Realized I was salting pasta water all wrong after 20 years

I used to just toss a pinch of salt into the boiling water, enough to see it dissolve, and call it good. Then my aunt from Chicago visited last summer and watched me cook, and she goes 'you need a handful, like a full tablespoon for that big pot.' I measured it out and she was right, my pasta actually tasted seasoned instead of bland. Anyone else grew up underseasoning their water and just thought that's how it was supposed to be?

3 comments

3 Comments

sethhernandez2mo ago

Dropped in a whole palmful of salt after reading a Serious Eats article about it, tasted the difference immediately. The water should taste like the ocean, not a mild suggestion of salt. Switched to kosher salt for pasta water too, dissolves fast and gives you way more control. What size pot are you using for your pasta now?

the_linda1mo ago

I use a 6 quart pot for most pasta, but I learned the hard way that bigger isn't always better if you're trying to get that salty ocean taste. A 4 quart pot works better for me with a pound of pasta because the water stays saltier since there's less dilution. One full palmful of Diamond Crystal kosher salt in that smaller pot hits the sweet spot every time, no need to guess.

sethhernandez2mo ago

Man that ocean water thing is EXACTLY right. I used to be timid with salt until I read the same article and now I'm like, if it doesn't taste like the sea it's not enough. Kosher salt was a game changer for me too, way easier to control the salt level.