Boiling Your Pasta In Water Is Boring. For An Extra Flavor Boost, Use This Instead

Pasta is a go-to meal for many people and most cook it the same way: in boiling, sometimes salted, water. But there's a way you could easily give your weeknight pasta dishes a tasty upgrade, and that's by using broth instead of plain ole water. Switching to broth — chicken, vegetable, or beef — gives the pasta a savory quality that plain water just can't match. The pasta soaks up the broth's flavor as it cooks, and creates a big improvement in how the final dish tastes.

When you use broth, you're left with a starchy, flavorful liquid that can be used as a ready-made starter for all kinds of sauces. A creamy sauce sans the cream can be made by using a roux and chicken broth to get a thicker texture. Or, there are ways you can cook pasta that's similar to risotto, by letting it slowly soak in the beef broth for a tangy taste.

When choosing a broth, keep in mind the other ingredients in your meal. Chicken broth is often a good match for lighter sauces. Beef broth, which has a richer, umami taste, is a better fit for dishes with heavier, bolder sauces. For the best taste, pick a high-quality broth, either homemade or a good brand from the store. For those who like a little more adventure, try adding a splash of tangy brine to the broth while the pasta cooks — it's great in salad dressing and fantastic in pasta. 

Any pasta shape will work with this method too. Smaller ones, like ditalini, or orzo are perfect for soups or other dishes like a bacon and goat cheese dish — perfect for a bright chicken broth. Larger pasta shapes like penne, ziti, or rigatoni also do well, as their size and openness hold onto the broth, making each bite extra tasty.

Broth-cooked pasta is a great starting point for many different meals. One easy route is to make one-pot pasta dishes. The pasta takes on the flavors of all the ingredients and helps form a sauce as it cooks. This saves time and means fewer dishes to wash, all while making your meal tastier.

A one-pot meal could bring together linguine, sliced wild mushrooms, garlic, chicken broth, and a little cream for a rich, satisfying dish. Another take is a simple yet famous dish – cacio e pepe, where spaghetti can be cooked in chicken broth instead of water for an extra flavorful cheese sauce.

Pasta in brodo is a well-known dish with small pasta shapes cooked in vegetable broth along with some fresh vegetables. A simple meal using this broth cooking style can be as easy as using chicken broth, butter, and a desired helping of parmesan. While a heavier, meat-based sauce, like ragù, would be delicious with pasta cooked in beef broth. It's all about making the flavor of your pasta stand out.