Cooking & Kitchen

Pasta Water and Salt Calculator

The classic rule is generous water and well-salted water — about 1 litre per 100 g of pasta and 10 g of salt per litre.

The result tells you how much water and salt to use for the pasta entered, so the pasta is cooked in well-salted water.

Formula

Water (litres) = pasta (g) / 100. Salt (g) = water (litres) x 10.

How it works

Plenty of water keeps pasta from sticking and returns to a boil quickly after the pasta goes in. Salt seasons the pasta itself — unsalted pasta tastes flat no matter the sauce.

There is no need to add oil to the water. Stirring in the first minute prevents sticking far more effectively.

Worked example

For example, 500 g of pasta needs 500 / 100 = 5.0 litres of water, and 5.0 x 10 = 50 g of salt (about 10.0 teaspoons).

FAQs

Does the salt make the water boil slower?
Barely. The amount of salt used for pasta raises the boiling point by a tiny fraction of a degree.

Can I use less water?
You can, but stir more often. Less water means starch builds up faster and the pasta is more likely to clump.

When do I add the salt?
After the water boils, just before the pasta goes in, so it dissolves quickly.

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