Pasta should be cooked to perfection when it is tender but firm and can withstand a generous amount of delicious sauce without collapsing or becoming soggy. With our guide to the ideal cooking times for various types of pasta, you can always get the perfect result and say goodbye to overcooked, limp pasta.
Basic pasta recipe:
In a big pan, bring the water to a boil with salt and/or olive oil. When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the shape. Drain the pasta and let it steam dry for a few minutes, just until the surface appears matte. Add seasoning, pasta sauce, pesto, or just a generous drizzle of olive oil next. Allow some of the sauce or dressing to soak into the pasta by thoroughly mixing to coat. Add seasoning to taste, including parmesan cheese that has been finely grated.
Load up the pot with lots of water
For a typical 16 oz. serving, you need five to six quarts of water. package of pasta.
You might be tempted to use less water to make spaghetti faster when you’re hungry and pressed for time. Don’t. Similar to how pasta requires a large pot, it also requires a lot of water to completely cover each strand.
Here’s a tip for making the water boil faster. Put a lid on the pot, but leave a portion of it exposed so you can hear the water begin to boil. Before you turn it down, leaving a space will also aid in preventing the water from boiling over.
We have experienced the stressful event of a covered pot boiling over.
Salt it good! Don’t just give a single tap of the shaker — you want at least a tablespoon for 6 quarts of water. In fact, a chef we know uses 2 tablespoons of coarse salt for 6 quarts of water! While many people suggest making it sea-water salty, that’s actually too salty! Slightly less salty than the sea is best.
But the salty water is necessary because it enhances the flavor of the pasta.
Stir occasionally
After adding your pasta, thoroughly stir the pot, and stir it once or twice more while it cooks. This will prevent the pasta from adhering to the pot or to one another.
FAQ
How do you boil the perfect fettuccine pasta?
You should be able to fully insert a fork into the pasta when using the “fork test,” but if you prefer your pasta “al dente,” you should feel some firmness instead (NOT actual hardness or uncooked bits). If you prefer it more cooked, you’ll want the fork to easily spear through it.
How do you know when fettuccine noodles are done boiling?
I typically set the KitchenAid attachment to 6 or 7 for linguine and fettuccine, and 1–2 settings thinner for angel hair or stuffed pastas. Pasta should be cut into noodles-length sheets, which are typically 12 inches long.
How long should fettuccine noodles be?
Depending on the type of pasta, allow your dry noodles to cook for anywhere between 8 and 10 minutes. To be safe, start checking it after four minutes because the length of the noodle can affect how long it takes. If you have freshly made pasta noodles, you might only need to boil them for one or two, or even three, minutes.
