Pasta is one of the most beloved comfort foods on the market. It doesn’t hurt its case that it’s super easy to make, yet people are debating many of the crucial steps of its cooking process. Some swear that it should be cooked in boiling water, while others believe that using cold water is completely fine—but is there a right answer to this question?
Most pasta recipes that you’ll come across recommend waiting for your water to boil before adding pasta to the mix. The pasta will bring the temperature of the water down anyway and stop the big boiling bubbles from forming, so it’s worth waiting a few extra minutes for the water to boil.
Pre-boiling water is also important because it stops your pasta from sticking together and getting mushy. The texture of your pasta will most likely be much better if you cook it this way because you’ll get concentrated starchy water that does a great job when it comes to mixing with the sauces.
Cooking pasta in cold water is still an option, but just keep in mind it probably won’t taste as amazing. It’s more difficult to time it and you’ll risk overcooking it because it takes much more time for the pasta to absorb water and release starch, and the final result may not be that great.
