A viral video showing how nine Food Network chefs add salt to pasta water has sparked debate and raised questions about how much salt people should use when making pasta.
The video, posted on Food Network’s TikTok page on Dec. 28, shows chefs from various shows on the network adding salt to a pot of water.
“This is the amount of salt I add when I salt my pasta water,” chef Alex Guarnaschelli says on camera, adding a generous handful of salt to the pot.
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“Wild ones, right? You’re not going to eat all of them. You just have to [it] Super salty, like sea water.
Most other cooks add the same amount of salt to their pots of water.
Chef Alex Guarnaschelli is one of the chefs featured in the popular video about salt and pasta water. (Michael Simon)
To date, the video has been viewed over 3 million times and sparked many reactions in the comments section.
One commenter said: “I would trust Alex Guarnaschelli with my life, so I will trust her with my salt.”
Others said the film changed the way they thought about cooking.
One TikTok user said: “I think I put too much into it – clearly not enough.”
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“Wait, so my pasta water is supposed to taste like the ocean, but it’s not? Shocking. Who else is rethinking their salt game right now?” said another.
Fox News Digital reached out to Food Network for comment and reached out to several chefs who shared their two cents on how much salt to use — and whether there’s too much of a good thing.
South Carolina chef and restaurateur Mark Bolchoz says salting pasta serves more than one purpose.
One chef told Fox News Digital that it’s important to taste when cooking to make sure the pasta isn’t too salty. (iStock)
“We add salt to pasta water not only to add flavor to the dough itself, but also because salt reduces starch gelatinization, thereby improving the overall texture of the pasta,” he says.
According to Borchoz, “more salt is almost always better.”
“I like the pasta water to taste salty like the ocean,” he said.
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However, as with any dish, it’s “important to taste as you go” to avoid being overly salty.
“We add salt to the pasta water not only to add flavor to the dough itself, but also because salt reduces starch gelatinization, thereby improving the overall texture of the pasta.”
“If the water is too salty, pay attention to how much pasta water is added to the final product,” he says.
Chef Joey Sergentakis told Fox News Digital that salting pasta water is “very important.” Sergentakis is the owner of three restaurants in New Jersey.
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“This is your only chance to season the pasta while it’s cooking,” he says.
Pasta absorbs water as it boils, so “if the water is seasoned, the pasta will take on some flavor.”
Chefs say that salting pasta is an opportunity to flavor the pasta itself. (iStock)
“It’s like giving your dish a head start on flavor,” he said.
If one is picky about measurements, Sergentakis recommends adding 10 grams of salt per liter of cooking water.
Unlike others, he doesn’t necessarily like the adage “salty as the sea.”
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“If your water tastes like a mouthful of seawater, you probably drank too much,” he said.
“Take a quick taste of the water before adding the pasta so you know if it’s ready to eat.”
“But if there’s almost no salt, the pasta will be bland no matter how good your sauce is.”
Many TikTok users were surprised to find out that their favorite celebrity chef added a lot of salt to his pasta water. (iStock)
He continues, “The sweet spot is somewhere in the middle — seasoned enough that the water flavor is flavorful, but not too overpowering. A quick taste of the water before adding the pasta will tell you if it’s Suitable.
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Properly seasoning pasta water is “a small step that does make a difference in the end,” Sergentakis said.
“Properly salted pasta water is the secret to a balanced dish, and it’s much easier than trying to fix bland pasta later,” he says.
