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7 Pasta Mistakes You’re Probably Making

Put it in a pot, cook it for a few minutes, throw some sauce on it--how hard can cooking pasta possibly be? Well, it’s actually easy to fall victim to one (or more) of these seven deadly sins pasta mistakes when it comes to making everyone's favorite go-to meal. Take notes to avoid these at all costs.

The One Pasta Recipe You Need to Know


1. Using A Small Pot.

Yes, it’s more annoying to clean, but pull the largest pot you have out of the cupboard. This will help the pasta cook evenly and keep it from clumping together.

2. Not Salting The Water.

According to chef Justin Smillie of NYC restaurant Upland, the water in the pot should be “salty like the sea” before you even add the pasta, seasoning it while it cooks. So if you’re doing it right, there’s no need to add salt later.

3. Filling The Pot With Hot Water.

Sure, it’s faster, but it’s a shortcut not worth taking. Bringing cold water to a full boil ensures that any impurities or lead in your tap water don’t wind up in your pasta.

4. Adding Olive Oil.

If you’re cooking it in a properly sized pot, there’s no reason your noodles should be sticking together. (So don’t waste your $20 olive oil until you’re about to actually eat it.)

5. Following The Package Instructions.

They’re just guidelines--taste test a piece of pasta to check to make sure it’s perfectly al dente (still a little bit firm when you bite it) before you drain the water.

6. Rinsing The Pasta.

Unless you’re making cold pasta salad, there’s no reason to rinse it. You might save a calorie or two by removing the starch, but the sauce will coat the pasta way better if you keep it (reserve a little of the cooking water to mix into the sauce, too).

7. Adding Too Much Cheese.

Let perfectly cooked pasta speak for itself. A sprinkle of Parm is all you need.

Every Kind of Cheese, Ranked From Ew to OMG



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Freelance Editor

From 2015-2020 Lindsay Champion held the role of Food and Wellness Director. She continues to write for PureWow as a Freelance Editor.