Gordon Ramsay’s Rules for Flawless Pasta You’ve Been Ignoring

Perfectly cooked, restaurant-style pasta, never overcooked or sticky—do you wonder why it doesn‘t turn out that way when you make it at home? Even if you follow the instructions on the package exactly, it‘s possible you‘re making one of the mistakes highlighted by world-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay, known for his sharp tongue and uncompromising attitude. But, besides pointing out mistakes, he also shared tips: from the amount of water and salt needed for cooking pasta to the stirring technique—every detail matters.

One of the biggest mistakes when cooking pasta is the amount of water or, to be more specific, not having enough of it. Pasta needs space to "move"! so it can cook evenly and prevent sticking. Therefore, stick to the rule that says 1 liter of water per 100 g of pasta! And just as important, the water must boil before you add the pasta, because if it‘s not boiling, the result won‘t be perfect!

Mario Mihelj once told us, all water that goes on the stove for cooking, unless it‘s for coffee, should be salted. This certainly applies to pasta. Gordon Ramsay emphasizes that pasta water should be "as salty as the sea," because the pasta absorbs it while cooking. Therefore, stick to his rule that says to put 10 g of salt per liter of water. If you salt the pasta only after cooking, it will be soft, sticky, and mushy.

You might never have thought of it, but the famous chef claims that stirring is crucial when preparing this ingredient. As he says, it is very important to start stirring the pasta as soon as you put it in boiling water to prevent sticking, which also ensures even cooking of each piece of pasta in the pot. Stick to his rule that says to stir the pasta constantly during the first minute of cooking, and occasionally for the rest of the cooking time, because if you don‘t, you will most likely end up with a lump of dough that is not evenly cooked.

Many people add oil to the water in which pasta is cooked so it doesn‘t stick, but if you ask Ramsay, or any other chef and Italian cuisine enthusiast, it‘s completely unnecessary and actually a mistake. Oil forms a smooth layer on the surface of the pasta, which will later be a barrier between the sauce and the pasta—which is not what anyone wants. If you want the pasta not to stick, just follow the previous tips—enough water, salt, and stirring.

Perfect pasta is not too soft! Ramsay recommends cooking it 1 to 2 minutes less than the instructions on the package, and his extra tip is to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce you plan to serve it with, which shouldn’t take forever. Coordinate the sauce preparation with the pasta cooking, when the pasta is done, drain it (don’t throw away the water!) and add it to the finished hot sauce and remove from the heat, stir and serve. This way, the pasta will absorb all the flavors and the whole dish will be juicier.

Fans of Italian cuisine classics probably already guess what we’re talking about. But if pasta is a new discovery for you, then you should know that your most powerful weapon to make this dish perfect is the water in which the pasta was cooked. It is full of starch, which you should use to better bind the pasta with the sauce. Stick to Ramsay’s rule and save at least 2 dl of water to add to the sauce. This will make your sauce richer, silkier, thicker, and it will stick better to the pasta.

It would really be a shame to master all the steps and avoid all the mistakes, and then fail at this one, which many consider the biggest. Do not leave the pasta to cool in the colander, because it will become rubbery and sticky, and all your effort up to that step will be wasted. So drain the pasta and immediately put it in the sauce and serve, because if it cools down it will lose its structure and it won‘t be the dish it could have been and that you were hoping for.

BONUS TIP

Once you put the pasta in hot salted water, never add more water to the pot! No matter how hot it is, and it’s hard for it to be as hot as the one in the pot, you’ll stop the cooking and make one of the biggest mistakes. So always make sure to choose a large enough deep pot and fill it with enough water.