The Water Ratio You Should Know When Cooking Pasta

Pasta is a deceptively simple dish that seems easy to make in theory, until you find yourself questioning everything from the cook time to the amount of water you should add to your pot. If your pot is consistently boiling over, it's obvious that you added too much water, but too little can also result in underdone noodles that are not cooked evenly. To find out the correct ratio once and for all, Food Republic turned to Chef Jasper J. Mirabile Jr. for answers.

The owner and chef of Jasper's Restaurant and host of Live! From Jasper's Kitchen Radio shared his rule of thumb for determining how much water you really need, and contrary to popular belief, you don't have to break out your most gigantic pot every time you want to boil pasta. "A good rule of thumb is to use at least 4 to 6 quarts of water to boil a pound of pasta," he says. A pound of noodles typically serves between four and six people, so those cooking for just one or two can divide this ratio in half (or smaller). There should always be enough water in your pot to completely cover the noodles while they cook, but with a bit of room above to ensure the pot doesn't overflow.

After you have determined the correct amount of water to your pot, don't forget to add salt. Many professional chefs and self-proclaimed foodies alike believe that properly salted pasta water should be as salty as the sea. If this sounds unspecific (or like overkill), just follow Chef Mirabile's advice: "Salt the water generously, at least 2 tablespoons per gallon." While the addition of salt won't make the water boil any faster, it will help your noodles achieve their optimal flavor profile. This is especially helpful when you want to cook perfect dried pasta, as it can taste slightly bland if the cooking water isn't properly seasoned.

Once your pasta has reached the perfect al dente stage, don't forget to add some of the salted pasta water to your sauce. This will help to thicken and bind the sauce together, thanks to the starch that was released from the pasta noodles. A few teaspoons will go a long way, so don't go overboard or you risk an extra-runny sauce. 

The best time to add a touch of pasta water to your sauce is right after your noodles are done boiling, before you strain out the rest of the water. If you accidentally dump out your pasta water before you have a chance to save a few spoonfuls, a cornstarch slurry is a great alternative that will provide a similar binding effect to your dish.