People are way too scared to salt their pasta water

I see so many posts where folks barely add any salt because they think it'll make it too salty, but water needs to taste like the sea for the pasta to actually season properly. Did you learn the hard way like me or were you lucky enough to have someone tell you early on?

2 comments

2 Comments

fiona_lane22h ago

Oh man wait WHAT. People actually think that? Like they're scared the water itself will be too salty? That's wild. The pasta soaks up a ton of it anyway plus you're draining most of the water off.

eva_thompson1016h agoMost Upvoted

Oh man I totally get where you're coming from but honestly I was one of those people for way too long. My issue was I always oversalted everything because my grandma taught me to salt water like the sea and I legit ruined a batch of spaghetti one time where it came out tasting like a salt lick. So I started going super light on salt or skipping it entirely and my pasta was just bland and sad. Finally I figured out the trick that works for me - I add a big pinch of kosher salt to the water after it boils but before I drop the pasta, then I taste a noodle about a minute before it's done and if it needs more I sprinkle a tiny bit more in. It's not perfect science but it stopped my pasta from being either a salt bomb or totally flavorless and honestly the difference between salted and unsalted pasta water in the final dish is huge, like night and day.