Please Don’t Chuck Out Your Pasta Water

Please Don’t Chuck Out Your Pasta Water

Water is becoming an increasingly scarce resource around the world. We’re told to limit showers, reuse bath water and rely on natural rain to clean our cars. But nobody really talks about cooking with water — specifically, pasta water.

If you regularly cook pasta for you and your family, that’s quite a lot of water you’re pouring down the drain. And, well, it turns out there’s a very practical reason to save some — helping the environment is just a bonus.

Why you should save pasta water

Reheating your leftover pasta can be a tricky task. Splashing it with a bit of water can help loosen things up, but if you really want to revive a clump of stiff, dried-out pasta, you’ll need to save a little bit of your original cooking pasta water.

This tip, which comes from Food52, makes a whole lot of sense. Just as the starchy liquid can be used to make creamy sauces (without any cream), it can breathe new life into a sad pile of cold pasta noodles by providing moisture and helping everything re-emulsify.

The next time you make pasta, pour at least a cup of the pasta water into a jar or some other resealable vessel. Then, when you go to reheat your pasta, you can add a couple of tablespoons (or more) of the starchy water, then gently heat everything in a pan on the stove, stirring occasionally until your meal is restored to its former glory. (You can also use the microwave; just be sure to cover it loosely and stir the dish every 30 seconds until it’s hot throughout.)

Give it a try; we can bet you’ll be impressed by the results you’ll wind up with afterwards.

This article on pasta water has been updated since its original publication.

Lead Image Credit: iStock


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