The one pasta mistake we all make and why it ruins dinner

Ynetnews • January 19, 2026 • health

Key Points:

Pasta shapes are designed with specific culinary functions to pair optimally with different sauces: long, wide noodles suit thick sauces; short pasta works with chunky sauces; and stuffed pasta pairs best with delicate sauces to highlight fillings.
Common pasta cooking mistakes include adding oil to boiling water, which prevents sauce adhesion, rinsing pasta with cold water that washes away starch needed for sauce binding, and using insufficient water or small pots.
Sauce preparation errors often involve burning aromatics like garlic or onion, overcooking tomato sauces which breaks down acidity and sugars, and overcrowding sauces with too many ingredients, diluting flavor; minimalism is recommended.
A professional tip to enhance pasta dishes is to finish cooking pasta in the sauce with a bit of reserved cooking