How To Keep Pasta From Sticking Together

Cooking pasta is an art in itself. Whether you want to create a classic bolognese or a fresh pasta salad, you want your spaghetti to be fluffy and light.

But how to keep pasta from sticking together? From adding some salt to the pasta water to using only boiling water, making pasta doesn’t have to be magic.

In this handy guide, we explain how to stop your pasta noodles from sticking together.

Why Does Pasta Stick Together After Cooking?

Pasta produces a lot of starch when you place it into water and cook it at a high temperature. If you use enough water, then the starch can disperse and you can keep pasta from sticking.

As a rule of thumb, you should use 1 pound of dried spaghetti with 4 quarts of boiling water to cook al dente pasta.

How to Stop Cooked Pasta from Sticking Together

There are a few different things you can do to stop pasta from being sticky. All you need is dry noodles, boiling water, a pasta pot and a couple of other, basic ingredients.

Make Sure The Water Is Boiling Heavily

Before you add your dried pasta to the water, ensure that it is up to the right water temperature and boiling.

Only water that reached the boiling point helps the pasta to cook evenly and it allows you to create a delicious dish.

Regularly Stir Your Pasta

In order to stop pasta from being sticky, you will need to stir the pasta water regularly.

This is especially important in the first few minutes because that’s when the pasta softens slightly on the outside.

Give your noodles a good stir after five minutes and then again at the end of cooking. Alternatively, constant stirring can also make a huge difference to the taste of your pasta.

Add Salt To The Pasta Water

Salted boiling water can stop pasta sticking and you can flavor your pasta at the same time. The salt will disperse some of the starchy water and it makes your spaghetti taste nicer.

Use Plenty Of Water

Make sure that you measure the right portion of pasta you need and use enough water for cooking your noodles.

Only Add Olive Oil If You Mix Your Pasta With Sauce

The starch from the noodles is what makes your pasta stick together. If you add a bit of olive oil to the boiling water, then this will remove some of the starch and cook your pasta al dente.

Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t be adding oil to fresh or pure pasta that you don’t want to toss in with a sauce.

The oil can coat the pasta with a thin film which isn’t suitable for every dish.

Add Butter

For the perfect pasta, you will need plenty of salted water and good-quality spaghetti. If you want to prevent sticking, then you can also add a small bit of butter to the water.

Butter acts in a similar way to oil. It will cook pasta evenly but also gives your noodles a subtle flavor.

Don’t Let Spaghetti Sit In The Water Once It Is Cooked

When your spaghetti are al dente, then remove them from the starchy water. This will prevent sticking and it also makes your pasta taste better.

If you need to wait for your sauce to be done, then pour out the pasta with a colander.

Add The Pasta To The Sauce As Soon As It’s Cooked

Ideally, you want to ensure that your pasta sauce and spaghetti are done at the same time. This can prevent pasta from sticking together while the sauce still needs to cook.

Once your pasta is done, you can serve it on a plate and add the sauce on top or toss the spaghetti into the sauce and stir well.

Keep Long Pasta Intact

Whether you want to cook linguine, spaghetti or other long noodles, make sure that they fit into your pot. You will need a relatively large pot with plenty of water for these types of pasta.

While it seems practical to break them up, dried pasta cooks much better if it stays whole. Plus, it prevents the pasta from sticking.

The best way to cook long pasta is by placing it into your pot and then use a spoon to gently submerge your noodles as they soften.

Rinse Pasta In Cold Water

If you don’t want to use any type of sauce for your pasta and you may want to enjoy it as a cold dish later, then you need to rinse the pasta under cold water to remove the starch.

Once you are ready to eat your spaghetti, you can reheat them either with a sauce or in the microwave.

Keep in mind that sticky pasta is more difficult to reheat. Plus, it doesn’t taste pleasant, so make sure that you only reheat noodles that are not sticking together.

Don’t Drain The Pasta Too Long

While it is a good idea to remove the pasta from the water, you shouldn’t take too long for the draining process.

Every second that your pasta is out of the water means that it will cool off with the risk of sticking together.

The best way to drain your noodles is simply by tossing them into a colander and then either serving the pasta immediately or adding them to your sauce.

Finish Cooking Your Pasta In The Sauce

If you are worried that your pasta may stick together, then you can also remove it from the cooking water a little earlier and finish cooking it in your chosen pasta sauce.

This ensures that the pasta is coated with the sauce and it can’t release any starches that could cause sticking.

Plus, you can then immediately serve your delicious pasta dish.

Final Thoughts

Cooking pasta doesn’t have to be difficult. Just stick to some pasta cooking guidelines and you can create either a piping hot bolognese or a fabulous cold pasta dish.