21 Hacks For Making Pasta You Need To Know
There are more than 50 types of pasta to choose from, including some fan favorites like spaghetti, fettuccine, rigatoni, lasagna, penne, farfalle, and ziti. And if reading through that list of words brought a smile to your face, then chances are you're one of those fans. There is so much to love about pasta — it's warm, delicious, and can serve as the perfect comfort food. It allows for a wide range of dish options due to the many different sauce and recipe options that you can prepare it with.
Whether you've been cooking pasta for decades or are simply ready to finally try your hand at making this mealtime staple, there are several hacks to keep in mind. Using these tips and tricks can help ensure that each batch of pasta you make is cooked to perfection. You'll also find that these hacks can lessen your time in the kitchen by simplifying your recipe.
1. Choose a large enough pot
Choosing a large enough pan and adding enough water is essential when cooking pasta. If you cram your pasta into a pot that isn't large enough or into one that doesn't have enough water, the pasta isn't going to have sufficient space to cook. The noodles need room to move around. Otherwise, they may end up sticking to it or one another.
For this reason, it is important to use a minimum of 4 quarts of water for each pound of pasta you are cooking — most store-bought pasta packages weigh around 1 pound. To comfortably fit 4 quarts of water into a pot, you'll need one that has at least a 6-quart capacity. If the pot isn't at least this large, it is going to be too full, and the water may boil over. If you're planning to double a recipe, you'll need even more water — typically at least 8 quarts. If you don't have a big pasta pot, then perhaps you should consider investing in one.
2. Always salt the water
You cannot — or, at least, should not — make pasta without salting the water first. Some people may try to save this step to avoid adding more salt to their diet, but it really is so important for ensuring your pasta cooks properly and tastes right. Plus, you're not actually going to be ingesting all of the salt you add to the water. Most of it will go down the drain, and only a little will be absorbed by the pasta.
Without salt, pasta just isn't going to be flavorful enough. Aim to add about 1 tablespoon of salt to the water when cooking a pound of pasta. Just remember not to add the salt before the water boils. Unsalted water will come to a boil more quickly. Also, because the salt won't dissolve immediately in the cold water, the crystals could cause the surface of the pot to pit.
3. Never add pasta before the water boils
Exercise patience when cooking pasta. Adding your pasta to the water before it has come to a rolling boil is not a good idea. If you make this mistake, you might notice that your pasta will start to break down in cooler water.
Additionally, if you add pasta to water that isn't boiling, it is much more likely for individual pieces to stick together, forming long clumps of uncooked pasta. However, if you wait until the water is boiling — and not just as it's starting to boil — the high temperature will help to set the pasta and make sure that it doesn't all stick together.
4. Make sure the water continues to bubble as the pasta cooks
It isn't enough to just put the pasta in boiling water, then turn the heat down, and allow the water to cool off as the pasta cooks. If you do this, you're still likely to end up with pasta that is all stuck together. This is one of the reasons why you should wait until the pot of water has come to a rolling boil before adding the pasta.
When the water is really boiling, it isn't going to cool down as much when you add in the colder pasta. If the boil seems to slow too much right after you add your pasta, turn the burner temperature back up to get it going good again. Check on the pot periodically throughout the cooking process to make sure that the water remains at a boil.
5. Stir the pasta after you add it to the pot
Even with boiling water, your pasta is still likely to stick together if you don't stir it. Stirring will help move the pasta around through the water and keep it from clumping together.
If you skip this step, you're going to end up with pasta that is not evenly cooked. There will be some noodles that are the right consistency, while others that are stuck together will still be hard. Always stir your pasta immediately after adding it to the pot of boiling water and a few more times as it cooks.
6. Do not add oil to boiling pasta water
Speaking of preventing pasta from sticking, have you heard that you should add oil to the boiling water to coat each noodle and keep them from sticking to one another? If so, forget everything you've heard about why this is a good idea.
First, adding the oil to the water won't actually do what you want. The pasta can still end up sticking together if the water isn't boiling fast enough and you don't stir the pasta around a few times as it cooks.
The other problem with adding oil to pasta water is that it can make the cooked pasta more slippery. This can interfere with the sauce being able to cling to the pasta, which can make your finished dish less tasty and enjoyable.
7. The pasta shape you choose matters
Instead of choosing a random pasta shape from the grocery store because you like the way it looks, try to be a bit more purposeful when planning your meal. Depending on the recipe you're preparing, some pasta shapes are going to be a better fit and can enhance the overall taste, appearance, and texture of the meal.
For example, long pasta — spaghetti, fettuccine angel hair, etc. — is best for recipes where you'll be able to twirl the finished dish to eat up the pasta. You should avoid needing to "stab" any of the items in the bowl, so avoid using long pasta with any recipes that will have chunkier components.
It will be best paired with finer sauces. Conversely, shorter pasta types — penne, farfalle, rigatoni, etc. — are meant to be stabbed with a fork to eat, so they would be a good choice for heartier sauces with chunky ingredients.
8. Don't break pasta before adding it to the boiling water
Contrary to popular belief, breaking spaghetti or other types of long pasta is not a good idea before adding them to a pot of boiling water. Many people think this step is necessary to ensure that the pasta fits in the pot and gets fully covered with water to cook properly.
However, when you let the pasta sit in the pot for just about a minute, it will be soft enough that you can use your spoon to fully submerge it under the water. Long pasta is designed to be just that: long. It is meant to be eaten by twirling it around the fork, and this just isn't going to be possible if you break the pasta in half before cooking it.
9. Check for doneness — don't rely on printed cook times
Pasta packages include cook times with the directions. However, you should use these times as more of a guide than a hard and fast rule when cooking the pasta because they may not always be 100% accurate. There are different factors that may impact how quickly your pasta cooks, so you'll want to check for doneness yourself before draining it.
The best way to check for doneness is to taste the pasta. If the center of the pasta is still hard or crunchy, it still needs more time to cook. If it is tender, then it should be ready to drain. Mushy pasta is already overcooked, so act quickly to drain the water and stop it from getting even softer.
10. Keep in mind that fresh pasta will cook much faster than packaged options
While packaged pasta can take upwards of 10 minutes to cook, fresh pasta will be done much more quickly. If you cook it for as long as you're used to cooking a package from the grocery store, you're going to end up with a mushy mess that isn't going to taste very good.
Depending on the pasta's shape, it could be cooked after just a minute and a half. Some other shapes take a little longer, but they still aren't going to need more than a few minutes to be cooked and ready to drain.
11. Don't let all of the pasta water go down the drain
When you drain your pasta, use a cup or bowl to catch some of the water instead of letting it all go down the drain. The pasta water is salty and starchy. While you don't want to save it to drink it, you might end up needing it to finish making the pasta dish you're preparing.
Adding just a little of the water to the cooked pasta can actually help improve the texture of your dish. The added salt and starch also help to enhance the flavor of the pasta. You should consider adding a little pasta water to your finished dish because it functions as a binder, creating an emulsion to make the sauce creamier.
12. Do not rinse cooked pasta
For the most part, rinsing cooked pasta is a mistake. The pasta is coated with starch — rinsing the starch off the pasta can actually prevent the sauce from clinging to it as well. So, rinsing it off is not good unless you want your noodles to lose all their sauce as they sit in the bowl or on the plate.
There are a few exceptions to this general rule. You can rinse pasta if you're making a pasta salad or another cold side or entrée using it. The other time you may want to rinse your pasta is if you won't be able to use it right away.
13. Add sauce promptly
It is important to add sauce to cooked pasta as quickly as possible. You don't want to drain your pasta and leave it sitting in the colander or pot for several minutes before getting around to adding the sauce. Drained pasta will start to stick together as it cools.
If you wait to add the sauce, some of the pieces may remain stuck together, preventing them from getting fully coated with the sauce. Always ensure that the sauce is hot and ready before you add the pasta to the boiling water to avoid this big problem.
14. Instead of adding the sauce to the pasta, add the pasta to the sauce
How do you combine sauce and pasta? If you take your pot of sauce and pour it over your pasta, then you might want to pay close attention to this hack. Instead of pouring the sauce over the pasta, switch things up and scoop the pasta into the sauce.
You might be wondering what the difference is between these two approaches, but there is actually a benefit to adding the pasta to the pot with the sauce. Because the sauce is hot, it will continue cooking the pasta and infuse more flavor into it. If you're going to try this hack, just drain your pot of pasta about one or two minutes earlier than you otherwise would. This way, it won't end up overcooked.
15. Toss pasta in olive oil if you're not using it immediately
Adding oil to the boiling water isn't a good idea. However, adding some olive oil to pasta that's already been cooked can be a good idea. You'll only need to do this if you don't plan on using the pasta immediately.
As mentioned above, the pasta will stick together as it dries and cools. If you're not adding sauce to it right away, it may be a clumped-up mess by the time you're ready to use it. To avoid wasting the noodles, toss them with a small amount of olive oil to make them slicker and keep them from sticking to one another.
16. In some cases, you can cook pasta right in the pot of sauce
Here's one pasta-making hack that is truly going to blow your mind. Sometimes, you can cook your pasta right in the sauce, eliminating the need for using a second pot, boiling water, draining the pasta, and more. Keep in mind that this hack will only work with certain types of sauce and pasta. First, you'll want to make sure that the sauce recipe has plenty of moisture for the pasta to enjoy. Consider avoiding any jarred pasta sauces.
Trying to cook spaghetti, fettuccine, or other long pasta in thicker sauces isn't a good idea because it won't end up cooking evenly. The best way to find out whether this hack will work for you is to experiment a little and try a few different sauce recipes with different types of pasta.
17. If making baked pasta, cover it before baking
If you're preparing lasagna, baked ziti, or another baked pasta dish, it is a good idea to cover it as it cooks in the oven. If you don't cover these baked dishes, they're going to lose too much moisture in the oven and turn out dry or hard.
You can cover your baked pasta dishes using aluminum foil. If you've been trying to avoid using aluminum foil, have run out, or are just looking for other alternatives, you can also use silicone covers, oven-safe lids, or parchment paper to help retain moisture. Regardless of the type of cover you choose, remove it for the final 10 minutes or so of baking to help melt the top layer of cheese.
18. Serve cooked pasta right away or be sure to keep it warm
Pasta is not something you want to leave sitting around for a long time before you serve it. It is going to taste best when served warm. For this reason, it is a good idea to ensure the rest of the meal is prepped and the table is set before you add the pasta to the boiling water. This can help you avoid running into a hiccup that is going to delay your meal.
If something does happen that prevents you from being able to serve your pasta dish immediately after mixing in the sauce, then you'll want to do something to keep it warm. You can use a chafing dish or a slow cooker to accomplish this goal. The other option would be to bring a large pot of water — filled about halfway — with water to a simmer on the stove. Then, place your pasta pot directly on top of the pot with simmering water. This method works like a double boiler to keep the upper pot of pasta warm.
19. Knowing how to reheat leftovers will make them taste so much better
Pasta is one of those meals that seems to be never-ending. Often, you're left with a lot of leftovers. If you want to have an enjoyable experience eating those leftovers, you need to know the best way to warm them up. Relying on the microwave isn't always going to be the best option. However, if you're at the office or somewhere else where it is the only option you have, try adding just a hint of water to the bowl before microwaving it. This will help keep the pasta from getting stuck together.
If you're at home and have more options at your disposal, there are other ways you might find work better than the microwave. If you're reheating pasta without sauce, you can put it in a pot of boiling water for about 25 to 30 seconds. After it has warmed up, you can add the sauce to it.
To reheat pasta that already has sauce on it, you can put it in a saucepan on your stove. Warm the saucepan up over medium heat and a little bit of olive oil, and then toss in your leftover pasta. Be sure to stir it around to ensure that it heats up evenly.
20. Proper storage of leftovers will help them last longer
Leftover pasta must be stored properly to ensure the best taste and prevent it from spoiling faster than it should. When refrigerating your leftovers, use an airtight container. Give the pasta a little time to cool before putting the lid on the container or placing it in the fridge. The leftovers should be consumed within five days at the latest.
You can also freeze your leftovers if you don't think you'll be able to use them up within five days or so. Freezer bags or freezer-safe airtight storage containers can both be used for storing pasta in the fridge. Before placing the pasta in your preferred storage container, toss it with a little olive oil to keep the noodles from sticking together.
21. Cook your pasta in chicken broth instead of water
Adding pasta to a pot of boiling water may be the traditional method of cooking it, but that doesn't mean it is your only option. The next time you make fettuccine, spaghetti, or rotini, consider bringing a pot of chicken broth — not water — to a boil instead. Unlike water, the chicken broth will actually infuse some additional flavor into the pasta.
While you can boil pasta in chicken broth for any recipe, you might find that it works better in those that don't feature a hearty sauce. This will give the enhanced flavor of the pasta more of a chance to shine and allow it to elevate the overall taste of the dish.