There’s a reason Italian nonnas have been salting their pasta water for generations, and — whether they realize it or not — it’s not just tradition.
Though there are exceptions, which we’ll get to in a moment, properly salted water elevates otherwise bland pasta to brilliant, regardless of what sauce you plan to serve it with.
Why Salt Matters
Let’s kill a cooking myth right away: adding salt to pasta water isn’t about raising the boiling point.
The amount of salt we use in cooking raises water’s boiling temperature by 0.5 to 1°F — completely negligible for any practical purposes. You’d need enough salt to make your pasta inedible before seeing any meaningful difference in cooking time.
The real reasons to salt pasta water are far more compelling:
Salt enhances the pasta’s flavor from within: Pasta absorbs water as it cooks. When that water is salted, the pasta seasons from the inside out, not just on the surface. No amount of salted sauce can compensate for bland pasta.
Salt improves the strands’ texture: Here’s something they don’t teach in basic cooking classes: salt strengthens the gluten structure in pasta through ionic interactions with wheat proteins.
Salt ions shield the electrical charges on protein molecules, allowing them to form tighter, stronger networks. The result is better textured pasta that’s more al dente. Unsalted pasta, on the other hand, tends to turn out gummier and less structured.
When to Add Salt
Add salt only after your water reaches a full, rolling boil, and just before adding the pasta. Why? Because salt dissolves more efficiently in boiling water, ensuring even distribution.
Some also claim that adding salt to cold water can cause pitting on stainless steel pots (particularly with non-kosher salts containing anti-caking agents), even though I’ve never had this happen to me.
While the scientific jury is still out on that one, the boil → salt → pasta sequence has been the professional standard for decades.
How Much Salt?
Here’s where things get practical. For properly seasoned pasta, aim for water that’s about 1.5-2% salinity—noticeably salty but not as salty as seawater (which is about 3.5% and would make your pasta inedible).
For a pound of pasta in 4-6 quarts of water, use:
- Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal): 1.5-2 tablespoons
- Kosher salt (Morton’s): 1-1.5 tablespoons
- Coarse sea salt: 1-1.5 tablespoons
- Fine sea salt: 2-3 teaspoons
- Table salt: 2 teaspoons
Why the differences? Salt varieties have different densities and crystal sizes. Kosher salt, with its larger crystals, contains less sodium by volume than table salt. Sea salt is typically denser than kosher salt, so you’ll use about 25% less by volume.
For precision cooks: aim for 10-15g salt per liter of water.
Adjust to Taste
The measurements above are starting points. Until you’ve learned the ropes, the best test is to taste your water before adding pasta. It should taste decidedly salty — like a well-seasoned soup, but not necessarily seawater.
If you’re making pasta for a particularly salty sauce (like, say, carbonara, cacio e pepe, or anything with cured pork or aged cheeses), dial back the salt slightly.
What About Oil?
While we’re on the subject of pasta water, let’s clear up another common question: don’t add oil to your pasta water.
Salting the cooking water doesn’t prevent sticking — it just creates a slick coating that prevents sauce from adhering properly to your pasta. If you’re worried about sticking, just stir your pasta within the first minute of cooking and again occasionally.
Remember: Good pasta is about attention to seemingly small details. The difference between mediocre and memorable pasta often comes down to properly salted water — a simple step that costs nothing but transforms everything.
Now go forth and salt with confidence.