How to Keep Spaghetti from Sticking

Making perfect pasta is an essential kitchen skill. Chances are, if your spaghetti is sticking together, you are committing a small culinary faux pas, like rinsing the pasta or using too little water. Good spaghetti is all about timing, from the first time you stir to when you coat the pasta with sauce.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Perfecting Pasta Water

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Ensure you have a very large pasta pot. A pasta pot that is seven quarts (6.6l) or larger will allow you to cook a pound of pasta. Cooking with more than enough water also prevents clumping, sticky pasta.^{[1]
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2
Pour five to six quarts (4.7 to 5.6l) of water into your stockpot for each pound (0.4kg) of spaghetti. Surplus water will also allow the pasta to return to boiling quickly after you add your dry pasta.^{[2]
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- Using a lot of water is extremely important when cooking long pasta, like spaghetti or fettuccini. The long pasta needs room to move around the pot without sticking to the sides.
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3
Add one tablespoon (18g) of salt to the water as the water comes to a boil. Salted water will flavor the pasta.^{[3]
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4
Don’t add oil to the water. As the oil coats the spaghetti, it prevents the pasta sauce from sticking to the outside surface.^{[4]
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Research source} Your pasta will be more likely to stick together.^{[5]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Perfecting Non-Sticky Spaghetti

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Stir your pasta within one to two minutes of adding it to the pot. Use a timer, so that you don’t over or undercook your pasta.^{[6]
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Keep the cover off the pot, so that it cooks evenly and doesn’t boil over.^{[7]
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3
Test your spaghetti two minutes before the timer rings. It should be firm to the bite, also called “al dente.”^{[8]
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4
Drain the spaghetti immediately when it is ready. When you cook pasta, it releases starch into the water. To stop it from sticking, you need to get rid of that starchy water right away.^{[9]
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Don’t rinse your spaghetti. It will make it clump together; starch dries on the pasta and makes it sticky.^{[10]
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6
Toss it with warm sauce immediately after you drain it. Instead of sticking together, the pasta sauce will adhere to the pasta. The result should be a velvety, smooth pasta dish.^{[11]
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Community Q&A

Question

I am having a potluck. I don't want to add noodles to my sauce until later. How do I keep the spaghetti from becoming tacky?

Community Answer

If you are not having it right away, then rinse your noodles with cold water. This will get rid of the starch that makes it stick together. Later, you can reheat it with the sauce.