Why You Should Always Salt Pasta Water—and the Right Way to Do It

This simple step is the key to making the most delicious pasta.

If you grew up cooking at your Italian nonna's side, then perhaps you already know the secret to perfectly moist meatballs, that pasta water should always be "as salty as the sea," or how singing to your red sauce will make it taste better. Maybe that last part won't make much of a difference (apart from a mood boost), but we're here to confirm that Nonna did make a great point about salting the pasta water—it's key to making great pasta.

Related: 16 Classic Italian Pasta Recipes Everyone Should Know How to Make

Why We Salt Pasta Water

For the rest of us who had to learn the hard way, salting your water is the first—and arguably most— important step to a great bowl of pasta. If you've ever forgotten this step, you may have noticed that the final dish didn't taste quite right. That's because no matter how perfect that Bolognese or Alfredo sauce tastes off the spoon, you're in for a pretty bland forkful of pasta if you're strands aren't cooked in salted water.

Old wives' tales say it must be so, but what does the research say? Scientifically speaking, there's only one valid reason to salt your pasta water: it seasons each noodle evenly from the inside out. In culinary school, chefs-in-training are taught to season their dish a little bit at a time from the first step on; this enhances each ingredient and builds gradual, more complex flavors. This same philosophy applies when cooking pasta, where salting the water is like laying the foundation of a great meal.

How Much Salt?

For amounts, let's go beyond Nonna's Mediterranean Sea analogy: Most experts recommend a heaping tablespoon of salt per gallon of water (or per pound of dry pasta). Give the water a taste once the salt has dissolved; it should taste briny, but not knock-you-over salty. Sodium patrollers can rest easy knowing that your pasta will not absorb the full tablespoon of salt. In fact, a pound of pasta is estimated to absorb only about a quarter of that amount.

The Best Salt to Use

Table salt, kosher salt, sea salt...any of these types of salt will work fine. Avoid iodized salt, which will impart an off taste to the noodles. If you use salt with grain that is finer than kosher salt, start with an even tablespoon and add more to taste.

Related: Our 30 Most Popular Pasta Recipes Ever

When to Salt the Water

The most effective way to salt the water—and how this simple step is taught in cooking school—is to add the salt when the water comes to a boil.

Using Pasta Water

Lastly, when your perfectly seasoned pasta is cooked, don't automatically throw out the water. Yes you need to strain the pasta—and toss it with sauce—but a few tablespoons of starchy, salty pasta water is a magic elixir. Add it to your sauce if you need to thin the sauce or simply need a little more volume of sauce. It's a chef's secret to making your pasta taste like a restaurant-quality main dish.

Read the original article on Martha Stewart.