Food writer Hannah Evans has settled the debate on how much salt to add to pasta water, revealing that the recommended amount is far more than most home cooks use. Writing in The Times, she answered a reader's question from Brighton about why pasta water matters and how much salt is needed.
The 'Mild Seawater' Rule
Evans emphasized that seasoning is crucial for bringing out flavors, even with high-quality ingredients. She recommends adding enough salt to make the water taste like "mild seawater." Tim Siadatan, founder of the Padella pasta restaurant chain, suggests roughly a fistful of salt for five litres of water.
While this may seem like a lot compared to a typical pinch, Evans stressed that the pasta does not absorb all the salt. Siadatan, who has written about this in his recipe book Padella, said: "I can't emphasise enough the difference correctly seasoned water will make to the final plate."
Why Pasta Water Matters
Siadatan, a graduate of Jamie Oliver's Fifteen and former chef at St John and Moro, opened Trullo in 2010 and the first Padella at Borough Market in 2016. Beyond salt, keeping some pasta water before draining is advised because the starch released during cooking helps bind the sauce to the pasta. Siadatan explained: "You'll need some to help loosen the sauce when combining it with the pasta, and the starch works very subtly to help change the viscosity of the dish."
Related Cooking Advice
The tip follows celebrity chef James Martin's warning about a common roast potato mistake. In a previous YouTube interview, Martin advised cooking potatoes in plenty of water with a pinch of salt, avoiding overcrowding the pan to remove starch, and roasting them in a very hot oven after the meat is removed.
