Introduction: why cooking pasta properly matters
Knowing how to cook pasta well makes the difference between a mediocre dish and a memorable one.
Yes, you can just boil water and throw pasta in. But if you want it to turn out as it should, with the right texture, the sauce clinging properly and tasting like something beyond ordinary, there are a few mistakes to avoid. In addition, there are a handful of tricks that, once you know them, you’ll never forget.
This is not about purism or rigid rules. It’s not another article with clichés like “don’t put ketchup on spaghetti.” It is, rather, a guide (a bit long, I admit) to cooking with sense: with explanations, not just tips.
Yes, people sometimes tell me I talk too much. I don’t do it just for the sake of it; I do it because I want you to do more than follow a recipe. That’s why I need you to understand what you’re doing, so you can improvise, adjust, or even invent without fear of messing up.
I learned this from several chefs I deeply admire and also from life. When you understand the “why” behind things, you stop being someone who just executes and start cooking, or doing anything, with purpose. And that shows.
1. How to cook pasta with enough water and salt
Space and ideal ratio
Pasta needs room to move. If you use too small a pot with too little water, it sticks and doesn’t cook properly: you stress the pasta, as many say.
The ideal ratio is 1 liter of water for every 100 g of dry pasta, with 10 g of salt. Salt is a bit more relative, though. It’s not rocket science: if the sauce is already salty, with anchovies, pecorino, etc., use less salt.
Less water, more starch concentration
Don’t overcomplicate it. Once you get used to how much water your pot usually takes and the amount of salt your usual spoon holds, you’ll do it almost with your eyes closed.
That said, although this is the general rule, some chefs, myself included, sometimes deliberately use less water, so the starch concentration is higher. It’s useful if you want a denser sauce without cream or flour, or simply if the recipe is very light and you need it to cling better.
Some even boil a bit of pasta just to get starchy water to emulsify sauces like (in spanish) aglio e olio. Not very common, but if you understand the reason, it’s not nonsense.
2. How to cook pasta without adding oil to the water
No, it doesn’t stop pasta from sticking. Stir it with a proper utensil and that’s enough.
The only real use of oil is that, floating on the surface, it prevents the starchy water from foaming over. Don’t confuse this with the gesture of adding oil after draining pasta when it won’t be eaten immediately.
In that case, especially for pasta that will be served cold or left to rest, a little oil can help keep it from sticking. But that has nothing to do with boiling it in oil-water: oil floats and never really touches the pasta.
3. How to cook pasta without rinsing it
The starch pasta releases is not only useful to finish the dish: it’s essential for binding the sauce to the pasta in most preparations, without cream or other weird stuff.
Also, rinsing removes flavor. Run it under water and the magic is gone. Some people rinse if it’s for pasta salad, or some chefs do it in special preparations with multiple steps.
But generally, don’t. In the case of pasta salad, the main point is not removing starch but stopping cooking. Even after draining, residual heat keeps cooking; if you don’t cool it quickly, it won’t be al dente.
For a salad, usually not eaten immediately, that time margin matters. My personal trick: pull it out a bit before al dente and in this case, yes, toss it with a little oil. Not the same as boiling in oil, don’t get confused!
4. Bad water ruins pasta
If your tap water tastes awful, use bottled water. When I moved back to my hometown after living in Rome, I disliked my pasta until I realized the water was the culprit.
My city’s water tastes like destruction; Rome’s is famous worldwide for how good it is. Since pasta absorbs so much water, it inevitably takes on its flavor.
5. How to cook pasta and avoid overcooking
Al dente is not an Italian whim: it’s texture, flavor, and because the gluten network doesn’t break down, it digests slower and doesn’t give you the sugar spike overcooked pasta does.
Follow the package time and taste it a minute early. That said, if you crave grandma’s soft macaroni, so be it. Theory is one thing, but if it comforts, who am I to interfere?
Food that evokes memory is sacred.
6. Pasta and sauce never separate
Pasta here, sauce there. No. Most pasta dishes need to be mixed with the sauce while hot, even sautéed briefly, to absorb flavor. Others, like pesto, even if not sautéed, still need thorough mixing.
7. Cheese, only when it belongs
Not every pasta dish has cheese. And not just the quick rule “meat and veg yes, fish no,” because plenty of pasta with seafood does include cheese.
A famous example: pasta, potatoes and mussels, which uses pecorino and enhances flavor beautifully. Trust the recipe: if it doesn’t include cheese, don’t add it. And if it does, don’t overdo it or you’ll ruin balance.
Bonus: Not all pasta is cooked the same way
Though the usual way is cooking pasta in salted water and mixing with sauce, there are alternative methods with logic and tradition. In addition, each gives a unique texture and taste.
1. Risotto-style cooking
The pasta cooks like risotto, adding liquid little by little while stirring constantly. This is used, for example, in lemon pasta or spaghetti all’assassina. The result is pasta that deeply absorbs flavor and creates a natural cream with starch.
2. Half-risotto cooking
First boil pasta a few minutes in water, then finish it in the pan with sauce and a ladle of cooking water. Many classics allow this, like a well-made pasta al pomodoro or (in spanish) one with broccoli.
It also works for dishes that could be made by direct cooking, but you want extra creaminess.
3. Direct cooking
Pasta cooks almost to al dente, drained 30–60 seconds early, then finished in the pan with sauce. The everyday method for carbonara, cacio e pepe, amatriciana, and gricia.
Here, the final emulsion depends on pasta starch released when finishing cooking in the sauce, producing creaminess without extra dairy.
4. Served with sauce on top
Some recipes don’t sauté pasta. It’s drained and tossed with dressing off-heat, or placed in a dish with sauce poured on. Examples (in spanish): tagliatelle with ragù alla bolognese, Neapolitan Sunday ragù, or most pestos(in spanish) (Genovese, herb, nut, ricotta).
The key is draining well but keeping pasta juicy, then mixing quickly. On the other hand, no pan: just a big bowl, a wooden spoon, and the right heat.
When does it work and when not?
Though not ideal for most Italian recipes, sometimes pasta is cooked and served plain with toppings. Common in misunderstood pasta salads or adaptations that separate elements.
It’s not traditional like the others; however, worth mentioning since many still do it. The trick is knowing when it works and when it doesn’t.
Each method
has its logic and application. In the end, the key is understanding sauce type, desired texture, and pasta used.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much water and salt for pasta?
1 liter of water and 10 g of salt per 100 g of dry pasta.
Does adding oil to water help?
No, oil floats and doesn’t stop sticking; just stir at the start.
Should I rinse pasta after cooking?
Generally, no. Only for pasta salad to stop cooking; for hot dishes starch is essential.
Can I use less water for starch concentration?
Yes, some chefs do it intentionally for thicker, better-bound sauces.
How do I keep pasta from overcooking?
Taste it a minute before package time and finish in sauce to preserve texture and flavor.
Did this guide on how to cook pasta help you? Subscribe to my YouTube channel (videos in Spanish, but Google auto-subtitles are available) and follow me on Instagram for more tips. Share your results in the comments and tag your photos with #laragazzacolmattarello on Instagram.
See you in the next recipe!