How salty should my pasta water be? Does adding pasta water really make a difference? Our pasta guides answer all your burning pasta questions.

Explore Pasta Guides

All Pastas
Showering grated cheese down into a skillet full of spaghetti
The Best Way to Finely Grate Cheese for Pasta
20160211-pasta-alla-gricia-vicky-wasik-001.jpg
Gricia, Amatriciana, Carbonara: The Origins of Rome's Pasta Classics
A white bowl filled with rigatoni alla vodka topped with parmesan.
Does Vodka Sauce Really Need Vodka?
20150415-colored-pasta-vicky-wasik-19.jpg
How to Color Fresh Pasta
How Salty Should Pasta Water Be?
Sasha Marx from Serious Eats standing in a kitchen with a pile of different packages of pastas on the counter in front of him.
Please, No: The Pasta Shapes We Won't Eat
A stack of four cookbooks about pasta.
Linguini, Spaghetti, or Cavatelli: These Are the Best Cookbooks for Making Fresh Pasta
20160209-amatriciana-pasta-vicky-wasik-013
Does Adding Pasta Water Really Make a Difference?
A bowl of ramen noodle soup; you can transform regular pasta into ramen noodles with baking soda.
Turn Your Pasta Into Ramen With Baking Soda
Three pieces of cooked gemelli pasta arranged in parallel on a wooden cutting board.
A New Way to Cook Pasta? | The Food Lab
Closeup of pasta aglio e olio twirled on a fork.
Can I Start Pasta In Cold Water? | Ask The Food Lab
An overhead shot of three pasta bowls filled with spaghetti.
To Find the 3 Best Pasta Bowls, We Cooked Boxes and Boxes of Spaghetti
Forget Boiling! Use Less Salt! Plus More Tips for Better, Easier Pasta
Get Smart About Your Pasta Shapes
20101014-pasta-mancini-1.jpg
Pasta Mancini: Does Vertical Integration Make For Better Pasta?
starchmadness_bracket_FINAL-1500px
Starch Madness Is Back and Better Than Ever
20200312-starch-madness-pasta-flatlay-featured-image
Our Favorite Pasta Shapes
StarchMadnessBracket
Introducing Starch Madness: The Pasta Shape Bracket We Need Right Now
20200410-cavatappi-vicky-wasik-sq-blue
Starch Madness: Cavatappi Crowned Champions
Site-Bracket-Round-5
Starch Madness: The Final Forks
Overhead view of ni di di rondine
This Classic Italian Pasta Dish Is the Adult Way to Eat Ham and Cheese
20180305-vegan-lasagna-cauliflower-tofu-vicky-wasik815
How to Make a Vegan Lasagna That's Irresistibly Creamy and Delicious
Overhead view of Rosette al Forno
Bolognese Lasagna Rolls (Rosette)
Overhead view of butternut squash mac and cheese
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Overhead view of toasted ravioli on a plate
Cheese-Filled Toasted Ravioli
Overhead view of pesto in a small bowl next to ramps and pesto pasta
Ramp Pesto
Sorrentinos in a bowl
Sorrentinos
20210301-Spaghetti-Allo-Scoglio-Tim-Chin-20
Spaghetti allo Scoglio (Spaghetti With Mixed Seafood)
Overhead view of Malloreddus alla Campidanese in a white bowl on a titled background with pink floruishes surrounded by the pot and two wine glasses
Malloreddus Alla Campidanese (Sardinian Ridged Pasta With Saffron and Pork Ragù)
Overhead view of pasta alla zozzona on a white plate
Pasta Alla Zozzona (Rigatoni With Sausage, Guanciale, and Egg Yolks)
Orecchiette con le Cime di Rapa in a white pasta bowl
Orecchiette con le Cime di Rapa (Apulian Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe) Recipe
A white bowl of penne alla vodka sprinkled with cheese
Penne alla Vodka Recipe
An overhead view of pasta al tonno served on a blue-grey serving plate with a fork and a yellow napkin in the corner.
Pasta al Tonno (Pasta With Tomatoes and Tuna)
20200614-pork-shoulder-sugo-sasha-marx
Roast Pork Shoulder Ragù in Bianco With Pasta Recipe
20150415-colored-pasta-vicky-wasik-22.jpg
This Gorgeous Pink Pasta Has a Secret Ingredient
Cacio E Pepe on a serving plate
The Simple, Science-Backed Technique for Perfect Cacio e Pepe Every Single Time
Cacio e pepe on a tan ceramic plate alongside two small bowls, one holding shredded cheese and the other holding freshly ground pepper. There is a metal fork with pasta swirled around it on the plate.
20 Incredibly Quick and Easy Pasta Recipes That Will Make You a Weeknight Dinner Hero
Two bowls of homemade spaghetti and meatballs with a dish of grated parmesan cheese next to them.
Ya Gotta Break a Few Balls for the Best Spaghetti and Meatballs. (Seriously.)
A bowl of chicken noodle soup in a yellow bowl alongside a spoon, fresh dill, and lemon wedges.
10 Pasta Soup Recipes That Won't Leave You Hungry
Overhead view of pappardelle with pork ragu
Pappardelle With Tuscan Pork Ragù
Orecchiette with broccoli and toasted hazelnuts in a black bowl.
Orecchiette With Broccoli and Toasted Hazelnuts
Overhead view of a Italian pasta salad
Italian-American Pasta Salad
gnudi in a bowl with chives and parmesan cheese on the side
Spinach and Feta Gnudi in Mushroom-Saffron Broth
A black ceramic bowl of cooked homemade fettucine noodles sprinkled with black pepper and parmesan cheese.
Homemade Fresh Pasta
Overhead shot of two bowls of stovetop mac and cheese with 'nduja
Easy Stovetop 'Nduja Mac and Cheese Recipe
Pasta cacio e uova (Neapolitan pasta with eggs and cheese) on a white platter, garnished with fresh parsley.
Pasta Cacio e Uova (Neapolitan Pasta With Eggs and Cheese) Recipe
20150415-colored-pasta-vicky-wasik-19.jpg
8 Recipes That Start With Homemade Pasta
A bowl of paccheri pasta with flavorful sauce of beans and greens.
Pasta With Beans and Greens Recipe
A shallow white bowl filled with a mound of pasta con sarde topped with bread crumbs.
Pasta Con le Sarde (Sicilian Pasta With Sardines) Recipe
20130104-235771-chicken-penne-vodka-sauce-edit.jpg
Chicken and Penne in Vodka Cream Sauce Recipe
Overhead view of no boil baked ziti
The Food Lab's No-Boil Baked Ziti Recipe
20150225-egg-yolk-ravioli-primary-niki-achitoff-gray (1).jpg
Uovo in Raviolo (Runny Egg Yolk Ravioli) Recipe
Top down view of a bowl of pasta with butternut squash and sage brown butter.
Pasta With Butternut Squash and Sage Brown Butter
A bowl of pressure cooker ragù Bolognese
Pressure Cooker Ragù Bolognese Recipe
The cover of Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan
Classic Cookbooks: Marcella Hazan's Homemade Tagliatelle with Bolognese Meat Sauce Recipe
Overhead shot of fettuccine alfredo plated
Roman-Style Fettuccine With Alfredo Sauce Recipe
20140919-fettucini-alfredo-recipe-17.jpg
Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
A bowl of homemade gluten-free fresh pasta with tomato sauce in an orange bowl.
Gluten-Free Fresh Pasta Recipe