Here's Why Olive Garden Doesn't Salt Its Pasta Water - Mashed (2024)

FAQs

Here's Why Olive Garden Doesn't Salt Its Pasta Water - Mashed? ›

Olive Garden doesn't salt its pasta water

Olive Garden, an Italian-inspired restaurant, doesn't salt their pasta water. The restaurant overlooks this fundamental pasta-cooking rule because of salts impact on pots. According to the Wall Street Journal, putting salt in boiling water could compromise the warranties on the pots.

If you've ever forgotten this step, you may have noticed that the final dish didn't taste quite right. That's because no matter how perfect that Bolognese or Alfredo sauce tastes off the spoon, you're in for a pretty bland forkful of pasta if you're strands aren't cooked in salted water.

As reported by Reader's Digest, Olive Garden's chefs don't use salt in their pasta because of a simple reason: salt can damage pots and they want to avoid risking the warranty on their expensive kitchen supplies.

How To Salt Water For Pasta. It is possible to add too much salt to your pasta water, and we generally follow this water salt ratio for pasta: add 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt to 4 quarts of water for every 1 pound of pasta. When boiling or blanching vegetables (like broccoli), add 1½ teaspoons per quart of water.

According to Italian chef Daniela Savone, Italians strictly use sea salt for boiling pasta. “The salt is not negotiable. It must be the salt of the earth. It is what gives the pasta its flavor and its texture.

Olive Garden's healthiest meals come from their Lighter Italian Fare menu. Olive Garden claims that their Lighter Italian Fare menu items are inspired by Italy's Mediterranean Coast where the diet is primarily vegetables, whole grains, herbs and spices, and olive oil.

"It's a little tricky at Olive Garden," she said. "There are several items that are generally healthy, but their sodium content puts them in an unhealthy range. For example, the Pasta e fa*gioli soup has just 150 calories, not enough for a meal, but still has 710mg of sodium.

Spaghetti, fettuccine, angel hair, pastas you would typically buy dry is exactly what they use at Olive Garden. I don't recall the brand. All sauces are, however, made from scratch. No, Olive Garden definitely does not make pasta from scratch.

While the process speeds up during cooking, it's still not instantaneous. Adding salt at the beginning of cooking gives it time to migrate into the food, seasoning it throughout. Meanwhile, if you add salt only at the end, it provides a more concentrated, superficial coating that immediately hits your tongue.

What seasoning do you put in pasta water? ›

For every one pound of pasta, bring 5 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Once water is boiling, add salt. We recommend about 2 tablespoons of coarse sea salt to every 5 quarts of water. Don't be afraid to salt your pasta water.

So, if you fear you've over-salted your pasta water, drain the farfalle or linguine, then rinse it under cold water, which will stop its cooking and cleanse it of excess salt, says Lorenzo Boni, executive chef of Barilla.

Contrary to popular myth, adding oil into the water does not stop pasta sticking together. It will only make the pasta slippery which means your delicious sauce will not stick. Instead, add salt to the pasta water when it comes to the boil and before you add the pasta.

The first dates back to the Middle Ages, when a heavy tax was placed on salt. Since salt was essential for preserving meat and other foods to last through the winter, those with little money in Tuscany and central Italy had to prioritize where they used their salt, leaving it out of nonessential dishes like bread.

Salting the water does more than just flavor your pasta. It can help keep the starches in your pasta from gelling together, reducing the risk of your pasta sticking. Aim to put a tablespoon or two of salt for every quart of water—which is about a quarter or half cup of salt for a pound of pasta.