How To: Cook Pasta

Does it seem as if your pasta always comes out too sticky, too hard, too mushy? Let this video be your guide to cooking pasta perfectly.

Water, large pot, pasta, salt, tongs, colander

1Boil water in a large pot
To make sure pasta doesn’t stick together, use at least 4 quarts of water for every pound of noodles.
2Salt the water with at least a tablespoon—more is fine
The salty water adds flavor to the pasta.
3Add pasta
Pour pasta into boiling water. Don’t break the pasta; it will soften up within 30 seconds and fit into the pot.
4Stir the pasta
As the pasta starts to cook, stir it well with the tongs so the noodles don’t stick to each other (or the pot).
5Test the pasta by tasting it
Follow the cooking time on the package, but always taste pasta before draining to make sure the texture is right. Pasta cooked properly should be al dente—a little chewy.
6Drain the pasta
Drain cooked pasta well in a colander. If serving hot, add sauce right away; if you’re making a pasta salad, run noodles under cold water to stop the cooking.

Now that you have the perfect technique, try these great pasta recipes:
- — Kid-Friendly Spaghetti Recipes
- — Easy Pasta Recipes
- — Quick Pasta Recipes
- — Browse All Pasta Recipes