A viral video showing nine Food Network chefs salting their pasta water has gotten people talking — and raised questions about how much salt a person should use when making spaghetti.
The video, posted on Food Network’s TikTok page on December 28, shows chefs from various shows on the network adding salt to a pot of water.
“I add this much salt when I salt the pasta water,” he said chef Alex Guarnaschelli on camera as he adds large handfuls of salt to the pot.
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“Wild, isn’t it? You’re not going to eat all of this. You just have to eat it [it] super salty, like sea water.”
Most other cooks added similarly large amounts of salt to their water containers.
Chef Alex Guarnaschelli is one of the chefs featured in the viral salt and water pasta video. (Michael Simon)
The video has had more than three million views to date – and generated a lot of reactions in the comments section.
“I’d trust Alex Guarnaschella with my life, so I’ll trust her with my salt,” said one commenter.
Others said the video changed them looks at cooking.
“I thought I was posting TOO MUCH — apparently I’m not posting enough,” said the TikTok user.
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“Wait, so my pasta water is supposed to taste like the ocean, but it’s not actually the ocean? I’m blown away. Who else is questioning their salt game right now?” said the other.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Food Network for comment, as well as several chefs who shared their two cents on how much salt to use — and whether there’s such a thing as too much of a good thing.
Salting pasta water serves more than one purpose, said Mark Bolchoz of South Carolina cook and restaurateur.
It’s important to taste while cooking so the pasta isn’t too salty, the chef told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“We salt the pasta water not only to increase the flavor in the dough itself, but also because the salt reduces the gelatinization of the starch, which improves the overall texture of the pasta,” he said.
According to Bolchoz, “more salt is almost always better.”
“I like it my pasta water to taste salty like the ocean,” he said.
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However, as with any dish, “it’s important to taste as you go” to avoid excessive saltiness.
“We salt the pasta water not only to increase the flavor in the dough itself, but because the salt reduces the gelatinization of the starch, which improves the overall texture of the pasta.”
“If the water is too salty, just be careful about how much pasta water you put into the final product,” he said.
Salting the pasta water “is very important,” chef Joey Sergentakis told Fox News Digital. Sergentakis owns three restaurants in New Jersey.
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“It’s your only chance to season the pasta itself while it’s cooking,” he said.
Pasta absorbs water as it cooks, so “if the water is spicy, the pasta takes on some of that flavor.”
Salting the pasta water is an opportunity to season the pasta itself, the chefs said. (iStock)
“It’s like giving your dish a taste advantage,” he said.
If one is a stickler for measuring, Sergentakis recommended adding 10 grams of salt per liter of cooking water.
Unlike others, he is not necessarily a fan of the saying “salty as the sea”.
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“If your water tastes like a mouthful of seawater, it’s probably too much,” he said.
“A quick taste of the water before you add the pasta will tell you if it’s good for storage.”
“But if there’s just a little salt, the pasta will come out bland, no matter how good your sauce is.”
Many TikTok users were shocked to see their favorite celebrity chefs add lots of salt to their pasta water. (iStock)
He continued, “The sweet spot is somewhere in the middle—spicy enough that the water tastes aromatic, but not overpowering. A quick taste of the water before you add the pasta will tell you if it’s good to use.”
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Seasoning your pasta water properly is “a small step, but it really makes a difference in the end,” Sergentakis said.
“Properly salted pasta water is the secret balanced meal – and it’s a lot easier than trying to fix bland pasta later, he said.
