Serious question, why does everyone keep adding oil to pasta water?

I was at a friend's house in Chicago last weekend and saw them pour a glug of olive oil into the pot, saying it stops sticking. In my experience, that just makes the sauce slide off later. I've been cooking for twelve years and never do it, and my pasta always comes out fine. What's a cooking myth you see people still believe?

3 comments

3 Comments

derek_brown282mo ago

Wait, are we trying to cook pasta or make a salad? Lol, that oil just ends up everywhere but where you want it.

king.aaron2mo ago

Actually, the oil in the water thing is a total myth for stopping stickiness. It just floats on top of the water, so it never really touches the pasta. The only real way to keep pasta from sticking is to use plenty of water and give it a good stir during the first minute of cooking. That oil slick just makes your noodles slippery so the sauce won't stick to them later, which is probably worse.

joseph_murray81mo ago

Oil actually does coat the pasta a bit while it's boiling, but you're right that it's bad for sauce cling.