Always Boil in Plenty of Water For the best texture, use a large pot with plenty of water. This allows the pasta to move freely and cook evenly, preventing it from becoming sticky or clumped together.
Salt the Water Generously Adding salt to the water enhances the flavor of the pasta. Use about 1-2 tablespoons of salt per 4-6 quarts of water for the perfect balance.
Stir the Pasta During Cooking Stir the pasta occasionally to prevent it from sticking together. Stirring helps the pasta cook evenly and ensures it doesn’t clump into a big mass.
Don’t Overcook Your Pasta Overcooking pasta leads to mushy, undesirable results. Cook pasta until it’s "al dente," firm to the bite but not too soft. Check the cooking time on the package and taste-test a minute before it's done.
Don’t Drain All the Pasta Water Save about 1 cup of pasta water before draining. It can be used to adjust the consistency of your sauce and help it stick to the pasta.
Cook Pasta and Sauce Together For a more flavorful pasta dish, toss the cooked pasta directly into the sauce and cook them together for a minute or two. This allows the pasta to absorb the sauce’s flavors.
Never Rinse the Pasta Rinsing pasta removes the starch that helps the sauce cling to it. Always skip the rinse, especially if you’re serving it with sauce.