Deep pot wins for spaghetti texture

Yes, the pot depth matters a lot.

Shallow pans just can’t hold enough water. When you drop spaghetti into a shallow pan, the water temperature crashes and stays low longer. The pasta releases starch into a smaller volume of water, so the starch concentration gets high. That makes your noodles sticky and gummy.

Deep pots let the pasta swim freely. More water means more thermal mass—temperature stays high, starches disperse evenly, and the pasta cooks more uniformly. You also get better circulation, which prevents strands from clumping. The result is a cleaner, al dente texture.

If you use a shallow pan, you’re basically boiling pasta in starch soup. It works in a pinch but don’t expect great results.

If you care about texture, use a deep pot and plenty of salted water.