# Why do you put oil in that boiling pot of pasta? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [October 28, 2021, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-put-oil-in-that-boiling-pot-of-pasta/953403 "2021-10-28T17:21:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-put-oil-in-that-boiling-pot-of-pasta/953403/83 "2022-03-19T03:36:14Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > High heat=165F or…? Sounds interesting, but 24 hours? 185F. Slice onions, sauté with some oil/butter just to soften a bit. Add some beer, vacuum seal, then 185 for 24 hours. When done pour off the liquid, toss around in a pan over high heat for a minute and serve. ETA: someone told me this technique, but I forget who. Wish I could credit them. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2022, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-put-oil-in-that-boiling-pot-of-pasta/953403/84 "2022-03-19T13:39:09Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > To clarify… > I don’t make pasta (I buy the dried stuff on the supermarket shelf). Does your advice apply to that sort, time-wise? > Let’s say the water takes 5 minutes to boil. Start the cook time after that 5 minutes? The pasta I use comes in a box, so if that’s what you’re using then yes. And yes, the cooking time starts when the water boils, though you may want to test for doneness a little before that (maybe a minute or so?). ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-put-oil-in-that-boiling-pot-of-pasta/953403/85 "2022-03-19T15:12:10Z")
So, what size skillet do you use, with how much water, for a pound of pasta? ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-put-oil-in-that-boiling-pot-of-pasta/953403/86 "2022-03-19T16:00:27Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > then 185 for 24 hours What are you using for evaporation control? Cut Cambro or cooler or similar? I’ve told the story of the 24 hour cook in a foam cooler. Yea, they leak. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-put-oil-in-that-boiling-pot-of-pasta/953403/87 "2022-03-19T16:04:36Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > > [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > > > High heat=165F or…? Sounds interesting, but 24 hours? > > 185F. Slice onions, sauté with some oil/butter just to soften a bit. Add some beer, vacuum seal, then 185 for 24 hours. When done pour off the liquid, toss around in a pan over high heat for a minute and serve. > > ETA: someone told me this technique, but I forget who. Wish I could credit them. Hmm, i wonder if i could do this on the oven, or the instant pot… ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-put-oil-in-that-boiling-pot-of-pasta/953403/88 "2022-03-19T16:08:18Z")
I save a cup of salted pasta water too. I add a splash if I need to keep them lubricated. Otherwise it’s some sauce to mix in the pasta and serve the rest of the sauce on the side. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2022, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-put-oil-in-that-boiling-pot-of-pasta/953403/89 "2022-03-19T16:26:16Z")
Depends, of course, on pasta size and quantity. If you break spaghetti, then a smaller pan will work. I have a large stainless pan that will accommodate spaghetti unbroken. You only need enough water to cover the pasta by maybe a half inch. I never measured it, so that’s a guess. Here’s a video. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Zkz4ef53YjA/maxresdefault.jpg "How to Quickly Cook Pasta in a Frying Pan - CHOW Tip") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zkz4ef53YjA) ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-put-oil-in-that-boiling-pot-of-pasta/953403/90 "2022-03-19T17:17:09Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > epends, of course, on pasta size and quantity. If you break spaghetti, then a smaller pan will work. I have a large stainless pan that will accommodate spaghetti unbroken. You only need enough water to cover the pasta by maybe a half inch. I never measured it, so that’s a guess. Here’s a video. I’m not a pasta guy anymore, carbohydrates doncha know, but when I cook pasta for others I use a pressure cooker. Weigh the pasta, add twice as much weight of water, high pressure for half as long as the minimum recommended cooking time on the box, rounding down if it’s an odd number. So if the box says four to five minutes, set it for two minutes, quick release when done, no draining necessary, all the water is absorbed. Of course I add salt, it’s your one and only chance to get the salt inside the pasta, but no oil. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-put-oil-in-that-boiling-pot-of-pasta/953403/91 "2022-03-19T17:37:48Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > What are you using for evaporation control? I cook sous vide fairly often. I have two setups, an Anova I use with a big plastic container and a Hamilton Beach unit that is the size of a large slow cooker. A lid helps with evaporation, and I check on things every so often. I’ve done 72 hour sous vide with pork roasts and just add some water once or twice throughout. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-put-oil-in-that-boiling-pot-of-pasta/953403.md?page=4)