# Fixing underdone pasta after adding sauce -- need answer fast

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fixing-underdone-pasta-after-adding-sauce-need-answer-fast/523440>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 2, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fixing-underdone-pasta-after-adding-sauce-need-answer-fast/523440 "2010-01-02T22:20:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fixing-underdone-pasta-after-adding-sauce-need-answer-fast/523440/1 "2010-01-02T22:20:06Z")

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I just made a pot of shells with homemade cheese sauce for my daughter. I cooked the pasta for the longer time range indicated on the box, but apparently that wasn’t enough, as it’s still a hair short of al dente–still crunchy in the middle. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize this until I’d already drained it and mixed it in with the cheese sauce. Is there anything I can do to soften the pasta now, or am I sunk?

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**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fixing-underdone-pasta-after-adding-sauce-need-answer-fast/523440/2 "2010-01-02T22:36:02Z")

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Add a little milk, cover it and bake it in the oven or simmered on the stove top.

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fixing-underdone-pasta-after-adding-sauce-need-answer-fast/523440/3 "2010-01-02T23:57:13Z")

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Nuke it.

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**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fixing-underdone-pasta-after-adding-sauce-need-answer-fast/523440/4 "2010-01-04T19:27:46Z")

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Well? What did you do, and did it work?

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**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fixing-underdone-pasta-after-adding-sauce-need-answer-fast/523440/5 "2010-01-04T19:31:54Z")

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I nuked a small portion at first, and got it soft enough for her to eat. Tried the milk trick the next day, and it turned out okay, although the sauce got a little grainier.