You've Been Cooking Pasta Completely Wrong

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Everyone, even people who claim not to cook, know how to boil pasta. It's literally as easy as boiling water and pouring dry pasta into a pot, right? Well, sort of. It turns out, there are SO many ways to mess up this simple preparation. Below, we break down some of the common mistakes made with cooking pasta. Are you guilty of these carb-y crimes? 😬

You're under-salting your pasta water.

Everyone knows to salt their pasta water, but most just add a pinch. In reality, you should be adding roughly 2 tablespoons of salt per pound of pasta. That might sound like a lot, but your pasta will be so much better for it. An adequately salted pot of water will result in perfectly seasoned pasta; an under-salted pot will leave your pasta bland and flat, no matter HOW delicious your sauce is.

You're cooking it too long.

More often than not, cooking times listed on pasta boxes are far too long. Start tasting your pasta 3 to 4 minutes sooner than the time on the box to be sure you're not boiling your pasta to mush. This is especially important if you're finishing your pasta in a pan with sauce—al dente is the goal here, since the pasta will continue cooking in the pan.

You're adding oil to your pasta.

Frankly, this does nothing. As long as you're stirring your pasta every once in awhile, you shouldn't have to worry about it sticking. Most of that oil will go down the drain any way, and any that clings to your pasta will prevent any sauce from sticking to it. No bueno.

You're tossing ALL the pasta water.

For many classic pasta dishes, (carbonara, for example) pasta water is essential for creating a velvety, delicious sauce. I like to set a glass measuring cup in the sink next to my colander to catch the first cup or so of pasta water. Later, when you're mixing your pasta with your sauce, you can add this reserved water a tablespoon or two at a time if your pasta seems dry. This starchy, salty liquid will give your sauce body and improve its texture. Regular water just won't cut it!

You're forgetting a lid.

I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but it's important! They say a watched pot never boils, but the truth is: an uncovered pot takes forever to boil. No lid? No excuse! Use a baking sheet! It worked for me all through college, and it'll work for you, too.

Your pot is too small.

I know it's tempting to boil pasta in the smallest pot possible. Resist! If all your noodles are crowded together, they'll cook unevenly. Give your pasta some space.

You're rinsing your pasta.

After pasta is drained, it retains a light coating of starch—think of it as the glue that sticks your sauce to the cooked pasta. If you rinse that starch away, the surface will be smooth and the sauce will have a harder time adhering. We want our pasta and sauce to be inseparable, so we prefer to keep that starchy coating.

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