Why do you have to add salt to pasta or rice when boiling/cooking/preparing it?

I never add salt, and it comes out fine.. people tell me if you add salt, it boils faster. But it doesn’t taste different with/without salt.

I meant hate salt, not have salt. sigh. excuse my mistakes tonight.

You dont have to add salt. Some think it makes the water boil faster, but I see it as a silly myth.

Yeah, I think so too lol.. my mom thought she didn’t add enough (cuz it still wasn’t boiling), so she put more.. BLEH.. it tasted like we were eating pasta that was soaking in ocean water :O

Hahaha, scrumpcious! :)

Salt water boils faster.My mom does it and tastes fine.

Salt adds flavor to a boring pot of pasta or rice…

it doesnt have anything to do with making the water boil faster…all it does & is meant to do in any food is add flavor!

For Pasta is not needed but it is needed for rice or it will taste bland.

Salt makes water boil more slowly, in that it has to reach a slightly higher temperature. But it is quite unnecessary in boiling pasta. Rice, if you’re making savory rice you’d add salt and other seasoning, but this doesn’t work for pasta so forget it.

Pasta should be boiled in plain old water. period. My mom’s Italian, my dad’s got a lot of Greek and Irish., and they both cook like maniacs. I know pasta and potatoes.

I add salt to boiling water when I’m doing pasta or rice so these do not stick to the pot…..Virgin oil works pretty good too and great for your heart and health.

Oops, Virgin olive oil

you don’t have to. i don’t add salt to any of my food. don’t think i even have any salt in my pantry. its better for your health to cut down on salt anyway. you get enough that is beyond your control without adding more. i’m used to food without salt =-my mum never added it when i was a kid. she told me that she just decided that she was going to stop putting salt in things and rather than stopping completely and making everything seem flavourless she gradually added less and less and eventually none. it works!

Uhm, it’s not a silly myth, there’s a scientific reasoning between this one. Because of the ions (Na + and CL-), the boiling point is lower.

And most people think it tastes too bland without salt? But you really dont have to. Salt only lowers the boiling point by a little bit. If you dont like it, then dont put it in.

LOL virgin oil

sorry, i meant boiling point is higher