8 Kitchen Hacks for Cooking Pasta

Pasta is the ultimate weeknight dinner. It's cheap, easy, and satisfying.

So here are 8 basic pasta cooking tips to keep in mind the next time you make it — from how to properly salt the water to why you should never rinse it.

1. Spoon Magic

Water in pasta can often boil over, making a mess. Avoid this by placing a wooden spoon across the top of the pot. The wood doesn’t absorb the moisture from the bubbles and actual repels it away. It’s like magic! See for yourself.

2. Easy Grains

Cook a large batch of healthy grains, such as brown rice or quinoa, once a week to use for salads and sides during the week. Store in an airtight tub in the refrigerator.

3. Perfect Pasta

When making lasagna, make sure the filling and sauce is spread completely and thoroughly over the entire pasta. Missing  areas can cause the pasta to dry out.

4. Sticky Spaghetti

To keep pasta from sticking together, use plenty of water (about 5 quarts per pound of dry pasta). Stir as soon as the pasta is added to the water to separate the noodles.

5. Pasta Pairing

When choosing pasta and sauce pairings, remember that thinner pastas pair best with thin sauces. Chunky pastas go best with chunky sauces. Thicker pastas, like fettuccine, go great thicker sauces. Easy to remember!

6. A Little Pat

Add a little pat of butter to spaghetti before boiling. This will reduce boiling over and sticking together.

7. Spare A Minute

Cook your pasta until one minute before time’s up. Then drain and add to simmering sauce and let them cook the rest of the way. That way you don’t overcook your pasta when combining with the sauce.

8. Mac & Cheese Please

When you make macaroni and cheese, use only one pan by not pre-cooking the pasta. Mix the dried pasta with a thinner, liquid milk/cheese sauce, and bake for about 30 minutes until tender and bubbly.