So how much salt should you put in pasta water? Well, it depends on what kind of salt you're using. Here at Basically, we always recommend Kosher salt for seasoning during cooking. Do not use iodized table salt, which is tongue-tinglingly salty and gives food a tinny, bitter taste. Among the kosher salts out there, though, there's a big difference in the size and shape of the salt crystals and therefore a difference in how salty each tastes by volume. Of the two most popular brands, Diamond Crystal and Morton’s Kosher, Diamond has flakier, irregular crystals, whereas Morton’s are rounder and pebbly. To achieve the same level of saltiness, you would use nearly twice as much Diamond as Morton’s. When it comes to salting pasta water, then, for every 4 quarts (or gallon) of water, go with 2 Tbsp. Diamond or 4 tsp. Morton’s.
Keep in mind that while being liberal with salt is good, it's totally possible to OVER-salt pasta water. It happens to me on occasion, usually when I forget that I'm also going to add other salty ingredients to the pasta, like anchovies, Parmesan, or bacon, in which case I'll back off on how generously salting my pasta water. It also happens when I forgetfully let the water in the pot boil off and reduce, which concentrates the saltiness. If you have the pasta water going for a long time, periodically top it off with additional water to keep the salt from concentrating.
Didn't think there was all that much to say about salting your pasta water? I didn't either, until I really thought about all the hows and whys. But making small, easy, incremental adjustments to how you season food will definitely make you a better cook. I promise your food will taste better. And that's as good a reason as any.
