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How to Buy, Store and Cook Pasta

By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Created January 10, 2017
With Betty’s expert tips on purchasing, storing and cooking this pantry staple, you’ll have everything you need to make a perfect plate of pasta every time.
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Whether mixed in a comforting casserole or simply topped with a hearty sauce and some freshly grated parmesan, there are countless ways to use dried, fresh, frozen and homemade pasta to create a restaurant-quality meal. We’re taking you from the grocery store to your stove to help you make the perfect plate of pasta every time.

Pointers for Purchasing Pasta:

  • Dried pasta: Avoid broken pasta or pasta that looks cracked. It may fall apart during cooking. Check the expiration dates on packages.
  • Fresh pasta: Avoid packages with moisture droplets or liquid; the pasta may be moldy or mushy. The pasta should be smooth and evenly colored without broken or crumbly pieces. Check the “sell by” dates.
  • Frozen pasta: Avoid packages that are frozen as a solid block and those with ice crystals or freezer burn (i.e. dry, white spots.)
Storing Pasta:
  • Dried pasta: Label, date and store tightly covered in a cool, dry location up to 1 year.
  • Fresh pasta: Refrigerate; use by package expiration date. Store opened, uncooked pasta in tightly covered container up to 3 days.
  • Frozen pasta: Freeze unopened fresh pasta in its original package up to 9 months. Leftover uncooked pasta can be frozen in airtight container up to 3 months and homemade fresh pasta up to 1 month.
  • Cooked pasta: To prevent from sticking during storage, toss cooked pasta with 1 to 2 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil (per pound) after draining. Refrigerate tightly and cover up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months.
Cooking Pasta to Perfection:
  • Use 1 quart (4 cups) water for every 4 ounces of pasta. Once the water has boiled vigorously, add pasta gradually and stir frequently during cooking to prevent it from sticking together.
  • To add flavor, use ½ teaspoon salt for every 8 ounces of pasta. Stir in just as the water starts to boil and make sure it dissolves before adding pasta.
  • Follow package directions for cook times. For baked recipes, slightly undercook pasta because it will continue to cook during baking.
  • Cooked pasta should be al dente, or tender but firm to the bite, without any raw flavor. Overcooked pasta is mushy, waterlogged and bland.
  • Unless specified, do not rinse pasta after draining or sauce won’t cling. Pasta is usually only rinsed for cold salads. 
Pasta Yields:

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  • Plan on ½ to ¾ cup cooked pasta per side dish or appetizer serving and 1 to 1 ½ cups per main-dish serving.
  • To easily measure 4 ounces of dried spaghetti, make a circle with your thumb and index finger (about the size of a quarter) and fill it with pasta.
Now that you have all the tips to make your best pasta yet, here are eight great ways to put your expertise to use!