I just taste them to see if they're done.
this post was submitted on 07 Nov 2025
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Like a peasant? 😐
I just keep checking if it's done every 1-2 minutes by tasting it
Yeah, right?
You stir it every couple minutes and once it doesn't feel stiff anymore you start trying a piece with every stir.
Al dente literally means "to the tooth". How does it feel to your teeth?
Timers are for things that take more than 15 or can't/shouldn't be disturbed while cooking.
I'm glad to see I'm not crazy, this is how I've always done it after trial and error of getting the process that works the best for me
I knew I wasn't crazy that it stops feeling hard when stirring at a certain point!
Me, eating them after they're done:
I forgot to put salt in
Same, but often in bed several hours later wondering why the pasta didn't taste right.
TIMERS. don't you people have phones^TM^
I need to set a timer to remind me to set a timer
If only I didn't get distracted and completely forget to set the timer... or remember where I placed my phone.
That's why I have a physical timer bolted to the cupboard door in my kitchen.
Me: That’s silly, I don’t need a timer. I’m not an idiot! I can remember one damn number!
Also me: See meme
Then the timer is mysteriously paused or cancelled…
I just boil it until all the water's gone
I have a whiteboard on the fridge and I'll write "pasta 1329" or something.
I found a physical kitchen timer most helpful. It's really quick to set it and I can chop veggies or wash the dishes in the meantime, without having to check the clock all the time.
You can also get one with a magnetic base and stick it to the fridge.
Yep. Grab it, spin it, set it back down--takes literally one second. I don't need microsecond precision for pasta.
If you don’t get the magnet variety, there’s almost zero risk of failure. Even the magnet variety is only going to stop being magnetic (if it falls off or the magnetism wears out).
I have a mechanical egg timer I’ve had for probably 35 years (mom got it when I was a kid and I inherited it). Super basic. Only way I expect it to fail is if I drop it, because the plastic is almost certainly brittle by now.
They are freakin wonderful little things.
I use the timer in the clock app on the phone. But also, I have a dozen preprogrammed timers that I can start from a shortcut on the home screen, and two timers in the swipe-down menu that are accessible even with the phone being locked. These are all implemented with the Automate app (for Android) — which, for better or worse, requires a bit of programming chops, even though the ‘coding’ is visual instead of textual.
I just stir it regularly and eyeball when it's presumably done.
Buying a smartwatch changed my life, cause now I know if I’m going to forget something, I can immediately set a timer on it. Which, yes I could have done with just my phone, but the phone is in my pocket and thus doesn’t exist.
I just keep forgetting to set the timer on my watch.
Advanced ADHD
I set a timer with my old Casio digital watch which cost less than $10 and runs for >2 years on the charge of a single button cell and whose strap I replaced with a cloth+velcro strap made by a neighbourhood tailor, who did it for ~ $1.
__
Yes, I'm flexing. You could tell?
Yeah, that works too
I just set a timer and OH FOR GODS SAKE I FORGOT TO SET THE TIMER AGAIN
I cut it with a fork against the side of the pot to check if it's done.
I use an immersion blender. Once it blends easily, I know it's done.
Instructions unclear, I no longer have toes.
A wide-mouth food thermos was a game changer. Insert pasta, salt & hot water, remember to stir once about 1-5 minutes in. Then depending on how close to about 20 minutes in you remember it, it will be more or less a disgusting overcooked mess, but there's no risk of burning anything!
I guess my distaste for overcooked pasta is what keeps me together against the forgetfulness.
Since forgetting is so common for me I set a timer on the microwave that is mounted right above the stove and has the air blower thingy to spread out the moisture air from boiling.
i just gave up on that. i cook guided by vibes alone
and i must say, i mastered this skill to such a degree i can make perfect soft boiled eggs every single time. my inner clock is broken aside from when i make food, then it's better than an actual time keeping device
Kitchen timers are pretty cheap... Or use your phone.
The microwave probably has one.
Whatever cooking time is written on the package: It's always "add 3-5 minutes to it".
I'm looking at you Barilla!
Edit: I'm sorry, Barilla.
You meant "subtract", surely? No pasta needs to cook for ten minutes.
Nope, add. I like my pasta al dente, btw. But if I rely on the time printed on the package they never are al dente but still kind of raw ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Are you putting the pasta in cold? If you put it in at a rolling boil it'll be mushy at 10 minutes.
you made me rethink how I cook my pasta and researched a little bit. The effect I'm experiencing can be explained by the amount of water I use. I always used 3 liters of water for 500g spaghetti. Recommended are 1l per 100g. Using lesser can result in greater loss of heat when putting in the pasta into the water.
I was thinking maybe elevation was accounting for the discrepancy, but thus makes more sense! Thanks for doing the research and solving the mystery.
The fusili I have say 11 minutes but they need 12 - 15
If you're cooking the grocery store dried box pasta for 5 minutes it's likely gonna be undercooked.. and crunchy.. If it's fresh pasta 3 to 5 minutes sounds about right.
Well, some dried pastas in the store could be 5 to 8 I guess, but definitely not Barilla
Most of the thick pasta like penne from Barilla recommends 10-11…
I have the stove timer plus two others nearby. Adapt and overcome.
It'll take half the time if you break it in half. 🧠
“Hey siri, set timer blabla” is a godsend
This is why I buy fresh (45 sec) or use Angel hair (3-4 min).