Sure, boiling macaroni sounds easy enough. You just bring the water to a boil, throw the macaroni in there, wait a few minutes, and then drain it. Easy, right? Oh, but that’s where you’re mistaken. Boiling macaroni, or any pasta for that matter, does require some precision. Otherwise, you will be left with soggy macaroni or macaroni that isn’t cooked enough. If you have ever wondered how to boil macaroni, well here’s the ultimate guide for you to learn how to do so.
Contents
How to Boil Macaroni (Step-by-Step Instructions)
Step 1
Fill a pot with 4 liters of cold water per pound of pasta. Depending on the amount of macaroni you are using, you may need more or less water. For this level of water, you’ll need 300 grams of macaroni.
Step 2
Put 1 tbsp of salt in the water. Putting salt in the water helps to season the pasta to make it taste as flavorful as possible. Without it, it can taste a bit bland. Use about a tablespoon per pound of macaroni. You can always adjust the amount to suit your taste too.
Step 3
Cover the pot and bring it to the boil. The boiling times may vary, so check back on the pot regularly. As it may take up to 10 minutes, give or take.
Step 4
Remove the lid. Put the 300 grams of uncooked macaroni in the pot. Make sure no water splashes towards you as it has just boiled.
Step 5
Once you’ve added the macaroni, don’t just leave the pot there. Keep stirring the macaroni periodically, perhaps every minute or so. By doing this, it will allow the pasta to cook evenly. If you don’t, the pasta may have an inconsistent texture.
Step 6
Cook according to time, which we’ll discuss later. When it’s fully cooked, remove the pot from the burner, turn the burner off, and then use a strainer to separate the macaroni from the water. Put the macaroni in a separate bowl.
Step 7
If you’re using the macaroni for a pasta salad, rinse it with cold water. This will prevent the macaroni from absorbing the sauce. This can also help stop the pasta from cooking. If you want that perfect al dente pasta, then rinsing it with cold water is a must.
Step 8
If you want to add a little more taste to your macaroni, pour some sunflower oil, olive oil, or any other oil of your choice. Stir well and make sure the macaroni is seasoned evenly. You can add any other seasonings you like as well. Such as garlic, vegetables, or anything else you want in the macaroni.
Step 9
Now serve. As you know, macaroni is quite versatile. You can mix it with cheeses, add pasta sauce to it, put it in a salad, or do anything else you want with it. But, that’s how you boil the macaroni perfectly.
How Long to Boil Macaroni
If you’ve read the package that comes with the macaroni, or any pasta for that manner, they usually include a range of how long the pasta should be cooked. It’s usually around 8-10 minutes or something similar. This is a general guide, and depending on your taste preference, you may want to cook it for more or less.
Some people love al dente pasta. Al dente, which is Italian for “to the tooth,” is considered the best way of doneness for the pasta. It’s chewy, not soft, but not hard, either. Of course, some may like it softer, and some may want to have tougher pasta.
The time for al dente macaroni depends, so you need to measure it yourself. Four minutes into the boiling, take a piece of macaroni from the pot and take a bite of it. If it’s too tough, continue boiling for a couple minutes and taste again.
| Types of Pasta Doneness | Definition |
|---|---|
| Al Dente | To the tooth. Pasta that is firm, but not too hard. Considered as the best type of pasta doneness by many. |
| Regular | This is pasta that doesn’t lack the al dente firmness, but isn’t too soft, either. |
| Scotta | Means “overcooked.” Pasta is mushy, and you may need to try again. |
How to Boil Macaroni (Short Summary)
Ingredients
- A pot to boil
- A wooden spoon to stir
- Any utensils you want to serve or eat the macaroni
- 300 grams of uncooked macaroni. Alternatively just use the entire box of elbow macaroni.
- 1 tablespoon of salt to taste
- Water to boil. You’ll need around 4 quarts and some extra cold water as well.
- Olive oil sunflower oil, or any other flavoring oil. You don’t need it entirely, but it does help.
- Any other seasonings or sauces you would like to accompany your macaroni. Everyone enjoys their macaroni differently so this part is up to you.
Instructions
- Fill a pot with 4 liters of cold water per pound of pasta
- Put 1 tbsp of salt in the water
- Cover the pot and bring it to the boil
- Put macaroni in the pot
- Keep stirring the macaroni periodically, perhaps every minute or so
- Boil macaroni (10 minutes)
- Rinse it with cold water
- Add some sunflower oil, olive oil, or any other oil of your choice
- Now serve
Notes
- Adding salt to the boil is an art. Some say you should put it before the water boils, and some say you should do it during. Try both, and adjust the salt levels. Find the perfect taste for your macaroni.
- It may be a little trial and error to figure out the perfect time to create the perfect pasta. If you don’t get it right the first time, don’t give up. Find that sweet spot.
- You can store the cooked macaroni in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Make sure you try to separate the pasta and the sauce.
- If you're going to have leftovers, they will be softer when you reheat. Cooking the macaroni under al dente can help it reach the perfect level of doneness.
- Don’t eat the macaroni too fast. Make sure you enjoy every bite!
Navia
What temp to cook noodles? Like is it low, medium or high heat?
Vera Stetsenko
preferably over low heat