If you have ever drizzled oil into the pot while boiling pasta, you are in good company. Countless home cooks do it, convinced it stops the noodles from clumping together. A TikTok creator named Karen, who trained at culinary school, recently explained why this habit is not only unnecessary but can actually work against you. Her straightforward advice has convinced many people to change their routine for good.
The main reason people reach for the oil bottle is to keep pasta strands separate. In practice, however, oil floats on the surface and never really mixes into the water where the pasta cooks. As long as you use plenty of boiling water and stir the pasta right after adding it, the pieces move freely and rarely stick. The trick is simple movement and space rather than an oily coating.
What the oil does do is coat the outside of the cooked pasta once it is drained. That slick layer makes it harder for sauce to cling to each piece. Instead of absorbing flavor, the sauce tends to slide off and pool at the bottom of the plate. Italian tradition insists that pasta and sauce should become one harmonious dish, and oil quietly sabotages that goal.
The only ingredient Karen recommends adding to the pot is salt, and plenty of it. Generously salted water seasons the pasta from the inside out, giving it flavor that no amount of sauce can fully replace later. Think of the water tasting lightly like the sea. This single step makes an enormous difference in the final taste.
Another gem from her culinary school days is to always reserve a cup or two of the starchy cooking water before draining. That cloudy liquid is full of starch released by the pasta. When you add a splash to the pan while tossing everything with sauce, it helps create a smooth, creamy texture without extra cream or butter. The starch binds the fat and liquid together into a silky emulsion that coats every bite perfectly.
@karens_cooking 5 rules for making pasta š #culinaryschool #cooking #pasta #foodtiktok ā¬ original sound – Karen Eats
Karen also stresses cooking the pasta just shy of done in the boiling water. It should still have a slight bite when you drain it. Transfer it straight to the sauce and let it finish cooking there. This way the pasta soaks up even more flavor and never turns mushy.
On the practical side, she notes that the classic restaurant ratio is ten parts water to one part pasta, though four to one works perfectly at home. The important part is having enough water for the pasta to swirl around freely as it cooks. Too little water concentrates the starch too much and leads to gummy results.
Good pasta does not need complicated ingredients or fancy equipment. Some of the most memorable plates rely on just a handful of quality components handled with care. Fresh olive oil, garlic, cheese, and perfectly cooked noodles can deliver restaurant-level satisfaction.
Once you drop the oil habit and start using salty water and a bit of reserved starch, everyday pasta nights become noticeably better. The noodles hold the sauce beautifully, the texture stays silky, and the flavor shines through. Small adjustments like these are what separate decent pasta from truly great pasta.
Have you tried cooking pasta without oil yet, or do you have another favorite tip for the perfect plate? Share your thoughts in the comments.
