If you’ve ever had a disappointing bowl of pasta that left you feeling like you’d committed a culinary crime, you’re not alone, we’ve all been there – dealing with overcooked noodles or a lacklustre sauce. But fear not, we uncover six of the worst pasta blunders and teach you the best secrets for making the perfect pasta.

1. Boiling to the Point of No Return

Let’s start with a classic mistake: overcooking your pasta until it resembles a soggy mess. Remember, pasta needs to be cooked al dente, meaning it should have a slight bite. The key to the perfect pasta texture is achieving that al dente sweet spot. Pasta secca (dry/store-bought pasta) and pasta fresca (fresh homemade pasta) require different cooking times due to their varying ingredients and textures.

Dry pasta typically requires around 7 to 12 minutes of boiling time, but always taste-test for al dente doneness and check the instructions on the packaging. Fresh homemade pasta cooks much faster, usually taking only 1 to 3 minutes, so keep a close eye on it to prevent overcooking. Cook your pasta until it’s firm, but not too hard – watch the clock and test it a minute or two before the recommended cook time.

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2. Pasta Cold Plunge

Rinsing your pasta is the biggest cardinal sin after breaking your pasta in half. Even if you’re in a rush to cool your pasta down, subjecting it to a cold plunge by rinsing it under a stream of cold water is not the answer. The cold water not only stops the cooking process, but also washes away the starch that helps the sauce adhere to the strands and strips the flavour from the pasta.

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3. Underseasoning Pasta

Here’s a secret the perfect pasta: adding enough salt to the cooking water. Salt enhances the natural flavour of the pasta. Be generous and add about one tablespoon of salt for every half kilogram of pasta; the amount of salt used also depends on how much water you have in your pot. If you feel that it’s not enough, add a little more – your pasta water should taste like the sea, but make sure that it’s not a hypertension overkill.

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4. Toss & Coat

If you end up with a bland, watery sauce that refuses to cling to your noodles, the reason is that you haven’t properly tossed your cooked pasta in the sauce. After draining the pasta, don’t let it sit for too long. Transfer it directly to your pan with the sauce and toss until every strand is coated. This ensures that each bite is bursting with flavour.

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5. Sauce Overload

It’s easy to fall into the trap of drowning your pasta in sauce. But remember, pasta is meant to be the star of the show, not the sauce – a saucy spag’ Bol or ragù pasta is the exception here. Otherwise, use just enough sauce to coat the noodles evenly, allowing their flavours to shine through. You can always serve extra sauce on the side for those who like it saucy.

Different pasta shapes also work best with specific sauces. For example, long, thin noodles like spaghetti or linguine pair well with oil-based sauces, while chunky sauces tend to cling better to tube-shaped pastas like penne or rigatoni. Match your pasta and sauce wisely for the perfect plate of pasta.

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6. The Great Oil Debate

Some swear by adding oil to pasta water, while others dismiss it entirely. Let’s set the record straight: adding oil to your pasta water won’t prevent sticking. Water and oil don’t mix, so that little drizzle of oil won’t create a barrier between your pasta and the pot – it will simply float on top, doing nothing to benefit your pasta.

If you want to prevent sticking, here’s a foolproof method: use a large pot with plenty of boiling water and give your pasta a gentle stir after adding it. This ensures that the noodles won’t clump together and stick to the bottom. Adding oil to the pasta water can also give your pasta a slick coating that prevents the sauce from adhering properly. This can result in a slippery, flavourless mess. If you’re aiming for a sauce that clings lovingly to your noodles, skip the oil. Instead, use a generous amount of boiling water. A large pot with plenty of water will give your pasta enough space to move around, reducing the chances of it sticking.

Now that you can make the perfect pasta, try these 26 delicious & easy pasta recipes.