christopher_hunt•6d agoProlific Poster

PSA: I was salting my pasta water way too late this whole time

I'm making spaghetti last week for the kids and I always throw the salt in right when the water starts boiling. My neighbor who used to cook at a restaurant in Portland stopped by to grab a tool and saw me do it. She laughed and said I was wasting salt because it doesn't dissolve properly if I add it that late. She showed me to put the salt in the cold water before it even heats up, then bring it to a boil. Tried it that night and the pasta actually tasted seasoned all the way through instead of just salty on the outside. I've been cooking pasta for like 12 years and never knew this. Anyone else been doing it the wrong way too or have another pasta trick I'm missing?

2 comments

2 Comments

abby_singh6d ago

Oh yeah my aunt used to put olive oil in her pasta water because she thought it kept the noodles from sticking. I tried it one time and my sauce just slid right off the spaghetti like it was nonstick or something. Anyone else have a pasta habit they had to unlearn?

angela_kelly6d ago

Right on @abby_singh, olive oil in pasta water is a rookie move for sure. It's funny how we all learn one way and just keep doing it without ever questioning it, like there's a whole world of small tweaks that make stuff way better.