.Rinsing the pasta is fine for making a cold pasta salad or something like that, removing the free starch stops it from sticking. But for a dish with sauce, definitely don’t rinse.
The sauce itself should be quite thick before adding the pasta water. I let my bolognese reduce for at least an hour and a half before starting to boil water for the pasta.
Let the water evaporate, duh. You can also add cream or cheese to the sauce.
How much is one cup? A big one or a small one? I have several
237 mL. It’s a US unit.
Edit: I just realized I have a 2-cup measuring cup and I’ve never noticed how weird that sounds until now.
use the biggest one you have. fill it up to the top then throw that shit away.
12 tbsp.
This shouldn’t happen unless you overcook your pasta. When the water starts boiling, toss in some salt and then the pasta. Wait for length of time on the pasta package. Then remove from heat and drain. If it still gets sticky, buy a better quality pasta.
If you cook with less water, you need to stir.
I have never once oiled my pasta water. I have also never once had my pasta stick. Just add enough water, boil, salt, pasta. Cook til it’s done, I literally never stir the pasta. Test for texture every so often. Drain, save some water for marrying with the sauce better.
Edit cool -> cook ty autocorrect.
Save the rest of water to make risotto next day.
Not the way I salt my water… Yuck
I’ve never oiled my pasta water before. It’s really simple: use the minumum amount of water to fully boil the pasta, salt the water, wait until the water comes to a full boil, then put the pasta in, regular spaghetti takes about 6-7 minutes to become al dente.
Oil the pasta after you strain it is the way you prevent it from sticking together.
If you use the minimum and precise amount of water, water will be completely evaporated when pasta is done, so you won’t have to strain. I don’t know why, but this makes pasta so much tasteful.
It’s saltier because all the salt you added is now on the pasta instead of a bunch starting in the water and going down the drain when you strain it
Yeah but also has like another taste (I don’t salt much)… Maybe starch or something?
Never had pasta stick in the boiling water, dunno what some people are doing to their pasta here. Best thing is just taking it right from the boiling water to the sauce before it’s done, add some pasta water in there, last thing toss a bit of olive oil in. Throw basil on top to serve if extra fancy.
Gluten free pasta is much worse. If you don’t stir it a lot for the first 3-4 minutes it WILL stick together.
About with what others have said, you should not stir it so often or you damage it! Usually I stir it only about twice during the boil.
If you cook in 5-10l of water you will dilute the starch and the pasta won’t stick. Also if you mix the sauce through the pasta post cooking and let it rest for 5-10 mins it will soak up the sauce
Just cut the pasta short, problem solved.
Heretic!
Heretic!
Noodles are tasty
That’s all I know, and at this point I’m afraid to learn more
I’m
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It’s really about flavor, not some magic chemistry. The noodles absorb what’s in the water as they cook.
Oily noodles don’t fuse with the sauce that well. If you want olive oil flavor in your dish, add it after tossing the noodles in the sauce.
Who said oily? A small amount, like a teaspoon, of EVOO in a giant pot and you’re good.
I’ve always done the salt and prob a tablespoon of vegetable oil (yeah I’m a pleb). usually make my own sauce or will add simmered vegetables to a store bought base.
Oil in your pasta water does literally nothing, just skip it.
I don’t like vegetable oils if I am using a tomato sauce–I don’t think it goes well together. If I’m doing Mac-n-Cheese, then yes, Otherwise it’s olive oil.
That’s fair
The older I get, the more varied the collection of oils and vinegars I have becomes.
I use apple vinegar to catch fruit flies and white vinegar to keep various laundry items odor free, plus it’s good for the front loading washing machine. I have to say though, cooking with various vinegars is beyond my capabilities.
I’ll tell you what blew my mind and opened a world for me. Please give this a try next time you make rice, with luck it does the same for you.
Use a rice cooker and prepare as normal. Before starting the cycle, add in about a teaspoon of salt and about 2 teaspoons of either rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar. Mix well then cook as usual. Adjust for the stovetop method if you don’t have a rice cooker.
I find that the rice wine vinegar works better, but that the cider vinegar works just fine. You’re going to worry that you put in too much vinegar because you can smell it a little while it’s cooking. But guess what? You didn’t. That little bit of acidity in contrast with the slight sweetness of the rice starch balances out.
I’ve also recently learned of the flavor triangle. You’re meant to balance sweet, salty, and bitter. The recipe above does that for rice.
Last tdbit: my chef friend turned me on to this, and it’s all I use now:
https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Luck-Niko-Rice-Calrose/dp/B00IBQ2YFE
Moral: don’t be afraid of vinegar. Play with it a bit and see what you like.
Amazing answer! I’m going to store it and use it. Thank you.
Albin kinda rhymes with Italian so it must be true
Everything is an illusion bro… 🫣
