The Secret Ingredient To Prevent Cooked Pasta From Becoming Sticky

Pasta is a comfort food many people enjoy; it may come as no surprise that Americans consume more than 5.95 billion pounds of the food each year, according to a 2021 report from Grand View Research. Pasta is relatively affordable and can be topped with a number of delicious sauces, such as robust tomato sauce, creamy Alfredo, or zesty pesto.

Although pasta is often lauded for being fairly easy to make, there's an unmentioned conundrum you won't find on the box: how to prevent your pasta from becoming sticky. Sure, cooking your pasta for the right amount of time is a no-brainer. But what happens after you've drained your pasta and it starts to become sticky?

You've probably heard the advice about adding salt to boiling water or reserving some of your pasta water. But there's also a secret ingredient for preventing cooked pasta from becoming a gummy, sticky mess.

Even if you've cooked your pasta perfectly, you still run the risk of it sticking together once it's out of the water. There's a simple solution: olive oil.

Olive oil is a household staple all around the world, praised for its versatility and health benefits. However, many people don't realize that olive oil can help prevent pasta from sticking to itself after it's drained and stored in the fridge. If you're not planning on using your pasta right away, olive oil will be your new best friend. Drizzle some olive oil over your cooked, drained pasta. Voila — you've got yourself the perfect pasta consistency that will last for days. However, if you plan on using your pasta immediately, you'll want to hold off on using olive oil, as it can prevent pasta sauce from adhering to the noodles.

Some people even swear by adding olive oil to their pasta water. It's said that the olive oil prevents the pasta noodles from sticking together and stops the water from boiling over in the pot. But according to Smithsonian, this isn't the best idea — it makes it harder for your sauce to coat the noodles. All in all, the secret to making the perfect pasta starts with cooking your noodles in enough water at a roaring boil. Then, if you plan on storing your pasta for a later time, add a little olive oil to keep your pasta from drying out and clumping together.

What exactly makes pasta stick to itself? According to On the Gas, pasta is primarily composed of starch. Boiling water causes the pasta to release the starch and makes the noodles stick together.

However, there are some basic methods to keep pasta from sticking together that you'll want to keep in mind. The first is making sure you're using enough water and that it comes to a hard boil. In an exclusive interview with Mashed, Barilla chef Lorenzo Boni stated that the best practice for cooking pasta is to use 1 gallon of water per package and to make sure the water comes to a hard boil. The roaring water will prevent the pasta from sticking to itself and the bottom and sides of the pot.

Following the directions on the package and giving your pasta a good stir will prevent it from sticking together. And if you're storing your pasta in the fridge, olive oil is the key to keeping your noodles fresh.