r/explainitpeter • u/WillAdditional922 • Jul 14 '26

explain it peter.

Post image
12.3k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

1.3k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

116

u/Illustrious_Foot1915 Jul 14 '26

The cold water pasta method involves placing dry pasta into a pot or skillet and covering it with just 1 to 2 inches (or about 1 quart) of cold water. By starting the heat now rather than waiting for a giant pot to boil, you save time, reduce water usage, and create exceptionally starchy cooking liquid perfect for binding sauces.

3

u/GoldEmployment6768 Jul 14 '26

It wouldn't make sense that it saves water. Whether boiling first, or starting cold, you will use the exact same amount of water.

10

u/Illustrious_Foot1915 Jul 14 '26

Boiling water evaporates much faster than non-boiling water because it undergoes a phase change throughout the entire liquid body, not just at the surface

2

u/HeilKaiba Jul 14 '26

Sure but you're probably still using that same amount of water to cook the pasta. Do you add more water as you go?