Credit:
Cook N Home
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Credit:
Cook N Home
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This stainless-steel set includes a 12-quart stockpot for your water, an internal pasta pot, a steamer insert, and a lid made of tempered glass. Read More
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This pasta pot set includes a vented glass lid, riveted silicone handles, and an encapsulated base for improved heat retention and distribution. Read More
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Pasta is one of those comfort foods that’s almost universally beloved. Collectively, the U.S. consumes 5.95 billion pounds of pasta per year. If you’ve ever tried cooking pasta at home, you know that getting it just right can be a challenge, especially if you don’t have a lot of fancy kitchen tools. But finding a good pasta pot is an easy and essential step when it comes to making the perfect plate of spaghetti.
If you’re in the market for a great pasta pot, or even a whole new cookware set, you’ll want to do some research. Pots are available in all different shapes and sizes, and may include various cooking accessories. There are even some pasta pots with strainers built in! Here are some of our top picks for the best pasta pots you can get online now.
Tempered glass allows for viewing pasta
12 qt capacity
A little pricey
Twist-and-lock strainer lid
Non-stick coating
Sturdy no-burn handles
Not fit for large quantities
Silicone handles
12 qt capacity
Some might prefer a strainer lid
Eco-friendly design
Oven safe
Not induction compatible
Great value
Easy to use
Sears meat perfectly
Nothing we could find
Great size
Heats well
Higher price point
No additional features
How many people you typically cook for and how much space you have will play a direct role in choosing the perfect pasta pot. Five-quarts is the minimum size that you’ll want in order to make about a pound of pasta but if you’re cooking for larger families you’ll want to consider a large pasta pot.
Getting a high quality pasta pot is important when you’re spending your hard earned cash and while some people can afford to invest in high-end, high-priced cookware, others love a deal. Luckily, you can find a great value pasta pot pretty easily.
Overall when looking for cookware you’ll want to consider the way you’ll be using it. Is your stove gas or induction? Do you need a pot that’s oven-safe? These factors will influence which cookware is best for your kitchen.
Finding a lightweight pasta pot that does the job can seem like a daunting task but it’s not really as hard as you may think. You’ll want to consider who’s using the pot and what the kitchen set up is like. Not many people have the luxury of a pasta arm (or pot filler) in their kitchen and transporting large pots of pasta water and hot spaghetti can be a chore for some.
Once you’ve chosen or prepared your pasta using a pasta maker you’ll want to start boiling your water. You’ll want to use a pot with plenty of space so you can cook the pasta without it getting crowded and stuck together. A good rule of thumb is that for every 4 ounces of pasta, you want 8 ounces of liquid, or a 1:2 ratio.
Once boiling, add a generous amount of salt to the water, and remember that if you add salt before the water is boiling it will take a little longer to boil.
When boiling pasta you’ll want to consider how al dente, or firm, you like your pasta. If you leave pasta boiling for too long you’ll be left with overcooked pasta that is soft and falls apart easily. This can be a problem, especially if you’re making something like stuffed shells.
Cooking time depends on the type of pasta you’re using and can range from five minutes with thin spaghetti like angel hair to up to 15 minutes for shell-type pasta. If you’re using dry pasta, you’ll want to take the cooking instructions into consideration and check on the texture three or four minutes before the suggested cook time.
If you’re cooking with fresh pasta you’ll want to keep in mind that fresh pasta tends to cook more quickly than dried pasta. Thin noodles can take as little as 60 seconds so again, you’ll want to consider the thickness of your noodles.
Cooked pasta will become lighter in color, float to the top, and will look thick and expanded. While al dente isn’t really possible with fresh pasta, you’ll find it hard to go back to dried pasta after you’ve found your favorite pasta recipe.
Ceara Perez-Murphy is a staff writer at Reviewed. In her free time she likes trying out new recipes in the kitchen, exploring new restaurants and spending time outdoors with her dogs.
Adam Reeder
Contributor
Adam Reeder is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.
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